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1201179

registered interest
date	08/06/2020
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces Covenant
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to strengthen the Armed Forces Covenant.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	55901
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2020 answer text <p>The Government is committed to introducing legislation and it will be brought forward at the earliest opportunity.</p> answering member constituency Plymouth, Moor View answering member printed Johnny Mercer question first answered 10/06/2020 14:38:07 answering member 4485 label Biography information for Johnny Mercer
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

1201210

registered interest
date	08/06/2020
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Veterans UK: Telephone Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 4 June 2020 to Question 51724 on the Veterans UK Helpline, when the telephone service of the Veterans UK Helpline will be in full service.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	55902
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2020 answer text <p>COVID -19 workplace guidelines currently restrict the number of staff who are able to attend the workplace safely. The reduced capacity is however dealing with the level of calls being received and the email process continues to be an option for customers wanting contact Veterans UK. The email only service adequately coped with the demand from customers and all requests for help have been responded to.</p> answering member constituency Plymouth, Moor View answering member printed Johnny Mercer question first answered 11/06/2020 07:06:05 answering member 4485 label Biography information for Johnny Mercer
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

1201211

registered interest
date	08/06/2020
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Veterans UK: Telephone Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2020 to Question 51724 on the Veterans UK Helpline, how many calls to that telephone service were recorded in each month of 2020.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	55903
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2020 answer text <p>From 1 January 2020 to 8 June 2020, I can confirm the following number of telephone calls were recorded by the Veterans UK Helpline:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Month</p></td><td><p>Calls Recorded by the Veterans UK Helpline</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>January 2020</p></td><td><p>9,733</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>February 2020</p></td><td><p>9,114</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2020 (up to 22 March)</p></td><td><p>7,595</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Due to the COVID-19 lockdown, on 23 March 2020 the Veterans UK helpline was adapted to an email-only service. A partial telephony service resumed on 3 June 2020 and has recorded 459 calls up to 8 June 2020.</p><p> </p><p>The Veterans UK helpline operators have responded to all 9,000 enquiries received by email since the email-only service was introduced on 23 March. This service remains in place alongside the reduced telephony service. All demand for help and assistance is being met.</p> answering member constituency Plymouth, Moor View answering member printed Johnny Mercer question first answered 11/06/2020 11:02:54 answering member 4485 label Biography information for Johnny Mercer
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

1198284

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Veterans: Commonwealth
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many British Commonwealth personnel are in receipt of (a) a War Disablement Pension or (b) the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	51722
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/06/2020 answer text <p>Information on the nationality of War Pension recipients is not recorded centrally.</p><p>As of 31 March 2019, approximately 209 British Commonwealth personnel, as defined by the British Nationality Act 1981, were in receipt of an ongoing payment under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.</p><p>Figures covering the period 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020 will be published on the Gov.UK website within the next four weeks, at the link below:</p><p>https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/armed-forces-compensation-scheme-statistics-index</p> answering member constituency Plymouth, Moor View answering member printed Johnny Mercer question first answered 05/06/2020 10:58:39 answering member 4485 label Biography information for Johnny Mercer
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

1198527

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme will be re-instated (a) when children return to school, and (b) for the September 2020 term.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	51723
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/06/2020 answer text <p>As both my right hon. Friends, the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.</p><p>Our latest guidance for schools is set out below:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-schools-and-other-educational-settings" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-schools-and-other-educational-settings</a>.</p><p>It was announced on 18 March that as of 20 March all schools in England would remain open only for a very limited number of pupils (children of key workers and vulnerable children), until further notice. Primary schools were asked to plan to welcome back nursery, reception and year 1 pupils as of 1 June 2020.</p><p>A decision was taken in March that the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme would not operate for the whole of the period which would have been the Summer term of 2020, recognising the substantial operational difficulties which would need to be resolved in order to restart such a large, national scheme part-way through a term.</p><p>At present it is not known how events may develop and so we are not yet in a position to confirm whether or not the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme will operate in the Autumn term.</p><p>These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 09/06/2020 11:39:25 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

1199096

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Veterans UK: Telephone Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his oral contribution of 12 May 2020, Official Report, Column 122, when the Government plans to reopen the Veterans UK helpline.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	51724
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/06/2020 answer text <p>The Veterans UK helpline never closed. The COVID-19 situation necessitated the delivery of services differently. The Veterans UK helpline was adapted to enable veterans to hear recorded service information on topics they may have needed help with, and written enquiries could still be submitted in the normal manner via email. Call backs and referral to the Veterans Welfare Service were provided where urgent or vulnerable callers were identified.</p><p>The Veterans UK helpline is now accepting a limited number of telephone calls and officials are working to restore as full a telephony service as soon as possible.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Plymouth, Moor View answering member printed Johnny Mercer question first answered 04/06/2020 07:21:05 answering member 4485 label Biography information for Johnny Mercer
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

1197633

registered interest
date	20/05/2020
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	Veterans: 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, what estimate he has made of (a) the number of British Army Veterans born overseas have paid for NHS healhcare and (b) the total amount paid for that healthcare in the latest period for which figures are available.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	49615
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/06/2020 answer text <p>This data is not collected centrally.</p> answering member constituency Mid Bedfordshire answering member printed Ms Nadine Dorries question first answered 03/06/2020 17:42:31 answering member 1481 label Biography information for Ms Nadine Dorries
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

