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1715998

registered interest
date	07/05/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Bail: Remote Hearings
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions he has had with the Courts and Tribunals Judiciary on its decision to make second and subsequent bail applications remote by default.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	24910
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2024 answer text <p>It is standard practice not to comment on discussions between Ministers and the judiciary.</p><p>The Lord Chancellor is supportive of any efforts to help ensure sufficient capacity in the courts to hear bail applications and to remove principal structural barriers to applications being submitted, and he welcomes the revised guidance launched by Judicial Office which sets out that all second and subsequent bail applications to the Crown Court should be heard remotely unless ordered otherwise by a judge.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 13/05/2024 08:49:11 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1714760

registered interest
date	29/04/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Restraint Techniques: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if his Department will end the use on children of (a) the inverted wrist hold and (b) other pain-inducing restraints.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	24034
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/05/2024 answer text <p>The syllabus for training staff in under-18 young offender institutions and the secure training centre in Managing and Minimising Physical Restraint (MMPR) focuses exclusively on behaviour management and restraint.</p><p>It is essential that staff are trained for every aspect of their role, including in techniques they may need to use to prevent serious physical harm to a child or adult. Staff will continue to be trained in the safe use of pain-inducing techniques, as part of a separate package of interventions for use only in situations where that is the only means of preventing serious physical harm.</p><p>Any response must be necessary, reasonable, and proportionate in view of the risk of harm which is present. All instances where a pain-inducing technique is used are subject to detailed scrutiny by on site MMPR Coordinators, as well as by members of the Independent Restraint Review Panel.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 02/05/2024 08:37:06 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1714769

registered interest
date	29/04/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Social Services: Training
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of specialist (a) training and (b) accreditation on (i) alcohol and (ii) other drugs for social workers.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	24039
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/05/2024 answer text <p>The regulator for the social work profession, Social Work England, sets professional standards. These are standards all social workers must meet. The professional standards include that social workers must be able to address social care needs arising from substance misuse. Social workers complete initial education and training and then they are supported by an Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE). For child and family social workers the ASYE is due to be replaced by an Early Career Framework. Post-qualification training of social workers is the responsibility of employers such as local authorities and the NHS.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 02/05/2024 16:56:02 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1713527

registered interest
date	24/04/2024
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has made an assessment of the impact of changes in the level of social security benefits on people living in unsuitable housing.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	23477
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2024 answer text <p>The Department for Work and Pensions spends around £30bn a year on housing support for renters in both the private and social rented sectors. Benefit rates and the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) are reviewed annually.</p><p>From April this year the Government is investing £1.2 billion increasing LHA rates to the 30th percentile of local market rents. This significant investment ensures 1.6 million private renters in receipt of Housing Benefit or Universal Credit gain on average, nearly £800 in additional help towards their rental costs in 2024/25.</p><p>LHA provides a reasonable level of housing support towards rental costs in the private rented sector. LHA rates are not intended to cover all rents in all areas.</p><p>The Department works closely with other government departments, stakeholders, jobcentres, and local authorities to understand the impact of its policies.</p><p>For those who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs and need further support Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities. Since 2011 the Government has provided nearly £1.7 billion in DHP funding to local authorities.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 29/04/2024 15:27:31 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1712763

registered interest
date	22/04/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Criminology: Qualifications
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the planned defunding of the level 3 Criminology qualification on the criminal justice workforce pipeline (a) in general and (b) for jobs that contribute to maintaining national security.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	22939
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2024 answer text <p>This government is committed to ensuring that students in post-16 education have access to a high quality suite of qualifications that are easy to choose from and which provide the best chances for progression into higher study, or into a skilled job. The department firmly believes that, until the Advanced British Standard (ABS) is introduced, A Levels and T Levels are the best route at Level 3 to achieving those outcomes. A Levels are world class qualifications that provide the best preparation for higher education in most academic subject areas, including the social sciences.</p><p> </p><p>The government’s view is that A Levels should be the academic qualifications of choice at Level 3. This is based on evidence about progression and attainment for students who study A Levels compared to those who study other academic qualifications at Level 3. Students who study A Levels tend to both do better and have higher completion rates at university than students who studied other qualifications, even when taking into account background characteristics.</p><p> </p><p>An impact assessment was undertaken to consider the post-16 reforms at Level 3 as a whole, which can be read here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1091841/Revised_Review_of_post-16_qualifications_at_level_3_in_England_impact_assessment.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1091841/Revised_Review_of_post-16_qualifications_at_level_3_in_England_impact_assessment.pdf</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The study of criminology at Level 3 is not generally an entry requirement for criminology and other related degree courses. A Level sociology, which is in the same sector subject area of sociology and social policy, will serve students wishing to progress to criminology degrees. Students wishing to progress into other careers in criminal justice and national security, such as legal, policing or prison and probation services, could also undertake other A Levels such as law, combined with small alternative academic qualifications in approved subjects such as uniformed protective services.</p><p> </p><p>Development of the ABS is a decade long reform programme. Therefore, removal of funding from technical qualifications overlapping with T Levels is continuing as planned. The technical parts of the ABS are much closer to the T Level than any other qualification, meaning that T Levels will be the most future proof qualification for students at 16 to 19.</p><p> </p><p>As the department reforms applied general qualifications, it will be up to colleges to decide what they offer to ensure that students have access to a wide range of publicly funded qualifications. As education is a devolved matter, the devolved administrations may take a different approach to post-16 education.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall grouped question UIN 22940 22941 22942 question first answered 25/04/2024 16:28:10 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1695809

