Tag: Steve McCabe

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-02-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department holds on the correlation between the reduction in the rate of unemployment in the West Midlands between 2010 and 2016 and any trend in the number of people employed on zero-hour contracts in that region.

Priti Patel

Figures published by ONS show that rising employment in the West Midlands since 2010 – reflected in falling unemployment – has been dominated by more people in full-time and permanent jobs.

Information on trends in zero-hours contracts over this period is not available on a consistent basis. This reflects the view of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) that responses to questions about zero-hours contracts in the Labour Force Survey are likely to have been affected by greater awareness of the term itself.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of children and young people entering care complete the strengths and difficulties questionnaire to assess their wellbeing in (a) England and (b) Birmingham.

Edward Timpson

This Government is committed to supporting children in care and the unique challenges that they often face. That is why we’ve put in place a comprehensive package of support, including the introduction of the Pupil Premium Plus and compulsory Virtual School Heads to champion the attainment of children in care. We’ve also changed the rules so foster children can remain at home until 21 and have recognised long-term fostering as a placement in its own right, providing young people with greater stability as they prepare for independence and adult life.

The Department collects Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) scores for children looked-after for at least 12 months. The data returned by local authorities are based on questionnaires completed by the child’s main carer. SDQs should inform a looked-after child’s annual health assessment.

In England, 72% of 5-16 year olds, looked after for at least 12 months, have had an SDQ score submitted. In Birmingham, 85% of these children have had an SDQ score submitted. These figures are correct as of 31 March 2015. More information can be found in the Department’s Statistical First Release Children Looked After by Local Authorities in England at 31 March 2015[1].

The SDQ is an internationally validated screening tool that provides information about the behavioural and emotional health of children. It has been part of the Department’s statistical collection for looked-after children since 2008. Where the SDQ score from the main carer suggests there may be a problem, the statutory guidance Promoting the health and wellbeing of looked-after children[2], which is issued jointly by the Department for Education and Department for Health, makes clear that consideration should be given to further assessment.

The Department recently supported the research undertaken by the Rees Centre at the University of Oxford on The Educational Progress of Looked-After Children in England: Linking Care and Education Data[3]. This research demonstrates that having a high SDQ score was strongly predictive of poor GCSE outcomes. We are discussing the implications of this research with local authority Virtual School Heads.

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2014-to-2015

[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/promoting-the-health-and-wellbeing-of-looked-after-children–2

[3] http://reescentre.education.ox.ac.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/EducationalProgressLookedAfterChildrenOverviewReport_Nov2015.pdf

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-03-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he has taken to assist local authorities renegotiating public-private partnerships.

Mr Marcus Jones

The Department offers advice and support directly to individual local authorities and collectively through sector briefings on renegotiation matters. The Department has also worked with Local Partnerships to help them provide advice and assistance to local authorities across a range of Private Finance Initiative Public Private Partnership sector projects.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-03-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he has taken to ensure that there are sufficient specialist consultants in post to support all children living with neuromuscular conditions in the West Midlands.

Jane Ellison

NHS England is responsible for commissioning specialised services, including neuromuscular services. In July 2013 it published Neurosciences: Specialised Neurology (Adult), which is the service specification describing the service commissioned by NHS England for patients, including children, with a neuromuscular disorder within the neurology service. It is for service providers to put in place the clinical posts and infrastructure to deliver the requirements set out in the specification for their local population.

The service specification has been implemented since 1 October 2013. NHS England is working with providers to ensure they comply with the service description and standards.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-03-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 17 February 2016 to Question 26459, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of changes to the pay to stay scheme proposed in the Housing and Planning Bill on the number of residents who leave their local communities.

Brandon Lewis

Following my answer on 17 February, the Government’s consultation response on Pay to Stay published on 9 March confirmed that a taper will be applied above the minimum income thresholds. This will mean that rental increases will be lower for those households close to the income thresholds. And I would reiterate that if tenants on incomes well above the threshold wish to take up rental opportunities in the private sector then this should be encouraged to free up social housing for those most in need.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-03-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 11 March 2016 to Question 29817, whether her Department holds information on the number of children who have been further assessed after the strength and difficulties questionnaire score suggested that there may be a problem with that child’s mental health.