1196412

registered interest
date	18/05/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Free School Meals: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information his Department holds on the number of schools that have not taken up the free school meal voucher scheme during the covid-19 outbreak; and what provisions those schools are putting in place as an alternative to that scheme.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	48309
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/05/2020 answer text <p>As both my right hon. Friends, the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.</p><p>Our latest guidance for schools is set out below:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-schools-and-other-educational-settings" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-schools-and-other-educational-settings</a>.</p><p>These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.</p><p>During this period, we are asking schools to support children who are eligible for and claiming benefits-related free school meals, by providing meals or food parcels through their existing food providers wherever possible. We know that many schools are successfully delivering food parcels or arranging food collections for eligible children, and we encourage this approach where it is possible.</p><p>However, we recognise that providing meals and food parcels is not a practicable option for all schools. That is why on 31 March we launched a national voucher scheme as an alternative option, with costs covered by the Department for Education.</p><p>Schools are best placed to make decisions about the most appropriate arrangements for eligible pupils, and this can include food parcel arrangements, alternative voucher arrangements or provision through the national voucher scheme. Some schools may apply a combination of these approaches. We do not hold details of the arrangements each individual school is making outside of the national voucher scheme.</p><p>Our national voucher scheme supplier, Edenred has reported that over £101.5 million worth of voucher codes has been redeemed into supermarket eGift cards by schools and families through the scheme as of Friday 22 May. Edenred has also reported that 17,000 schools had placed orders for the scheme as of Tuesday 12 May.</p><p>We do not collect data at pupil or family level about local arrangements for free school meals provision during this period. We therefore do not hold information on the number of children that have been fed via school collection and distribution models or other means since school closures.</p><p>Schools should provide meal options for all children who are in school, and meals should be available free of charge where pupils meet the benefits-related free school meal eligibility criteria and to all infant pupils. Under normal circumstances, schools do not provide free school meals to eligible children who are not in school. However, during the COVID-19 outbreak we expect schools to continue supporting children eligible for benefits-related free school meals who are at home.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford grouped question UIN 48310 48311 48312 question first answered 27/05/2020 10:16:56 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

1196413

registered interest
date	18/05/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Free School Meals: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many families of children who are eligible for free school meals are receiving a financial support for purchasing food during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	48310
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/05/2020 answer text <p>As both my right hon. Friends, the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.</p><p>Our latest guidance for schools is set out below:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-schools-and-other-educational-settings" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-schools-and-other-educational-settings</a>.</p><p>These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.</p><p>During this period, we are asking schools to support children who are eligible for and claiming benefits-related free school meals, by providing meals or food parcels through their existing food providers wherever possible. We know that many schools are successfully delivering food parcels or arranging food collections for eligible children, and we encourage this approach where it is possible.</p><p>However, we recognise that providing meals and food parcels is not a practicable option for all schools. That is why on 31 March we launched a national voucher scheme as an alternative option, with costs covered by the Department for Education.</p><p>Schools are best placed to make decisions about the most appropriate arrangements for eligible pupils, and this can include food parcel arrangements, alternative voucher arrangements or provision through the national voucher scheme. Some schools may apply a combination of these approaches. We do not hold details of the arrangements each individual school is making outside of the national voucher scheme.</p><p>Our national voucher scheme supplier, Edenred has reported that over £101.5 million worth of voucher codes has been redeemed into supermarket eGift cards by schools and families through the scheme as of Friday 22 May. Edenred has also reported that 17,000 schools had placed orders for the scheme as of Tuesday 12 May.</p><p>We do not collect data at pupil or family level about local arrangements for free school meals provision during this period. We therefore do not hold information on the number of children that have been fed via school collection and distribution models or other means since school closures.</p><p>Schools should provide meal options for all children who are in school, and meals should be available free of charge where pupils meet the benefits-related free school meal eligibility criteria and to all infant pupils. Under normal circumstances, schools do not provide free school meals to eligible children who are not in school. However, during the COVID-19 outbreak we expect schools to continue supporting children eligible for benefits-related free school meals who are at home.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford grouped question UIN 48309 48311 48312 question first answered 27/05/2020 10:16:56 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

1196414

registered interest
date	18/05/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Free School Meals: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that families of children entitled to free school meals receive financial support in cases where they have not received either free school meal vouchers or an alternative during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	48311
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/05/2020 answer text <p>As both my right hon. Friends, the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.</p><p>Our latest guidance for schools is set out below:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-schools-and-other-educational-settings" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-schools-and-other-educational-settings</a>.</p><p>These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.</p><p>During this period, we are asking schools to support children who are eligible for and claiming benefits-related free school meals, by providing meals or food parcels through their existing food providers wherever possible. We know that many schools are successfully delivering food parcels or arranging food collections for eligible children, and we encourage this approach where it is possible.</p><p>However, we recognise that providing meals and food parcels is not a practicable option for all schools. That is why on 31 March we launched a national voucher scheme as an alternative option, with costs covered by the Department for Education.</p><p>Schools are best placed to make decisions about the most appropriate arrangements for eligible pupils, and this can include food parcel arrangements, alternative voucher arrangements or provision through the national voucher scheme. Some schools may apply a combination of these approaches. We do not hold details of the arrangements each individual school is making outside of the national voucher scheme.</p><p>Our national voucher scheme supplier, Edenred has reported that over £101.5 million worth of voucher codes has been redeemed into supermarket eGift cards by schools and families through the scheme as of Friday 22 May. Edenred has also reported that 17,000 schools had placed orders for the scheme as of Tuesday 12 May.</p><p>We do not collect data at pupil or family level about local arrangements for free school meals provision during this period. We therefore do not hold information on the number of children that have been fed via school collection and distribution models or other means since school closures.</p><p>Schools should provide meal options for all children who are in school, and meals should be available free of charge where pupils meet the benefits-related free school meal eligibility criteria and to all infant pupils. Under normal circumstances, schools do not provide free school meals to eligible children who are not in school. However, during the COVID-19 outbreak we expect schools to continue supporting children eligible for benefits-related free school meals who are at home.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford grouped question UIN 48309 48310 48312 question first answered 27/05/2020 10:16:56 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson