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1695115

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2024
	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	Breast Cancer: Screening
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of (a) 3D mammography and (b) other new screening technologies to support the early diagnosis of breast cancer.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Elliot Colburn
	uin	17982
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2024 answer text <p>The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) is aware of research into the use of three-dimensional (3D) mammography and the growing interest to use artificial intelligence (AI) in the National Health Service breast screening programme. Guidance has been published on GOV.UK on the use of Tomosynthesis 3D imaging in a clinical trial setting as part of the NHS breast screening programme.</p><p>The UK NSC had also worked with Health Technology Assessments to design an evaluation of existing AI in a prospective study to look at whether it could be used to read breast screening mammograms.</p><p>There are currently no plans to adopt these technologies, but evidence to inform a UK NSC decision on the use of 3D mammography and AI in the NHS breast screening programme will be reviewed by the Committee when available.</p> answering member constituency Pendle answering member printed Andrew Stephenson question first answered 19/03/2024 14:57:39 answering member 4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson
	tabling member	4775 label Biography information for Elliot Colburn

1695116

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2024
	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	Breast Cancer: Screening
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) lowering the breast cancer screening age to 40 and (b) including a breast cancer risk assessment in the first appointment.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Elliot Colburn
	uin	17983
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2024 answer text <p>The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) currently recommends that all women aged 50 years old to 71 years old are invited for breast screening every three years. A trial, AgeX is looking at the impact of increasing or decreasing, or both, the screening age for the breast screening programme. When the results from this trial are available, the UK NSC will review the findings. The UK NSC plans to review the evidence for risk stratification in breast screening to tailor it more closely to an individual’s risk of cancer, rather than the current population-based approach.</p> answering member constituency Pendle answering member printed Andrew Stephenson question first answered 19/03/2024 15:37:13 answering member 4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson
	tabling member	4775 label Biography information for Elliot Colburn

1695117

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2024
	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	Breast Cancer: Screening
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing (a) a risk assessment and (b) a breast density assessment during a women's first breast cancer screening appointment.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Elliot Colburn
	uin	17984
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2024 answer text <p>The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) plans to review the evidence for risk stratification in breast screening, to tailor it more closely to an individual’s risk of cancer, rather than the current population-based approach.</p><p> </p><p>In 2019, the UK NSC reviewed the benefit of additional screening with ultrasound after a negative mammography screening, for women with dense breasts. The Committee concluded that there was insufficient evidence to recommend additional ultrasound screening at that time.</p><p> </p><p>The Breast Screening Risk Adaptive Imaging for Density trial is looking into the use of supplementary imaging techniques for women within the standard breast screening programme, who are found to have radiographically dense breast tissue. The UK NSC will review this evidence when it becomes available.</p> answering member constituency Pendle answering member printed Andrew Stephenson question first answered 19/03/2024 15:29:57 answering member 4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson
	tabling member	4775 label Biography information for Elliot Colburn

1691759

	registered interest
	date	26/02/2024
	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	Dementia: Diagnosis
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the national ambition for dementia diagnosis rates at ensuring that people under 65 receive (a) a timely dementia diagnosis and (b) appropriate post-diagnostic support.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Elliot Colburn
	uin	15763
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/03/2024 answer text <p>The dementia diagnosis rate is not calculated for patients aged under 65 years old. This is because the numbers of patients known to have dementia in the sample population age groups comprising the zero to 64-year-old age range, are not large enough for reliable estimates to be made. Nonetheless, NHS England is committed to delivering high quality care and support for every person with dementia at every age, and central to this is the provision of personalised care.</p><p>As part of the spending review settlement in 2021/22, £17 million was allocated to the National Health Service to address dementia waiting lists and to increase the number of diagnoses, which had been adversely impacted by the pandemic. NHS England will share reporting on the impact of this funding and examples of good practice with dementia clinical networks in March 2024.</p> answering member constituency Faversham and Mid Kent answering member printed Helen Whately question first answered 04/03/2024 17:58:42 answering member 4527 label Biography information for Helen Whately
	tabling member	4775 label Biography information for Elliot Colburn

1691369

	registered interest
	date	23/02/2024
	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	Dementia
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the dementia diagnosis rate was for people aged under 65 who had developed symptoms on 23 February 2024; and if she will publish a monthly estimate of this rate within national primary care dementia data.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Elliot Colburn
	uin	15482
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/03/2024 answer text <p>The dementia diagnosis rate is not calculated for patients aged under 65 years old. This is because the numbers of patients known to have dementia in the sample population age groups comprising those aged between zero and 64 years old are not large enough for reliable estimates to be made.</p><p>The dementia diagnosis rate for patients aged 65 years old and over is calculated and published monthly via the Primary Care Dementia Data publication, which is available at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/primary-care-dementia-data" target="_blank">https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/primary-care-dementia-data</a></p><p>This publication does include a monthly count of the number of patients aged 65 years old and under who do have a dementia diagnosis on their patient record; this is expressed as a raw count and as a percentage of registered patients aged between zero and 64 years old.</p> answering member constituency Faversham and Mid Kent answering member printed Helen Whately question first answered 04/03/2024 17:58:04 answering member 4527 label Biography information for Helen Whately
	tabling member	4775 label Biography information for Elliot Colburn

1691370

	registered interest
	date	23/02/2024
	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	Dementia: Health Services
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if her Department will take steps to require every Integrated Care Board to develop a young onset dementia pathway to (a) standardise and (b) improve dementia (i) care and (ii) support for people of working age.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Elliot Colburn
	uin	15483
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/03/2024 answer text <p>Provision of dementia health care services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs). NHS England would expect ICBs to commission services based on local population needs, taking account of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.</p><p> </p><p>The Dementia Well Pathway includes diagnosing well, living/ supporting well and dying well, and highlights that services need to be integrated, commissioned, monitored, and aligned with NICE standards for each component of the pathway. It makes it clear that the needs, wishes and preferences of each individual, including those of working age, should be taken into account in planning and providing their care.</p> answering member constituency Faversham and Mid Kent answering member printed Helen Whately question first answered 04/03/2024 17:56:51 answering member 4527 label Biography information for Helen Whately
	tabling member	4775 label Biography information for Elliot Colburn

1691371

	registered interest
	date	23/02/2024
	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	Dementia: General Practitioners
	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 help improve the knowledge of GPs on the symptoms of young onset dementia.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Elliot Colburn
	uin	15484
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2024 answer text <p>We want all general practitioners to have received appropriate training, in order to provide high quality care to people with dementia, regardless of the person’s age or individual needs.</p><p>The standard of training for health care professionals is the responsibility of the health care independent statutory regulatory bodies who set the outcome standards expected at undergraduate level and approve courses and Higher Education Institutions to write and teach the curricula content that enables their students to meet the regulators outcome standards.</p><p>Whilst not all curricula may necessarily highlight a specific condition, they all nevertheless emphasize the skills and approaches a Health Care Practitioner must develop in order to ensure accurate and timely diagnoses and treatment plans for their patients, including for dementia.</p><p>The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, published on 30 June 2023, sets out NHS England’s commitment to improving training for workers caring for people with dementia.</p><p>The Long Term plan also sets out the plan for there to be more healthcare staff working in and with GP practices, which will mean people will be able to get an appointment with the right professional depending on their needs. This means that those with dementia will be able to access the most appropriate support more quickly.</p><p>The plan will include more GPs, nurses and 20,000 additional pharmacists, physiotherapists, paramedics, physician associates and social prescribing link. These bigger teams of staff will work with other local services to make sure people, including those with dementia, get better access to a wider range of support for their needs.</p><p>We are seeing more people from younger cohorts with multimorbidity. Multimorbidity challenges the specialised approach to medicine, which has improved our ability to successfully treat single diseases. The Long Term Plan also addresses the increased need for medical and other clinical professionals with generalist and core skills to manage and support patients with seemingly unrelated diseases.</p><p>There are also a variety of resources available on the NHS England E-learning for Health platform, including a programme on dementia care, designed to enhance the training and education of the health and social care workforce.</p> answering member constituency Faversham and Mid Kent answering member printed Helen Whately question first answered 23/04/2024 12:49:37 answering member 4527 label Biography information for Helen Whately
	tabling member	4775 label Biography information for Elliot Colburn

