Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children in (a) primary and (b) secondary non-specialist schools have autism spectrum disorder; how schools are required to identify those children; and what support her Department gives to those children.

    Edward Timpson

    In January 2015, there were 35,030 children in mainstream primary schools and 30,845 children in mainstream secondary schools who were identified as having autistic spectrum disorder as their primary type of need[1].

    Under the SEND Code of Practice all maintained schools are required to identify the special educational needs of pupils, including those with autism. Where any pupil makes less progress than expected, schools should assess the pupil’s needs, put in place suitable support to meet those needs and review it regularly to ensure it continues to be appropriate. If, despite additional support provided by the school, a pupil continues to make less progress than expected, the school (or the parents) can ask the local authority to carry out an Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment of the pupil’s needs. If the local authority decides to issue an EHC plan, it will specify the provision needed to support the pupil’s needs and what additional resources will be funded by the local authority.

    The Children and Families Act 2014 introduced significant reforms to the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) system which will better support children and young people with autism in the education system. This includes the publication of ‘local offers’ of SEND services by local authorities, the introduction of streamlined EHC plans, and new statutory protections for young people aged 16-25 in further education.

    The Act also makes provision to ensure that parents, children and young people are able to access impartial information, advice and support about the SEND system. This is available through a local, dedicated and easily identifiable service which includes help to prepare them for meetings with schools, health professionals or other agencies that may be supporting them in their education.

    Under the Department’s Free Schools programme, there are now nineteen special free schools open across the country, including several that are specifically for children with Autism, such as the Rise free school in Hounslow, the Lighthouse free school in Leeds and the National Autistic Society’s Church Lawton free school in Cheshire. There are a further eleven special free schools due to open in the future, five of which will specialise in provision for children with autism, including the Heartlands Autism free school in Haringey and a second National Autistic Society free school, the Vanguard free school in Lambeth. The other six will offer some places for children with autism.

    [1] National Statistics: Special Educational Needs in England 2015, Table 8, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/special-educational-needs-in-england-january-2015).

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  • Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 8 June 2016 to Question 38977, how the figure of 10,000 new nursing, midwifery and allied health training places by 2020 was calculated.

    Ben Gummer

    As announced by the Chancellor in the Spending Review in November 2015, the Government has committed to remove the cap on the number of students studying nursing, midwifery and the allied health professions from 1 August 2017. This will enable universities to offer up to 10,000 new training places for students to start these courses in this Parliament.

    This reflects estimates on the level of unmet demand for places in the current system where, as an example, for nursing, around two out of three nursing applicants who currently apply for a place are turned down.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with opticians’ associations on opticians spotting illness when carrying out eyesight checks.

    David Mowat

    There have been no specific discussions on this with opticians’ associations. Regular sight tests are an important measure in preventing avoidable sight loss and provide a health check for eyes that can pick up early signs of eye conditions.

    Under the Sight Testing (Examination and Prescription) (No.2) Regulations 1989, when a doctor or optometrist carries out a sight test, they have a legal duty to perform such examinations that are necessary to detect signs of injury, disease or abnormality and to refer the patient for further investigation if necessary. They will also carry out tests to determine if the patient requires an optical appliance to correct a defect in sight.

    These requirements apply to all sight tests, whether provided on the National Health Service or privately.

    The General Optical Council (GOC) is the regulatory body for optometrists who carry out sight tests and any concern about the quality of sight tests can be raised directly with the GOC.

  • Lord Patten – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Patten – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Patten on 2016-10-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the importance of landscape quality when new housing is built on greenfield sites.

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

    The Government is very clear that good design is a key aspect of sustainable development, is indivisible from good planning, and should contribute positively to making places better for people. It wants to see new developments that function well and add to the overall quality of the area, that establish a strong sense of place by using streetscapes and buildings to create attractive and comfortable places to live, work and visit.

    The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that planning policies and decisions should take account of the different roles and character of different areas and recognise the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside.

  • Kate Hoey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kate Hoey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which (a) retired civil servants and (b) former Ministers have travelled to Libya at public expense since October 2011; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Since 2011, the Government has funded visits to Libya by current officials and Ministers as part of regular diplomatic relations. In addition, in periods when the security situation in Libya permitted it, a number of visits to Libya, including by Jonathan Powell the Prime Minister’s Envoy to Libya, have been funded by HMG.

    No retired civil servants or former ministers have visited Libya at public expense.

  • Lord Watson of Invergowrie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Watson of Invergowrie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Watson of Invergowrie on 2015-12-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the estimated cost per pupil of auditing the accounts of a 1,000-pupil secondary school, in (1) the maintained sector, and (2) the academy sector.

    Lord Nash

    Schools in the maintained sector do not require an external audit as this is undertaken at local authority level.

    Each academy trust’s audit fees vary reflecting a number of different factors such as the auditing firm used and the complexity of the business. We are, therefore, unable to provide an estimation of audit fees on a cost per pupil basis for a 1,000-pupil secondary school.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on how many occasions he has met with National Archive officials to discuss the release of Cabinet Office papers for the 1986 to 1988 period.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Cabinet Office has regular ongoing communications with the National Archives.

    The Minister for the Cabinet Office met National Archive officials to discuss the release of Cabinet Office papers for the 1986 to 1988 period on two occasions.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her EU counterparts during the renegotiation of the terms of UK membership of the EU on EU fisheries policy; and if she will take steps to secure a better outcome for the British fishing industry within that policy.

    George Eustice

    The Government is fighting hard to fix the aspects of our EU membership that cause so much frustration in the UK, so that we get a better deal for the UK and secure our future. The Government is focused on delivering a successful renegotiation. We believe we can and will succeed in reforming and renegotiating our relationship with the EU.

    Separately, the UK continues to pursue effective implementation of the reformed Common Fisheries Policy through full use of the new provisions for regionalised decision making, and including the elimination of the wasteful practice of discarding fish. The UK is also seeking to simplify technical regulations in the fisheries sector, for the benefit of the UK fishing industry and the sustainability of fish stocks.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has received a document from the Indian government on Sikh radicalisation in the UK; and if she will make a statement.

    Mr John Hayes

    The department has not received any documents on Sikh radicalisation in the UK from the Indian government.

  • Owen Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Owen Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether transitional protection where entitlement is lower will begin as soon as tax credit recipients start migrating to universal credit.

    Priti Patel

    No-one already on existing benefits or Tax Credits whose circumstances remain the same will lose out in cash terms as a direct result of being moved on to Universal Credit. These claimants will be given transitional protection to avoid cash loss at the point of change.