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  • Angie Bray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Angie Bray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angie Bray on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 30 April 2014, Official Report, column 717W, on human trafficking: victim support schemes, how many of those referred were (a) men and (b) women; what steps are taken to ensure that after victims leave the shelter into which they have been placed by the Salvation Army they are not re-trafficked and do not contact their former traffickers; and if she will make a statement.

    Karen Bradley

    The requested information on the gender of potential victims and the regions in
    which they were found (answer 30 April 2014 refers) was not withheld and is
    provided in a table below.

    The victim care contract does not require support providers to maintain any
    form of formal contact with victims after the recovery and reflection period.
    All support providers work with victims throughout their support period to help
    them move on from the service. Through the National Referral Mechanism review
    and the re-tender of the adult victims care contract, we are looking at what
    more we can do to help victims recover and reintegrate effectively.

    The table below contains the requested details of the 126 referrals in February
    2014.

  • Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much his Department has allocated to the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme for the 2014-15 financial year.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The Department has allocated a budget of £40 million to fund the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme for the 2014-15 financial year.

  • Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Written Statement of 7 April 2014, Official Report, column 1WS, on higher education (student support), what estimate he has made of how many prospective students will no longer be eligible for the disabled students’ allowance once the changes set out in the statement are introduced; and what steps he plans to take to support those prospective students.

    Mr David Willetts

    Disabled students will continue to receive support through a combination of disabled students’ allowances (DSAs) and reasonable adjustments made by Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Each student’s needs are unique. Some will receive more support through reasonable adjustments than previously experienced. Written guidance will be available.

    It is not possible to make an accurate estimate of how many prospective students will no longer be eligible for DSAs as many students receive more than one type of support.

    Current DSA recipients and disabled students applying for DSAs in 2014/15 will not be affected by these changes in 2015/16.

  • Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which local authorities have withdrawn from the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme to date.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The Department is not aware of any local authorities withdrawing from the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme to date.

  • Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, in which local authorities 30 per cent or more pupils entitled to free school meals are not claiming them; and what steps he is taking to improve the take-up of free school meals.

    Mr David Laws

    The Department for Education routinely collects information on pupils who are both eligible for and claiming free school meals. This information is published in the ‘Schools, Pupils and their Characteristics, January 2013′ Statistical First Release[1]. Identifying pupils who are eligible for but not claiming free school meals is more difficult.

    The Department has published a research paper – ‘Pupils not claiming free school meals: 2013′[2] – which presents estimates of the numbers and proportions of pupils who are entitled to receive free school meals but are not claiming. The paper compares registration rates for children aged between four and 15 and highlights regions and local authorities where under-registration rates are high. A table showing under registration rates by local authority can be found in the annex.

    The Department has developed a free school meals Eligibility Checking System (ECS). The ECS enables local authorities to check very quickly and determine whether a parent can claim free school meals by linking benefits information from DWP, HMRC and the Home Office. It represents a significant achievement in reducing bureaucracy and cost for local authorities and encouraging more parents to sign up their children for a free school lunch. The ECS has been extended to allow parents to check their own eligibility, and to apply online, for free school meals. The new system reduces the time, stigma and bureaucracy previously associated with applications for free school meals.

    Resources are also available from the Children’s Food Trust to help schools increase take-up of free school meals.[3]

    [1]https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2013.
    [2] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupils-not-claiming-free-school-meals-2013.

    [3]http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/schools/resources/free-school-meals-matter-toolkit

    “

  • Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the performance of the School Food Plan in increasing healthy breakfast provision in more deprived areas; and how much had been spent on this programme by April 2014.

    Mr David Laws

    As part of the school food plan, Magic Breakfast started work in March 2014 to set up breakfast clubs in schools where over 35% of pupils are eligible for free school meals and where there is currently no breakfast provision.

    We are currently tendering for a contract to evaluate the effectiveness of the breakfast clubs. The successful bidder will be announced shortly.

  • Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was spent on the Universal Jobmatch programme between (a) April and September 2012, (b) October 2012 and March 2013, (c) April and September 2013, (d) October 2013 and March 2014 and (e) April and September 2014.

    Esther McVey

    The Programme expenditure for Universal Jobmatch over the period April 12 to September 14 includes contractual costs as well as internal costs. Any reporting therefore risks being in breach of commercial in confidence agreement.

  • Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the recent study by City University, London and the Nuffield Foundation of deaf children in the education system; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    The Department for Education has not made an assessment of the recent study by City University, London and the Nuffield Foundation of deaf children in the education system. The study helpfully considers ways and strategies to assist teachers identify reading problems and dyslexia for deaf children. It is for schools and professionals working with deaf children to consider the significance of the findings and how it informs their practice in identifying and supporting children with hearing loss.

    Through the Children and Families Act 2014, the Government aims to improve support for children with special educational needs and disability (SEND) including deaf children. It also includes support for teachers and other school staff to gain the knowledge and skills to support pupils with SEN and disabilities.

    The new SEND Code of Practice due to come into force in September, will set out clear guidance for schools on the process for appropriate identification, assessment, monitoring and securing further support for all children and young people with SEN and disabilities including those with sensory impairments.

  • Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information-sharing systems his Department recommends agencies to use in respect of sharing information regarding vulnerable children and children at risk.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    The Government believes it is for local areas to determine the most appropriate way to record and share information to meet local needs.

  • David Lammy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    David Lammy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Lammy on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help find the 230 Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram; and whether the UK will commit military aid to the search effort if required.

    Mark Simmonds

    Since the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls from Chibok in Borno State, Nigeria, we have been in regular contact with the Nigerian Government to offer our assistance. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), spoke to the Nigerian Foreign Minister on 18 April immediately after the abductions and offered the UK’s assistance. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) spoke to the Nigerian President on 7 May. The Nigerian President accepted our offer of a team of experts led by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and including Ministry of Defence (MOD), Department for International Development (DFID) and Police representatives. The team arrived in Abuja on 9 May and will be talking to the Nigerians to offer advice on how the Nigerians can defeat Boko Haram and bring stability to the north of Nigeria.

    It is too soon to comment on what specific assistance we will give. However, the team will provide expertise in counter-terrorism, counter-insurgency, military mentoring and training, victim support and economic development. Human rights compliance is, and will remain, an essential element of any UK assistance in Nigeria.