1689210

	registered interest
	date	16/02/2024
	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	Liver Cancer: Health Services
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the report by the British Liver Trust entitled Liver Cancer – A Call to Action, published in October 2023, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing an optimal care pathway for liver cancer.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Elliot Colburn
	uin	14137
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2024 answer text <p>The care of and treatment for patients with cancers, including liver cancer, is a priority for the Government. National Health Service cancer standards have been reformed with the support of clinicians to speed up diagnosis for patients, which means people will receive a diagnosis or have cancer ruled out within 28 days of urgent cancer referral from their general practice. NHS England’s Early Diagnosis of Cancer Programme is contributing to the NHS Long Term Plan’s commitment to diagnose 75% of all cancers at stage one or two by 2028. Identifying those at risk and ensuring patients are tested and referred to a surveillance programme, where necessary, will lead to improved patient outcomes.</p><p>The Government is taking steps through NHS England to improve outcomes for cancer patients, including liver cancer. Diagnostic checks are a key part of cancer pathways and the 153 community diagnostic centres (CDCs) opened by the Government will give earlier diagnostic tests, benefitting millions of patients including those who are referred with suspected less survivable cancers. NHS systems have been asked to prioritise CDC capacity towards their most challenged cancer pathways, where this is clinically appropriate, and these centres have delivered over six million additional tests for all elective activity since July 2021.</p> answering member constituency Pendle answering member printed Andrew Stephenson question first answered 26/02/2024 10:28:51 answering member 4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson
	tabling member	4775 label Biography information for Elliot Colburn

1689471

	registered interest
	date	16/02/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Hate Crime: Transphobia
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to help tackle transphobic hate crimes.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Elliot Colburn
	uin	14370
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/02/2024 answer text <p>Our absolute priority is to get more police onto our streets, cut crime, protect the public and bring more criminals to justice. We are supporting the police by providing them with the resources they need. Part of this necessitates police recruitment and training. We delivered our commitment to recruit an additional 20,000 officers by March 2023 and there are over 149,000 officers England and Wales, which is higher than the previous peak in March 2010 before the Police Uplift Programme.</p><p>The Government continues to fund True Vision, an online hate crime reporting portal designed so that victims of all forms of hate crime do not have to visit a police station to report. We also fund the National Online Hate Crime Hub, a central capability designed to provide expert advice to support individual local police forces in dealing with online hate crime.</p> answering member constituency Newbury answering member printed Laura Farris question first answered 27/02/2024 11:53:18 answering member 4826 label Biography information for Laura Farris
	tabling member	4775 label Biography information for Elliot Colburn

1688776

	registered interest
	date	08/02/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Technology: Training
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on developing tech skills in the workforce.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Elliot Colburn
	uin	901510
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/02/2024 answer text <p>Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) talent and skills are a vital strand of the government’s UK Science and Technology Framework, published in 2023, which aims to cement the UK’s status as a science and technology superpower by 2030.</p><p>The department is working with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, including through government-industry groups such as the Digital Skills Council. This brings together government and industry to address current and future demand for digital skills, including promoting routes into digital careers and the range of opportunities to re-skill and up-skill.</p><p>The department is making it easier for people of all ages and backgrounds to access the STEM training they need through the ladder of opportunity provided by our skills system reforms, including:</p><ul><li>Investment of £3.8 billion over the course of this parliament to strengthen higher education (HE) and further education (FE).</li></ul><ul><li>Scaling up delivery of apprenticeships, T Levels, Skills Bootcamps, and Higher Technical Qualifications, and establishing our network of 21 Institutes of Technology.</li></ul><p>There are over 350 high-quality, employer-designed STEM apprenticeships and from 2024 students will be able to apply for apprenticeships on the UCAS website. The number of digital, ICT practitioner apprenticeship starts have increased year-on-year since 2019/20, with 24,140 starts in the 2022/23 year (over 40% increase compared to starts in the 2019/20 year).</p><p>Over 1,000 Skills Bootcamps are available across the country, offering training in tech subjects such as software development, cyber security and data analytics.</p><p>The introduction of a Lifelong Learning Entitlement will transform access to FE and HE, offering all adults the equivalent of four years’ worth of student loans to use flexibly on quality education and skills training over their lifetime.</p><p>These programmes are achieving the vision set out in the UK Science and Technology Framework to boost the supply of tech skills.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 21/02/2024 11:44:32 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
	tabling member	4775 label Biography information for Elliot Colburn

