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1728447

registered interest
date	10/09/2024
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	Employment: Parents
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent steps her Department has taken to help ensure that parents of children with special educational needs can find work that meets their needs.
tabling member constituency	Epping Forest
tabling member printed	Dr Neil Hudson
uin	5147
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2024 answer text <p>One of the Government’s primary missions is to grow the economy, getting more people into work and helping those in work get better paid jobs is central to achieving this. The Government recognises and appreciates the vital contribution made by informal carers who provide invaluable support for children, relatives, partners, friends, and neighbours who may need care.</p><p> </p><p>Support is offered to those carers in receipt of Universal Credit, either on a voluntary basis for those eligible for Universal Credit Carer Element and / or Carers Allowance, or through individualised work coach support for part time carers. This support can include help from a work coach to access skills provision, referrals to contacted provision such as Restart, careers advice, job search support and access to the Flexible Support Fund to aid job entry.</p><p> </p><p>As part of our commitment to reform employment support through delivery of a new national jobs and careers service we will transform the current service and consider the specialist needs of specific groups in designing our new approach.</p><p> </p><p>Alongside employment support, the Government have also announced Plans to Make Work Pay, which will create a new partnership between business, trade unions and working people. The Plan to Make Work Pay will end exploitative zero hours contracts; end the scourge of fire and rehire practices; and introduce basic rights from day one to parental leave, sick pay, and protection from unfair dismissal. We will strengthen the collective voice of workers and create the Fair Work Agency to ensure employment rights are upheld.</p> answering member constituency Birkenhead answering member printed Alison McGovern question first answered 18/09/2024 13:58:08 answering member 4083 label Biography information for Alison McGovern
tabling member	4853 label Biography information for Dr Neil Hudson

1729666

registered interest
date	05/09/2024
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	Disease Control: National Security
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the UK's biosecurity.
tabling member constituency	Epping Forest
tabling member printed	Dr Neil Hudson
uin	900423
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/09/2024 answer text <p>The department remains vigilant to potential global disease threats and has in place robust measures to prevent and detect disease incursion, as well as maintaining capacity to contain and eradicate outbreaks, should they occur. Our robust, risk-based border control regime safeguards against the import of pests, disease threats and invasive species through trade in animals and plants and their associated products.</p> answering member constituency Coventry East answering member printed Mary Creagh question first answered 13/09/2024 10:04:58 answering member 1579 label Biography information for Mary Creagh
tabling member	4853 label Biography information for Dr Neil Hudson

1727079

registered interest
date	03/09/2024
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	Winter Fuel Payment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the removal of Winter Fuel Payments on pensioners' standards of living.
tabling member constituency	Epping Forest
tabling member printed	Dr Neil Hudson
uin	4046
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2024 answer text <p>Winter Fuel Payments will continue to be paid to pensioner households with someone receiving Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits. They will continue to be worth £200 for eligible households, or £300 for eligible households with someone aged 80 and over.</p><p> </p><p>Over the next five years we expect over 12 million pensioners are likely to see their State Pensions increase by thousands of pounds as a result of our commitment to the Triple Lock.</p><p> </p><p>We are prioritising support for pensioners through our Warm Homes Plan which will support investment in insulation and low carbon heating – upgrading millions of homes over this Parliament. Our long-term plan will protect billpayers permanently, reduce fuel poverty, and get the UK back on track to meet our climate goals.</p><p>The Household Support Fund is also being extended for a further 6 months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025.  An additional £500 million will be provided to enable the extension of the HSF, including funding for the Devolved Administrations through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion.</p><p> </p><p>We know there are low-income pensioners who aren’t claiming Pension Credit, and we urge those people to apply. This will passport them to receive Winter Fuel Payment alongside other benefits – hundreds of pounds that could really help them. We will ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need.</p><p> </p><p>Our other steps include cutting waiting times in the NHS which will help many pensioners currently waiting in pain and discomfort for treatment, and delivering the economic stability which is so crucial for pensioners.</p> answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds question first answered 09/09/2024 15:35:53 answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds
tabling member	4853 label Biography information for Dr Neil Hudson

1727080

registered interest
date	03/09/2024
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Private Education: Fees and Charges
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of pupils moving from independent to state schools as a result of the planned introduction of VAT on independent schools.
tabling member constituency	Epping Forest
tabling member printed	Dr Neil Hudson
uin	4047
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2024 answer text <p>The Government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity, ensuring every child has access to high-quality education, which is why we have made the tough decision to end tax breaks for private schools. This will raise revenue for essential public services, including investing in the state education system</p><p><br> This VAT change will not impact pupils with most acute additional needs where these can only be met in private schools, as determined by an Education and Health Care Plan in England, and equivalent processes in other nations.</p><p> </p><p>Where pupils are placed in a private school because their needs cannot be met in the state sector, and they have their places funded by their Local Authority, the Local Authority will be able to reclaim the VAT they incur on these pupils’ fees. In Northern Ireland, it will be the Education Authority who fund placements in private schools and will be able to reclaim the VAT in this way.</p><p>The government will publish a Tax Information and Impact Note setting out the impacts of the changes, including the equalities impacts, alongside the Finance Bill.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Ealing North answering member printed James Murray grouped question UIN 3993 4058 4098 question first answered 09/09/2024 12:33:28 answering member 4797 label Biography information for James Murray
tabling member	4853 label Biography information for Dr Neil Hudson

1727081

registered interest
date	03/09/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Holiday Activities and Food Programme: Finance
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 the Chancellor of the Exchequer on future funding for the Holiday Activities and Food Programme.
tabling member constituency	Epping Forest
tabling member printed	Dr Neil Hudson
uin	4048
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2024 answer text <p>The future of the Holiday Activities and Food programme, beyond 31 March 2025, is subject to the next government Spending Review taking place this autumn. The department will communicate the outcome of that process in due course.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Portsmouth South answering member printed Stephen Morgan question first answered 09/09/2024 14:59:37 answering member 4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan
tabling member	4853 label Biography information for Dr Neil Hudson

1726808

registered interest
date	02/09/2024
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	Bluetongue Disease: East Anglia
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help manage recent cases of bluetongue virus in East Anglia.
tabling member constituency	Epping Forest
tabling member printed	Dr Neil Hudson
uin	3819
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2024 answer text <p>Following the initial findings of cases of bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) virus in August 2024, Defra implemented a Temporary Control Zone (TCZ) around the affected premises and humanely culled infected animals to prevent potential spread.</p><p> </p><p>Following confirmation of BTV-3 on further premises and evidence of local transmission of bluetongue virus, in accordance with the bluetongue disease control framework we replaced the TCZ with a Restricted Zone and are no longer culling animals. This Restricted Zone prevents all ruminants, camelids and their germinal products moving outside the zone, potentially spreading disease. The Restricted Zone initially covered Norfolk and Suffolk and was subsequently extended to Essex.</p><p> </p><p>Defra has also permitted the use of vaccines for BTV-3, under certain circumstances, in the high-risk counties of south east England.</p> answering member constituency Cambridge answering member printed Daniel Zeichner question first answered 09/09/2024 17:34:46 answering member 4382 label Biography information for Daniel Zeichner
tabling member	4853 label Biography information for Dr Neil Hudson

1726810

registered interest
date	02/09/2024
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	Swine Fever: Africa
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of African swine fever on the pig industry.
tabling member constituency	Epping Forest
tabling member printed	Dr Neil Hudson
uin	3820
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2024 answer text <p>Whilst we have never had an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in the UK, the risk level for an incursion of ASF is currently assessed as medium and we continue to prepare for an outbreak.</p><p> </p><p>The practical impacts of a reasonable worst-case scenario outbreak of ASF were assessed in 2023 for the <a href="https://access-national-risk-register.service.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/" target="_blank">National Risk Register</a> which is available on gov.uk.</p><p> </p><p>The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) monitors the spread of ASF internationally and regularly publishes assessments of the risk posed to Great Britain. The latest assessment (published in June 2024) can be found as part of APHA's <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/animal-diseases-international-monitoring" target="_blank">Animal diseases: international and UK monitoring collection</a> on gov.uk. These assessments are used to review, and strengthen where necessary, measures to prevent ASF reaching the UK.</p> answering member constituency Cambridge answering member printed Daniel Zeichner question first answered 09/09/2024 17:43:20 answering member 4382 label Biography information for Daniel Zeichner
tabling member	4853 label Biography information for Dr Neil Hudson