Mr Sam Gyimah

The Department does not hold information on the number of children who have undergone further assessment following the completion of a Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).

The Government has made available £1.4 billion over five years to implement the blueprint set out in Future in mind to transform children’s mental health services, including for those looked after and other vulnerable groups. Together with the Department of Health and working with NHS England and others we are establishing an expert group to develop care pathways that will support an integrated approach to meeting the mental health needs of looked-after children.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2016 to Question 31889, whether local authorities can instruct academy schools to admit children to meet their legal obligation; and whether it is her policy that local authorities will be able to instruct academy schools to admit children to meet their legal obligation under the proposed fully academised system.

Nick Gibb

Academy schools are their own admission authorities as are maintained voluntary aided and foundation schools. Such schools set their own admission policies and can only change them after consulting local people. Local authorities (LAs) can object to the Schools Adjudicator about an admission policy or a reduction in an admission number but cannot determine how many pupils such schools must admit.

LAs are able to launch a competition for a new free school and, in certain circumstances, place children through the local fair access protocol or, where a school does not agree to admit a child, seek to direct admission.

All state-funded schools are required to participate in the local in-year fair access protocol. Protocols allocate places to children who are unplaced by the start of the school year. Legislation also provides local authorities with powers to seek to direct the admission of children to maintained schools for which they are not the admission authority. Academy funding agreements contain similar direction powers.

Directions can be sought when there is no other school place within a reasonable distance or where a looked after child has been refused a place.

The Schools Adjudicator decides directions for maintained schools while the Education Funding Agency decides directions for academies on behalf of the Secretary of State.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-04-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to implement the recommendations of NHS England’s Mental Health Taskforce report published in February 2016; and what governance arrangements have been put in place to support the implementation of those recommendations.

Alistair Burt

The Government is working with delivery partners to carefully consider the Taskforce’s recommendations, and aims to publish an Implementation Plan in the summer that will set out how Government and partners will deliver the recommendations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-04-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to protect bees from (a) neonicotinoids and (b) other harmful pesticides.

George Eustice

A pesticide may only be advertised, sold, supplied, stored and used if the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued an authorisation. Such authorisations can only be issued if the active substances contained in the product have been approved by the European Commission. Following a thorough risk assessment, HSE imposes conditions on the way pesticides are used to ensure there is no harm to human health and no unacceptable effects on the environment. The assessment considers risks to bees; any pesticides considered liable to harm bees are not authorised.

Neonicotinoids are subject to these rules. The European Commission withdrew approval for the use of three neonicotinoid active substances on a number of crops in December 2013. The UK Government has implemented these restrictions in full.

The National Pollinator Strategy includes actions designed to improve the status of our bees and other pollinating insects, for example tackling the loss of flower-rich habitats. Another action is to promote and increase the uptake of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) by farmers and growers. Increased uptake of IPM will help to achieve a more targeted approach to managing pests, weeds and diseases, with benefits for pollinators.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-05-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the Answer of 18 April 2016 to Question 32639, how she ensures that those most in need benefit from the Energy Company Obligation and Warm Home Discount; and whether she plans to change how households in fuel poverty are identified.

Andrea Leadsom

Currently, the Warm Home Discount and the Affordable Warmth Group under the Energy Company Obligation are targeted at low income households, using means-tested benefits as the basis for eligibility.

In April this year, Government consulted on plans to enable data sharing between government departments, specified public authorities and energy suppliers with the specific purpose of identifying and targeting assistance at fuel poor households. If successful, these proposals would allow DECC to use government-held data to identify more accurately low income households with high energy costs. This capability could then be used under a future Warm Home Discount.

There will be a reformed domestic supplier obligation (Energy Company Obligation) from April 2017, which will run for 5 years. It will upgrade the energy efficiency of homes and tackle the root cause of fuel poverty. Government will be consulting shortly on proposals for the 2017/18 scheme, including how households in fuel poverty would be identified.