The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brendan O’Hara on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans his Department has to review the eligibility for the operational allowance for service personnel.
Mark Lancaster
We review eligible locations every six months as standard but Ministers have no plans to change the qualifying criteria.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons people who are from or live in Northern Ireland are required to complete a counter terrorist check as part of an application to join the armed forces.
Mark Lancaster
Every eligible applicant, irrespective of their background, residency or nationality undergoes appropriate security vetting as part of the selection process to join the UK Armed Forces.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the appointment of a representative from Northern Ireland to the Armed Forces Covenant Reference Group.
Mark Lancaster
The Armed Forces Covenant is making a real difference in Northern Ireland, where it is enshrined in law. Funding bids have been more successful there than in any other part of the UK – grants include £450,000 to Combat Stress to provide mental health support to veterans.
There is an open invitation to the Northern Ireland Executive to join the Covenant Reference Group (CRG). The Government wishes them to take a full and active part in the group, alongside the other Devolved Administrations. Whilst the Northern Ireland Executive has not yet put forward a representative for the CRG, much useful and effective engagement takes place at Executive departmental level.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Thewliss on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Hellfire missiles have been used in Syria and Iraq to date as part of Operation SHADER; and what the cost of the use of those weapons has been to the public purse.
Mike Penning
Between November 2014 and the end of August 2016 there have been 473 Hellfire missiles used in Iraq and Syria as part of Operation SHADER. The estimated cost of the use of these missiles is £44.455 million.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the effect of changes to the timetable in the procurement of Type 26 Frigates on (a) jobs, (b) apprenticeships and (c) skills in the affected shipyards in the next six months.
Harriett Baldwin
I refer the hon. Member to the answer my predecessor (Philip Dunne) gave on 27 June 2016 to Question 905474 to the hon. Member for Rutherglen and Hamilton West (Margaret Ferrier).
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne-Marie Trevelyan on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many children in the UK have at least one parent serving in the armed forces.
Mark Lancaster
This information is not held in the format requested
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the provision of support for post-traumatic stress disorder provided to (a) serving regular armed forces personnel, (b) serving reserve personnel and (c) veterans.
Mark Lancaster
The Ministry of Defence is committed to looking after the mental health of our Armed Forces, and our medical services are configured to provide community-based healthcare in line with national best practice. In the UK, we have 14 military Departments of Community Mental Health (DCMHs), which are located to be convenient for major centres of military population, and which support the provision of healthcare that is available through Service primary care facilities. The DCMH mental health teams comprise psychiatrists and mental health nurses, with access to clinical psychologists and mental health social workers. A wide range of psychiatric and psychological treatments are available, including medication, psychological therapies, and environmental adjustment where appropriate. In-patient care, when necessary, is provided in dedicated psychiatric units through a central contract with an in-patient psychiatric care provider.
Mobilised Reservists are entitled to the same mental healthcare from the Defence Medical Services as their Regular colleagues. Both current and former Reservists can access the Veterans and Reserves Mental Health Programme (VRMHP) for a full mental health assessment, followed by a course of treatment at a military Department of Community Mental Health (DCMH) if their condition is assessed as attributable to operational experience. We have been actively engaged with the Department of Health to ensure that NHS GPs are aware of this service, and of the referral process.
Veterans in England, Scotland and Wales are entitled to priority treatment at NHS hospitals for Service-related conditions (subject to the clinical need of all patients) and a Veterans’ Transition Protocol ensures any Service person discharged with a diagnosed mental health disorder is handed over appropriately to the NHS in England and the Devolved Administrations. A number of enhancements have been made to the care available for them, including more NHS veterans mental health nurses, follow-up of Service leavers twelve months after discharge, and a 24-hour mental health helpline sponsored by Combat Stress.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Lefroy on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her policy is on expanding the Troops to Teachers scheme.
Nick Gibb
The September 2016 cohort of Troops to Teachers is the last to be delivered under the current contract by the University of Brighton. Future options for Service leavers to train as teachers are currently being considered.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department’s funding of free early education of the conclusions of the report of the Family and Childcare Trust, Driving High Quality Childcare: the role of local authorities, published on 11 August 2016, on the proportion of local authorities which use such funding to encourage graduate-led care.
Caroline Dinenage
We recognise that high quality childcare improves children’s long-term educational outcomes and helps close the gap in attainment between the most disadvantaged children and their peers. We want to enable all children, whatever their background and individual needs, to access high quality early education. Investment has an important part to play in achieving continued improvements in quality. We have committed over £1 billion more per year by 2019-20 to fund the early years entitlements – this includes £300 million per year from 2017-18 for a significant increase to the rate paid for the two, three and four year old entitlements.
We know that high quality childcare has the most significant impact on those from disadvantaged homes. Therefore it is important that funding is targeted at those areas and children who need it most. This is why we propose an additional needs factor in the early years national funding formula, on which we are currently consulting. This will channel funding towards local authorities with a higher relative proportion of children with additional needs.
Whilst we know funding plays a role in the quality of childcare, we also recognise the importance of the early years workforce in improving quality and delivering better outcomes for children. That is why we are committed to publishing an early years workforce strategy. The Government currently delivers early years initial teacher training places in England. We fund eligible graduates to undertake the training, and provide student bursaries. Information about training routes is available on the Get into Teaching website at: https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Answer of 25 July 2016 to Question 42894, how many directions were made by local authorities in each year from 2012; and how many of these directions were appealed in each such year.
Edward Timpson
We do not hold data on the number of pupil directions issued by local authorities to maintained schools.
The number of direction appeals referred to the Schools Adjudicator by maintained schools (following a direction from a local authority to admit a pupil) was: 2012 – 14; 2013 – 11; 2014 – 14; 2015 – 8; 2016 (as of 6 September 2016) – 5.