1725860

registered interest
date	30/08/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Fees and Charges
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 impact of VAT on school fees on state school capacity in (a) Epping Forest constituency and (b) England.
tabling member constituency	Epping Forest
tabling member printed	Dr Neil Hudson
uin	3219
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2024 answer text <p>HM Treasury is considering the potential impact of VAT on school fees on state schools as part of its development of an economic case. It is anticipated this impact will be minimal. Projections by the Institute for Fiscal Studies suggest that the number of pupils who may switch schools would represent only a very small proportion of overall pupil numbers in the state sector, less than 0.5%. Any pupil transfers from the private to state sector would also be expected to take place over several years, as many pupils transfer at normal transition points. The department will work with local authorities in England to help them manage any local pressures through normal processes where required.</p> answering member constituency Portsmouth South answering member printed Stephen Morgan question first answered 06/09/2024 15:32:09 answering member 4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan
tabling member	4853 label Biography information for Dr Neil Hudson

1725861

registered interest
date	30/08/2024
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	Winter Fuel Payment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an estimate of the number of pensioners who will have winter fuel payment withdrawn in (a) Epping Forest constituency and (b) England.
tabling member constituency	Epping Forest
tabling member printed	Dr Neil Hudson
uin	3220
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2024 answer text <p>In Epping Forest constituency, the estimated number of pensioners who will have Winter Fuel Payments withdrawn is 15,744. In England, the estimated number of pensioners who will have Winter Fuel Payments withdrawn is 8,609,778. This is based on Feb-24 Pension Credit statistics and 22/23 Winter Fuel Payment statistics, (sources below).</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>This estimation is calculated by subtracting the number of Pension Credit recipients for Epping Forest constituency and England from the number of Winter Fuel Payment recipients for Epping Forest constituency and England. The Pension Credit data is based on the 2010 Westminster Parliamentary constituencies, not 2024 in order to be comparable with the Winter Fuel Payments statistics.</p><p> </p><p>Please note that the above does not take into account any potential increase in Pension Credit take-up we might see as a result of the policy change (means testing Winter fuel payments to those on Pension Credit and other means tested benefits). We do not have data on those additional Pension Credit claims by Parliamentary constituencies or local authorities.</p><p> </p><p>Also, the published Pension Credit figures refer to households, so the number of individuals will be higher (i.e. taking account of households where it is a couple claiming Pension Credit).</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, Pension Credit claimants are the majority of those that will be eligible for Winter Fuel Payments, not all. There are other pensioners who are eligible for Winter Fuel Payments (as they claim other means tested benefits) but they are not considered in these figures as it is not possible to do so.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Sources used:</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><a href="https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.publishing.service.gov.uk%2Fmedia%2F6507ffd2fc63f6000d9573a0%2Fwinter-fuel-payments-caseload-2022-to-2023.ods&amp;wdOrigin=BROWSELINK" target="_blank">winter-fuel-payments-caseload-2022-to-2023.ods (live.com)</a></p><p> </p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/jsf/tableView/tableView.xhtml" target="_blank">Stat-Xplore - Table View (dwp.gov.uk)</a> (Feb-24 data)</p> answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds question first answered 05/09/2024 15:18:45 answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds
tabling member	4853 label Biography information for Dr Neil Hudson

1723527

registered interest
date	25/07/2024
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Green Belt
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to consult local communities on (a) definition of the green belt and (b) planning reforms.
tabling member constituency	Epping Forest
tabling member printed	Dr Neil Hudson
uin	1820
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/07/2024 answer text <p>The Government has set out changes to how we plan for the homes we need and in relation to grey belt and the Green Belt as part of the consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework launched today.</p> answering member constituency Greenwich and Woolwich answering member printed Matthew Pennycook grouped question UIN 1014 question first answered 30/07/2024 17:14:35 answering member 4520 label Biography information for Matthew Pennycook
tabling member	4853 label Biography information for Dr Neil Hudson