1686879

	registered interest
	date	01/02/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	British National (Overseas): Airports
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of allowing British National (Overseas) passport holders to use e-gates at the UK border.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Elliot Colburn
	uin	12722
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/02/2024 answer text <p>The Government regularly reviews eGate eligibility for all groups, including British Nationals (Overseas). We have set out an ambitious vision for the future border in the New Plan for Immigration and remain committed to increasing the use of automation amongst those currently eligible and exploring options to allow more cohorts to use eGates.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 15/02/2024 11:35:19 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4775 label Biography information for Elliot Colburn

1686880

	registered interest
	date	01/02/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	British National (Overseas): Voluntary Work
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of allowing British National (Overseas) passport holders to undertake voluntary work as (a) sportspersons and (b) sports coaches.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Elliot Colburn
	uin	12723
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/02/2024 answer text <p>The restriction on working as a professional sportsperson applies to those holding permission on certain visa routes, including the British National (Overseas) visa. If an individual meets any of the indicators listed in the definition of a professional sportsperson at Paragraph 6 of the Immigration Rules, they are classified as such, and if the restriction on work as a professional sportsperson is present in their visa conditions, they would therefore be breaching the terms of their visa.</p><p>However, it is not this Government’s intention to restrict anyone coming to the UK and taking part in sport recreationally. ‘Amateur’ is defined in the Immigration Rules as:</p><p>“<strong>“Amateur”</strong> means a person who engages in a sport or creative activity solely for personal enjoyment and who is not seeking to derive a living from the activity.”</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 08/02/2024 16:21:35 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4775 label Biography information for Elliot Colburn

1686881

	registered interest
	date	01/02/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	British National (Overseas): Pensions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the documentation provided to British National Overseas passport holders to access mandatory provident fund monies.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Elliot Colburn
	uin	12724
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/02/2024 answer text <p>The UK firmly opposes the discrimination that British National (Overseas) status holders are facing in applying for early withdrawal of their pension funds held by the Mandatory Provident Fund in Hong Kong. The documentary requirements for accessing the scheme are a matter for the Hong Kong authorities. We have urged them to facilitate the early drawdown of funds as is the case for other Hong Kong residents who move overseas permanently and will continue to do so.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 07/02/2024 15:56:02 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4775 label Biography information for Elliot Colburn

1686882

	registered interest
	date	01/02/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Overseas Students: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of (a) reducing and (b) eliminating the residency requirement for British National Overseas visa holders to qualify for (i) home fee status and (ii) student finance.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Elliot Colburn
	uin	12725
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/02/2024 answer text <p>To qualify for student finance in the UK, a person must have settled status or a recognised connection to the UK. <br> <br> Subject to meeting the normal eligibility requirements, British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) status holders will be able to qualify for student finance once they have acquired settled status, which is usually after five years, and have three years of ordinary residence in the UK. <br> <br> The government believes that it is right that the support provided by the taxpayer should be targeted at those who have a history of a lawful and substantial residence in the UK.</p><p>There are no plans to review BN(O) status holders’ access to student finance.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 08/02/2024 15:41:49 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
	tabling member	4775 label Biography information for Elliot Colburn

1680554

	registered interest
	date	08/01/2024
	answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
	answering dept id	211
	answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
	answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
	hansard heading	Religious Hatred: Hinduism
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce incidents of Hinduphobia.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Elliot Colburn
	uin	8589
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/01/2024 answer text <p>Hatred towards Hindus is completely abhorrent and has no place in our communities. The Government continues to work with police and community partners to monitor and combat it. In 2023/24, the Home Office is providing £3.5 million for protecting places of worship, including for Hindu temples.</p> answering member constituency North East Derbyshire answering member printed Lee Rowley question first answered 17/01/2024 09:43:47 answering member 4652 label Biography information for Lee Rowley
	tabling member	4775 label Biography information for Elliot Colburn