registered interest
date	13/03/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Civil Proceedings
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average waiting time for a first hearing of a civil justice case was in the latest period for which data is available.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	18431
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2024 answer text <p>I refer the honourable Member for Stockton North to the answer I gave on 19 February 2024 to PQ <a href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-02-06/13277" target="_blank">13277</a> and the answer I gave on the 23 January 2024 to PQ <a href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-01-15/9675" target="_blank">9675</a> in relation to the steps being taken to improve timeliness in civil courts.</p><p>Due to the nature of Civil claims, data relating to the number of people awaiting hearing is not held centrally. The time to hearing in relation to the small proportion of civil claims which are defended and proceed to trial is published quarterly: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/civil-justice-statistics-quarterly" target="_blank">Civil justice statistics quarterly - GOV.UK.</a></p> answering member constituency Finchley and Golders Green answering member printed Mike Freer grouped question UIN 18432 18435 question first answered 18/03/2024 17:07:24 answering member 4004 label Biography information for Mike Freer
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1685304

registered interest
date	26/01/2024
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Psychiatric Hospitals: Learning Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to reduce the number of people with a learning disability detained in inpatient units for five or more years.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	11609
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2024 answer text <p>In 2023/24, we are investing an additional £121 million to improve community support for people with learning disabilities and autistic people, as part of the NHS Long Term Plan. This includes funding for children and young people’s keyworkers.</p><p>In November 2023, NHS England published national guidance setting out that a mental health in-patient stay for a person with a learning disability should be for the most minimal time possible and should be for assessments and treatments which can only be provided in hospital. This was followed by a letter from NHS England, the Local Government Association and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services to local system partners across health and social care to ask that they have a concerted focus on supporting those people, who no longer need to be in hospital, in moving back into their local community in a safe and timely way, highlighting five key elements that are critical to enable this to happen.</p><p>NHS England continues to work with local system partners to ensure that they have a good understanding of those people that are in hospital who are clinically ready for discharge, including those people that have been in hospital for more than five years, and that there are plans in place to support these people in leaving hospital when they are ready to do so.<em> </em></p><p>In July 2022, we published the Building the Right Support Action Plan, which sets out cross-government actions to strengthen community support and reduce reliance on mental health inpatient care for people with learning disabilities and autistic people. As well as overseeing implementation of the Action Plan going forward, the Building the Right Support Delivery Board will maintain focus on quality of care and on reducing long stays.</p><p>To help ensure that a greater proportion of people with mental health needs, including those with learning disabilities, will be supported in their community, NHS England is investing £36 million over three years as part of the Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism Inpatient Quality Transformation Programme.</p> answering member constituency Lewes answering member printed Maria Caulfield question first answered 31/01/2024 10:44:45 answering member 4492 label Biography information for Maria Caulfield
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1680864

registered interest
date	09/01/2024
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit: Childcare
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of (a) single and (b) couple parent households receiving universal credit (i) were eligible for and (ii) received the childcare element in each region in the latest month for which data is available.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	8736
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2024 answer text <p>Statistics on the number of households in receipt of Universal Credit are published every three months. The latest statistics, to August 2023, are available by family type and if they receive the childcare element, and by region on <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/" target="_blank">Stat-Xplore</a>.</p><p> </p><p>Statistics on the number of households who are eligible for the childcare element are not routinely published, but we are looking to develop the official UC household statistics to include these statistics. Further details will be published <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/universal-credit-statistics" target="_blank">here</a> in due course.</p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 15/01/2024 17:58:16 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1679331

registered interest
date	05/01/2024
answering body	Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
answering dept id	215
answering dept short name	Energy Security and Net Zero
answering dept sort name	Energy Security and Net Zero
hansard heading	Offshore Industry: Decommissioning
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much the oil and gas industry’s annual expenditure on decommissioning was in each financial year between 2013-14 and 2022-23.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	7912
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/01/2024 answer text <p>The North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) publishes estimates for the upstream oil and gas industry’s annual expenditure on decommissioning by calendar year up to 2022 on its website.</p><p> </p><p>The information can be found here: <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nstauthority.co.uk%2Fdata-and-insights%2Finsights-and-analysis%2Fincome-and-expenditure%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7CParliamentary.PQ%40energysecurity.gov.uk%7Ce33208be56ba4cdb965408dc11be3dd0%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C638404756004738402%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=qmr6oBWABdnjdhltqOa1qTtRaGzNbnHFNuRqMNXna3Y%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.nstauthority.co.uk/data-and-insights/insights-and-analysis/income-and-expenditure/</a></p> answering member constituency Beverley and Holderness answering member printed Graham Stuart question first answered 10/01/2024 09:35:03 answering member 1482 label Biography information for Graham Stuart
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1674482

registered interest
date	30/11/2023
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Extradition
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign criminals have been extradited to the UK in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	4729
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/12/2023 answer text <p>The Home Office deals with extradition requests to and from territories outside of the European Union. The National Crime Agency holds the data in relation to requests between the UK and EU countries.</p><p>In respect of extraditions dealt with by the Home Office, the following table provides the information sought:</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2018</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2019</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2020</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2021</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2022</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2023 (to date)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>No. of foreign nationals</strong></p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>13</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>7</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>4</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The Home Office processes requests for extradition for individuals who have either been convicted or who are accused of a crime but have yet to proceed through a criminal trial.</p><p>All Home Office figures are from local management information and have not been quality assured to the level of published National Statistics. As such, they should be treated as provisional and therefore subject to change.</p> answering member constituency Tonbridge and Malling answering member printed Tom Tugendhat question first answered 12/12/2023 17:08:20 answering member 4462 label Biography information for Tom Tugendhat
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham