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1353364

registered interest
date	07/09/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Standards
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps his Department has taken to reduce the attainment gap between state and independent schools in (a) Enfield North constituency, (b) London and (c) England.
tabling member constituency	Enfield North
tabling member printed	Feryal Clark
uin	44463
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/09/2021 answer text <p>Since 2010, this government has been committed to raising educational standards in all state schools across the country. In March 2020, 86% of schools were Good or Outstanding compared to just 68% in 2010. When it comes to raising standards, evidence shows that teachers are the most important in-school factor affecting attainment.</p><p>In June 2021, we announced an investment of over £250 million in teacher<ins class="ministerial"> development</ins> <del class="ministerial">quality</del>, which includes investment in our National Professional Qualification and Early Career Framework programmes. School leadership is the second most important in-school influence on pupil learning. Since 2010 the number of academies has grown from 200 to over 9,400, enabling more leaders of good schools to make decisions based on local need and the interests of their pupils, and more previously underperforming schools to receive the support they need to raise standards for all pupils as part of a strong multi-academy trust.</p><p>We know that COVID-19 and disruption to education has created an additional challenge for schools, and that the impact of the COVID-19 has been felt most significantly by disadvantaged pupils, which is why we have targeted much of our education recovery funding specifically at this group. Through the recovery premium, schools will directly receive over £300 million in the 2021/22 academic year for them to use flexibly to support disadvantaged pupils.</p><p>This is in addition to the funding we already target towards disadvantaged pupils as part of the National Funding Formula. The pupil premium targets further funding to disadvantaged pupils and plays a crucial role in the work of schools across England, to ensure they have the resources they need to boost the progress and attainment of disadvantaged pupils. Through this, we will be providing £2.5 billion nationally for the 2021/22 financial year. The pupil premium allocation for London is £405 million, and £19.2 million for Enfield for the 2021/22 financial year.</p><p>In Enfield, we know there are a higher number of pupils who are eligible for free school meals, with an average of 37.6% of secondary pupils eligible, compared to the national average of 27.7%. This year, Enfield is receiving £283.4 million, or £5,<ins class="ministerial">640</ins><del class="ministerial">283</del> per pupil, in funding. This is an increase of 2.0% per pupil in the local authority’s pupil-led funding compared to the 2020/21 financial year, and is above the national average in per pupil funding of £5,228.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 20/09/2021 16:35:17 question first ministerially corrected 25/10/2021 09:15:16 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker previous answer version 20670 answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4822 label Biography information for Feryal Clark

1348286

registered interest
date	19/07/2021
answering body	Northern Ireland Office
answering dept id	21
answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
hansard heading	UK Shared Prosperity Fund: Northern Ireland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, which body will be the managing authority for the United Kingdom Shared Prosperity Fund as it relates to Northern Ireland.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Heeley
tabling member printed	Louise Haigh
uin	35769
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2021 answer text <p>The UK Government intends to work with both the devolved administrations and local communities to ensure that the UK Shared Prosperity Fund supports citizens across the UK.</p><p> </p><p>We have confirmed that the devolved administrations will be represented on the governance structures for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which will target people and places most in need across the UK.</p><p> </p><p>It is important that voices across Northern Ireland are listened to during the design and development of the Fund, and that is why we continue to engage the NI Executive and local partners as we develop the UKSPF investment framework.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 23/07/2021 11:01:56 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker previous answer version 16491 answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4473 label Biography information for Louise Haigh

1348287

registered interest
date	19/07/2021
answering body	Northern Ireland Office
answering dept id	21
answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
hansard heading	UK Community Renewal Fund: Northern Ireland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how (a) many bids the Government received to and (b) much funding the Government dispersed under the Community Renewal Fund in Northern Ireland since that fund's introduction.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Heeley
tabling member printed	Louise Haigh
uin	35770
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2021 answer text <p>Assessment of bids to the Community Renewal Fund is underway and we hope to announce successful applicants later this summer. In Northern Ireland, £11m will be invested in projects that will boost local businesses, support communities and help people to develop skills and move into employment.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 23/07/2021 11:02:55 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker previous answer version 16492 answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4473 label Biography information for Louise Haigh

1343051

registered interest
date	01/07/2021
answering body	Northern Ireland Office
answering dept id	21
answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
hansard heading	Trade Agreements: Northern Ireland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he is taking to encourage businesses in Northern Ireland to buy goods from the rest of the UK in preference to buying them from the EU.
tabling member constituency	Christchurch
tabling member printed	Sir Christopher Chope
uin	25722
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/07/2021 answer text <p>Northern Ireland is an integral part of the United Kingdom, its internal market and customs territory. Northern Ireland’s place in our Union is a culmination of the relationships, the commerce, and the history shared across these islands, which we celebrate in Northern Ireland’s centenary year. The UK Government is committed to strengthening the economic and business ties between Northern Ireland and Great Britain as well driving up the export of Northern Ireland’s excellent goods and services to global markets.</p><p> </p><p>However, as currently operating, the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol is causing significant challenges for people and businesses in Northern Ireland, with the complexity of new requirements seeing goods movements disrupted, trade patterns changing, and businesses stepping away from trading in Northern Ireland. The UK is engaging with the Commission on these issues that are having a real impact on people’s lives and livelihoods.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is committed to protecting the UK Internal Market by ensuring that Northern Ireland goods have unfettered access to the rest of the UK. To facilitate the significant trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, we have launched the UK Trader Scheme and the Movement Assistance Scheme to support traders moving goods under the Protocol.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 07/07/2021 10:18:27 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker previous answer version 12050 answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	242 label Biography information for Sir Christopher Chope

1332048

registered interest
date	10/06/2021
answering body	Northern Ireland Office
answering dept id	21
answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
hansard heading	Abortion: Northern Ireland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the commissioning of abortion services in Northern Ireland, what urgent steps he is taking to ensure that those services are fully (a) funded and (b) staffed.
tabling member constituency	Kingston upon Hull North
tabling member printed	Dame Diana Johnson
uin	13878
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2021 answer text <p>Funding for all health services is a matter for the NI Executive.</p><p> </p><p>It is our clear position that these are devolved policy matters to be implemented through devolved bodies. As a result, the costs should be met from the Northern Ireland Block grant. The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) will continue to work closely with the Department of Health in taking forward implementation of this important devolved issue. The NIO will also provide advice as appropriate around any relevant requests for funding, and I continue to encourage the Health Minister to ensure that women and girls in Northern Ireland are provided with local, safe and high-quality healthcare.</p><p> </p><p>We made the Abortion Regulations in March 2020 - and remain disappointed with the continuing failure to commission abortion services that are consistent with the Regulations to ensure women and girls have safe local access to this healthcare service. While medical professionals have taken forward some service provision on the ground in Northern Ireland from last April and over 1,100 abortions have been provided to date, more needs to be done.</p><p> </p><p>We have always said that we believe that the commissioning of services by the Department of Health would remain the most appropriate way to progress the matter. However, after a year of engaging to see positive progress made, with no success, the legal duties and moral obligations are such that we have taken further action.</p><p> </p><p>The Abortion (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2021, which came into effect on 31 March 2021, give the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a power to direct relevant Northern Ireland Ministers, departments and agencies to commission abortion services, consistent with the conditions set out in the 2020 Regulations.</p><p> </p><p>We will not let progress be drawn out indefinitely. We are clear that we want to see concrete progress towards the commissioning of abortion services before summer recess, and if this is not achieved, we will not hesitate in issuing a direction immediately so direct action is taken so that the rights of women and girls can be properly upheld and they can have safe and lawful access to abortion services locally.</p><p> </p><p>We will continue to engage with the Department of Health to try and find a way forward and will provide every opportunity to move forward with commissioning before we have to issue the direction.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 16/06/2021 14:54:41 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker previous answer version 6602 answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	1533 label Biography information for Dame Diana Johnson