1679780

	registered interest
	date	05/01/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Temporary Accommodation
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department provides (a) training and (b) guidance to accommodation providers on how to assess suitability for room sharing between unrelated adults in addition to that which is required by the Asylum Accommodation and Support contracts.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Elliot Colburn
	uin	8199
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2024 answer text <p>The safety and wellbeing of asylum seekers in our care is of paramount importance to the Home Office. The Asylum Accommodation Support Contract (AASC) Statement of Requirements below gives a detailed breakdown of all of the services to be undertaken by our accommodation providers and to the standards we expect. This includes training requirements for provider staff, room sharing guidance and suitability requirements, and guidance on incidents of harassment. Full details of our polices: AASC_-_Schedule_2_-_Statement_of_Requirements.pdf (parliament.uk).</p><p>When considering room sharing facilities, we will ensure that rooms are an appropriate size for the number of occupants and the occupancy in each bedroom shall not exceed that specified in the appropriate space standard, as defined in relevant legislation and/or in local authority licensing requirements, as well as ensuring that we are adhering to UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) guidance where applicable. Room sharing with friends is encouraged and the Home Office encourage individuals to speak to their housing officer if they know someone that they would like to share a room with. Every effort will be made for room sharing with a friend or family member, if they are the same gender. All personal circumstances will be considered before deciding if room sharing is suitable.</p><p>The Home Office has published the Asylum Support Contracts Safeguarding Framework at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-support-contracts-safeguarding-framework" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-support-contracts-safeguarding-framework</a>. This framework sets out a joint, overarching approach, as well as the key controls and reporting mechanisms in place, across the AASC contracts, for safeguarding arrangements.</p><p>All asylum seekers have access to a 24/7 AIRE (Advice, Issue Reporting and Eligibility) service provided for the Home Office by Migrant Help where they can raise any concerns regarding accommodation or support services, and they can get information about how to obtain further support.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove grouped question UIN 8200 question first answered 15/01/2024 17:55:53 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4775 label Biography information for Elliot Colburn

1679781

	registered interest
	date	05/01/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Temporary Accommodation
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance his Department provides to asylum accommodation providers on how to respond to incidents of harassment in asylum accommodation.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Elliot Colburn
	uin	8200
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2024 answer text <p>The safety and wellbeing of asylum seekers in our care is of paramount importance to the Home Office. The Asylum Accommodation Support Contract (AASC) Statement of Requirements below gives a detailed breakdown of all of the services to be undertaken by our accommodation providers and to the standards we expect. This includes training requirements for provider staff, room sharing guidance and suitability requirements, and guidance on incidents of harassment. Full details of our polices: AASC_-_Schedule_2_-_Statement_of_Requirements.pdf (parliament.uk).</p><p>When considering room sharing facilities, we will ensure that rooms are an appropriate size for the number of occupants and the occupancy in each bedroom shall not exceed that specified in the appropriate space standard, as defined in relevant legislation and/or in local authority licensing requirements, as well as ensuring that we are adhering to UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) guidance where applicable. Room sharing with friends is encouraged and the Home Office encourage individuals to speak to their housing officer if they know someone that they would like to share a room with. Every effort will be made for room sharing with a friend or family member, if they are the same gender. All personal circumstances will be considered before deciding if room sharing is suitable.</p><p>The Home Office has published the Asylum Support Contracts Safeguarding Framework at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-support-contracts-safeguarding-framework" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-support-contracts-safeguarding-framework</a>. This framework sets out a joint, overarching approach, as well as the key controls and reporting mechanisms in place, across the AASC contracts, for safeguarding arrangements.</p><p>All asylum seekers have access to a 24/7 AIRE (Advice, Issue Reporting and Eligibility) service provided for the Home Office by Migrant Help where they can raise any concerns regarding accommodation or support services, and they can get information about how to obtain further support.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove grouped question UIN 8199 question first answered 15/01/2024 17:55:53 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4775 label Biography information for Elliot Colburn

1681435

	registered interest
	date	19/12/2023
	answering body	Department for Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept id	217
	answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
	hansard heading	Football
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support local football clubs.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Elliot Colburn
	uin	900903
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/01/2024 answer text <p>By 2025, we will have invested over £320 million into grassroots football and multi-sport facilities across the UK. Furthermore, as announced in the King’s Speech, the Government will bring forward legislation to establish a new Independent Football Regulator, to ensure that English football is sustainable for the benefit of fans and local communities.</p> answering member constituency Pudsey answering member printed Stuart Andrew question first answered 11/01/2024 13:53:07 answering member 4032 label Biography information for Stuart Andrew
	tabling member	4775 label Biography information for Elliot Colburn

1673501

	registered interest
	date	28/11/2023
	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	Dental Services
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the oral contribution from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care during the Westminster Hall debate on Healthcare Services: Carshalton and Wallington on 23 May 2023, Official Report, Column 71WH, what progress her Department has made on producing a radical dentistry plan.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Elliot Colburn
	uin	4278
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/12/2023 answer text <p>We are working on our Dentistry Recovery Plan which will address how we continue to improve access, particularly for new patients; and how we make National Health Service work more attractive to ensure NHS dentists are incentivised to deliver more NHS care.</p><p>Our Dentistry Recovery Plan will build upon the first package of reforms agreed in July 2022, which included changes to banding and the introduction of a minimum Units of Dental Activity value. Our plan will include addressing how we continue to improve access, particularly for new patients; and how we make NHS work more attractive to ensure NHS dentists are incentivised to deliver NHS care.</p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 07/12/2023 14:26:49 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
	tabling member	4775 label Biography information for Elliot Colburn

1673502

	registered interest
	date	28/11/2023
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Pupils: Absenteeism
	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 trends in absence rates of children with pathological demand avoidance.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Elliot Colburn
	uin	4279
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/12/2023 answer text <p>The department does not collect data for pupils with pathological demand avoidance (PDA), a profile of autism. Therefore, we cannot accurately assess their current trends in absence rates. However, the department recognises the increase in absence generally for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). For pupils receiving Special Educational Needs (SEN) support, overall absence increased from 6.5% in 2018/19 to 10.0% in 2021/22. For pupils with a SEN provision statement or Education, Health and Care Plan, overall absence increased from 8.7% in 2018/19 to 12.1% in 2021/22.</p><p>On 22 November 2023, the department announced the Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools programme. This new programme, backed by £13 million of investment, will bring together Integrated Care Boards (ICB), local authorities and schools, working in partnership with parents and carers, to support schools to better meet the needs of neurodiverse children. The programme will deploy specialists from both health and education workforces to upskill schools and build their capacity to identify and meet the needs of children with autism and other neurodiverse needs. One of the key programme metrics will be attendance, as the department recognises that addressing unmet needs and making school more inclusive supports good attendance. The programme will be evaluated, and the learning will inform future policy development around how schools support neurodiverse children.</p><p>In 2022, the department published the ‘Working together to improve school attendance guidance’ to ensure greater consistency in the attendance support offered to pupils and families across the country. The guidance emphasises the importance of providing attendance support early and targeted to pupils’ individual needs. The guidance is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-improve-school-attendance" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-improve-school-attendance</a>.</p><p>For pupils with SEND, schools are expected to have sensitive conversations with pupils about their needs and work with families to develop specific support approaches. This includes establishing strategies for removing in-school barriers to attendance, ensuring attendance data for pupils with SEND is regularly monitored to spot patterns and provide support earlier, ensuring joined-up pastoral care is in place, and referring pupils to other services and partners where necessary. These expectations, alongside the expectations placed on academy trust boards, governing bodies, and local authorities to work in conjunction with school staff to provide joined-up support for all pupils and families, is intended to ensure that pupils with SEND are supported to attend school regularly.</p><p>Statistics on pupil absence, including breakdowns of absence by characteristics, are available at: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-absence-in-schools-in-england/2021-22" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-absence-in-schools-in-england/2021-22</a>.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 06/12/2023 12:58:49 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4775 label Biography information for Elliot Colburn

1673503

	registered interest
	date	28/11/2023
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Sewers: Pollution
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on the responsibility of local authorities to work with water companies to tackle polluted surface water outfalls that occur as a result of mis-connections to sewers rather than surface water runoffs.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Elliot Colburn
	uin	4280
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/01/2024 answer text <p>The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a wide range of issues. Misconnections are often the product of poor domestic drainage from private drainage asset owners. However, the contents discharge from water company assets and water companies have a responsibility to investigate and resolve. Water company drainage and wastewater management plans provide the opportunity for companies to proactively identify these risks and propose long-term solutions to address them.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 03/01/2024 15:36:57 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
	tabling member	4775 label Biography information for Elliot Colburn