1332050

registered interest
date	10/06/2021
answering body	Northern Ireland Office
answering dept id	21
answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
hansard heading	Abortion: Northern Ireland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the commissioning of abortion services in Northern Ireland, whether he has plans to allocate long-term funding for the maintenance of a central access point for abortion care.
tabling member constituency	Kingston upon Hull North
tabling member printed	Dame Diana Johnson
uin	13880
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2021 answer text <p>The Government recognises the importance of consulting with experts, counselling and other support services to support women and girls in accessing services and making individual decisions on these matters. I put on record my thanks to Informing Choices NI for providing a central access point for early medical abortion services, working alongside medical professionals in all Health and Social Care Trusts. I also appreciate the wider support and post pregnancy counselling services Informing Choices NI is providing to women and girls in Northern Ireland.</p><p> </p><p>Funding for all health services is a matter for the NI Executive. It is our clear position that these are devolved policy matters to be implemented through devolved bodies. As a result, the costs should be met from the Northern Ireland Block grant.</p><p> </p><p>The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) will continue to work closely with the Department of Health in taking forward implementation of this important devolved issue. The NIO will also provide advice as appropriate around any relevant requests for funding, and I continue to encourage the Health Minister to ensure that women and girls in Northern Ireland are provided with local, safe and high-quality healthcare.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 16/06/2021 14:56:35 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker previous answer version 6604 answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	1533 label Biography information for Dame Diana Johnson

1332051

registered interest
date	10/06/2021
answering body	Northern Ireland Office
answering dept id	21
answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
hansard heading	Abortion: Northern Ireland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment his Department has made of the mental health impact on pregnant women in Northern Ireland during the covid-19 pandemic of a lack of access to abortion services in Northern Ireland.
tabling member constituency	Kingston upon Hull North
tabling member printed	Dame Diana Johnson
uin	13881
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2021 answer text <p>I thank the Hon Lady for raising this issue. In discussing this issue, we must remember the women and girls who are impacted by the lack of safe, local and accessible healthcare. The health and safety of women and girls remains paramount in providing access to abortion services right across the UK.</p><p> </p><p>We made the Abortion Regulations in March 2020 - and remain disappointed with the continuing failure to commission abortion services that are consistent with the Regulations to ensure women and girls have safe local access to this healthcare service, including access to counselling.</p><p> </p><p>We laid further Regulations on 23 March 2021, which provide the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland with a power to direct a Northern Ireland Minister, a Northern Ireland department, the Health and Social Care Board of the Public Health Agency to take action necessary to implement all of the recommendations in paragraphs 85 and 86 of the CEDAW Report. We took this action because we understood the impact the delays have had on women and girls in Northern Ireland, who cannot access safe and local healthcare.</p><p> </p><p>I recognise that this delay continues to affect women and girls in Northern Ireland and we will not let progress be drawn out indefinitely. We are clear that we want to see concrete progress towards the commissioning of abortion services before summer recess. If this is not achieved, we will not hesitate in issuing a direction immediately so that the rights of women and girls can be properly upheld and they can have safe and lawful access to abortion services locally.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 16/06/2021 14:58:32 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker previous answer version 6603 answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	1533 label Biography information for Dame Diana Johnson

1332053

registered interest
date	10/06/2021
answering body	Northern Ireland Office
answering dept id	21
answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
hansard heading	Abortion: Northern Ireland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether an Equality Impact Assessment has been carried out on the Department of Health's decision not to commission abortion services in Northern Ireland.
tabling member constituency	Kingston upon Hull North
tabling member printed	Dame Diana Johnson
uin	13882
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2021 answer text <p>I recognise the Hon Lady’s work on this important issue, and appreciate the engagement we have had to date. The Hon Lady will be aware that my department carried out an Equality Impact Assessment before the framework for abortion in Northern Ireland was set out in Parliament last year. As a designated public authority for the purposes of Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, if a further Equality Impact Assessment is required on the Department of Health’s decision not to commission services, then this would be a matter for that department to take forward.</p><p> </p><p>Service provision should be delivered and overseen locally by the Department of Health and relevant health bodies with the relevant legal powers, policy and operational expertise to do so. We are disappointed with the subsequent and continuing failure of the Department and Health and the Northern Ireland Executive to commission abortion services that are consistent with those Regulations - despite having extensively engaged with the Minister for Health, his Department and wider members of the Executive on this issue for over a year now.</p><p> </p><p>We laid further Regulations on 23 March 2021, which provide the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland with a power to direct a Northern Ireland Minister, a Northern Ireland department, the Health and Social Care Board of the Public Health Agency to take action necessary to implement all of the recommendations in paragraphs 85 and 86 of the CEDAW Report. We took this action because we understood the impact the delays have had on women and girls in Northern Ireland, who cannot access safe and local healthcare,</p><p> </p><p>I recognise that this delay continues to affect women and girls in Northern Ireland and we will not let progress be drawn out indefinitely. We are clear that we want to see concrete progress towards the commissioning of abortion services before summer recess. If this is not achieved, we will not hesitate in issuing a direction immediately so that the rights of women and girls can be properly upheld and they can have safe and lawful access to abortion services locally.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 16/06/2021 14:59:53 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker previous answer version 6601 answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	1533 label Biography information for Dame Diana Johnson

1315565

registered interest
date	18/05/2021
answering body	Northern Ireland Office
answering dept id	21
answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
hansard heading	Northern Ireland Protocol: Borders
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the number of EU border checks completed in Northern Ireland, if he will have discussions with his EU counterpart on taking a more pragmatic approach towards the Northern Ireland Protocol.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	2986
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2021 answer text <p>The Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol (‘the Protocol’) is a unique solution to complex challenges. To work, it must be given effect in a pragmatic, practical and proportionate way. That is how we ensure it can meet its core purposes: to uphold the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement in all its dimensions, safeguard Northern Ireland’s integral place in the United Kingdom, and prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland.</p><p> </p><p>This has been the basis on which the UK Government has continued to give effect to its obligations under the Protocol, conscious of the need to minimise its impact on everyday lives in Northern Ireland - as the Protocol itself sets out.</p><p> </p><p>There have been difficulties in the operation of the Protocol, and we are working through the structures of the Withdrawal Agreement to seek to resolve these. <ins class="ministerial">The UK and EU were able to use the Ireland/Northern Ireland Specialised Committee on 26 March to take stock of outstanding issues. Lord Frost and Vice President Šefčovič, and their respective teams, remain in close contact as we move forward.</ins> Issues remain, but our aim is to find common sense, risk-based approaches that enable us to agree a pragmatic way forward that substantially eases the burdens on Northern Ireland.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 24/05/2021 11:00:54 question first ministerially corrected 27/05/2021 15:04:53 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker previous answer version 1872 answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1313354

registered interest
date	11/05/2021
answering body	Northern Ireland Office
answering dept id	21
answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
hansard heading	Veterans: Northern Ireland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans the Government has to bring forward legislative proposals on Northern Ireland veterans in the next six months.
tabling member constituency	North Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Kevan Jones
uin	85
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/05/2021 answer text <p>The Government is fully committed to introducing legislation as quickly as possible that delivers better outcomes for victims, survivors and veterans; focuses on information recovery and reconciliation; and ends the cycle of investigations. This will deliver on our commitments to Northern Ireland veterans, giving them the protections they deserve.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 18/05/2021 10:04:28 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker previous answer version 501 answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	1438 label Biography information for Mr Kevan Jones