1670183

	registered interest
	date	09/11/2023
	answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
	answering dept id	216
	answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
	answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
	hansard heading	Innovation and Research: Skilled Workers
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help develop skills and knowledge to support research and innovation.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Elliot Colburn
	uin	900111
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/11/2023 answer text <p>The Government is committed to ensuring the UK has talent that supports research and innovation and drives growth.</p><p>We are investing millions in our brightest researchers through scholarships, PhD placements and fellowships in technologies like AI and Quantum.</p><p>With the Department of Education, we have launched Skills Bootcamps for digital, cyber, green, and technical skills.</p> answering member constituency Arundel and South Downs answering member printed Andrew Griffith question first answered 15/11/2023 17:42:27 answering member 4874 label Biography information for Andrew Griffith
	tabling member	4775 label Biography information for Elliot Colburn

1668465

	registered interest
	date	08/11/2023
	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	HIV Infection: Drugs
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the oral statement from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on Community Pharmacies, Official Report, Column 450WH, whether his Department's PrEP roadmap will include plans to make PrEP accessible (a) online, (b) in pharmacies and (c) in GPs surgeries.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Elliot Colburn
	uin	938
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2023 answer text <p>The HIV Action Plan Implementation Steering Group (ISG) is developing a roadmap to help guide our efforts to improve equitable access, uptake and use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to meet the needs of key populations at significant risk of HIV. This forms part of the group’s work to monitor and drive forward the implementation of the HIV Action Plan.</p><p> </p><p>HIV PrEP is currently only prescribed at specialist sexual health services, but as we work towards our 2030 ambitions, we will explore opportunities for making it available in a variety of settings. The PrEP roadmap takes into consideration actions needed to improve HIV PrEP access pathways in settings other than specialist sexual health services, including online, general practitioner services and pharmacies, to enable potential future delivery in other settings. The roadmap is expected to be made available by the HIV Action Plan ISG before the end of the year.</p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 16/11/2023 13:09:52 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
	tabling member	4775 label Biography information for Elliot Colburn

1667974

	registered interest
	date	07/11/2023
	answering body	Women and Equalities
	answering dept id	31
	answering dept short name	Women and Equalities
	answering dept sort name	Women and Equalities
	hansard heading	Conversion Therapy
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether it remains her policy to ban conversion therapy.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Elliot Colburn
	uin	507
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/11/2023 answer text <p>No one in this country should be harmed or harassed for who they are and attempts at so-called ‘conversion therapy’ are abhorrent. That is why we are carefully considering this very complex issue. We will be setting out further details on this in due course.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Pudsey answering member printed Stuart Andrew grouped question UIN 482 question first answered 14/11/2023 15:05:53 answering member 4032 label Biography information for Stuart Andrew
	tabling member	4775 label Biography information for Elliot Colburn

1668042

	registered interest
	date	07/11/2023
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Childcare: Special Educational Needs
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help people undertake training in childcare for children with special educational needs over the age of five.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Elliot Colburn
	uin	508
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/11/2023 answer text <p>Local authorities have a legal duty to report annually on how they are meeting their duty to secure sufficient childcare for children aged up to 14, and up to 18 for disabled children. Local authority reports should include specific reference to how each local authority is meeting the needs of children with Special Educational Needs (SEN), including how any gaps in provision will be addressed. The report should be made available to parents.</p><p>Where adequate childcare provision is not available, parents have the right to request a wraparound or holiday childcare place for their child. Local authorities also have a statutory duty under the Children and Families Act 2014 to maintain a local offer which provides clear, comprehensive, accessible, and up-to-date information about support and services for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).</p><p>The department recognises the importance of good quality and inclusive school-aged childcare that supports working parents and carers. The government is investing £289 million in a new wraparound childcare programme to support local authorities and providers in England to introduce or expand childcare provision for primary school-aged children, as part of the largest ever investment in childcare. The programme aims to deliver provision that is child-centred, easily accessible and responds to the needs of the families, including those of children with SEND. Local authorities and childcare providers should recognise the different needs of children who will be accessing childcare and ensure that new and existing provision is accessible to all, including children with complex needs and those in specialist school settings.</p><p>The department does not hold data on the demand for staff who are qualified to provide childcare for children over the age of five with SEN. However, as part of the national wraparound programme, local authorities have the flexibility to use some of the funding provided to pay for training for wraparound staff, including specialist training for staff to ensure they feel equipped to support children with SEND.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston grouped question UIN 509 510 question first answered 14/11/2023 16:07:49 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	4775 label Biography information for Elliot Colburn