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1168733

registered interest
date	20/12/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Foster Care: Self-employed
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 introduce workers' rights and protections for foster carers who are classed as self-employed.
tabling member constituency	Linlithgow and East Falkirk
tabling member printed	Martyn Day
uin	333
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/01/2020 answer text <p>In England, the purpose of foster care is to provide children with the chance of a family life when they cannot be cared for by their birth parents.</p><p>Foster care is a devolved matter and the agreement that foster carers in England have with fostering service providers, including local authorities, sets out how they carry out their role. This is, however, not a contract of employment or a contract to perform work, which would be a necessary requirement for someone to be classed as either an employee or a worker.</p><p>The Children’s Act 1989 (Vol. 4: Fostering Services) and subsequent statutory guidance sets out strong safeguards to protect foster parents from unfair treatment, including the requirement for fostering services to have a complaints procedure, whistle blowing policy, and for foster parents to have the right to review by the Independent Review Mechanism. Fostering Better Outcomes (2018) sets out the government’s ambitions and commitments to improve the wider support available for foster parents in England. There are no plans to reclassify the employment status of foster carers to limb (b) workers.</p> answering member constituency Chippenham answering member printed Michelle Donelan grouped question UIN 167 168 question first answered 07/01/2020 16:44:32 answering member 4530 label Biography information for Michelle Donelan
tabling member	4488 label Biography information for Martyn Day

1168734

registered interest
date	20/12/2019
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Police: Recruitment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has for police officer recruitment in Suffolk; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	South Suffolk
tabling member printed	James Cartlidge
uin	338
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/01/2020 answer text <p>The Government has committed to increasing the number of police officers by 20,000 over the next three years. Up to 6,000 additional officers will be recruited in the first wave and will be shared among the 43 territorial police forces in England and Wales. Suffolk has a recruitment target for the first year of 54.</p><p>Targets for all forces were announced on 9 October 2019: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/home-office-announces-first-wave-of-20000-police-officer-uplift" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/home-office-announces-first-wave-of-20000-police-officer-uplift</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 07/01/2020 12:45:42 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4519 label Biography information for James Cartlidge

1168735

registered interest
date	20/12/2019
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	West Suffolk Hospital
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has for a complete rebuild of West Suffolk hospital; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	South Suffolk
tabling member printed	James Cartlidge
uin	339
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/01/2020 answer text <p>On 29 September 2019 the Government announced a new Health Infrastructure Plan, to ensure that our health infrastructure is fit-for-purpose for decades to come.</p><p>At the centre of this Plan is a new hospital building programme. To launch this programme, in September, the Government announced six new hospital schemes that are receiving funding to ‘go ahead’ now (aiming to deliver by 2025), and a further twenty-one schemes, across 34 hospitals, that have the green light to go to the next stage of developing their plans (aiming to deliver between 2025 and 2030).</p><p>West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust’s scheme at West Suffolk Hospital is part of the second phase and will receive a share of £100 million seed funding, as well as guidance and support from central government, to help progress its plans to the next stage.</p><p>Further detail on specific plans and funding will be made available in due course, as part of delivering the Government’s wider commitment to build 40 new hospitals.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 09/01/2020 12:08:47 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4519 label Biography information for James Cartlidge

1168736

registered interest
date	20/12/2019
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	Health Professions: Suffolk
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to recruit more (a) nurses, (b) doctors and (c) clinicians in Suffolk.
tabling member constituency	South Suffolk
tabling member printed	James Cartlidge
uin	340
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/01/2020 answer text <p>NHS England and NHS Improvement have confirmed that the Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care System is currently developing a workforce strategy that will identify the staffing levels required to deliver its patient care objectives for the next five to 10 years.</p><p>At national level, the interim NHS People Plan, published on 3 June 2019, puts the workforce at the heart of the National Health Service and will ensure we have the staff needed to deliver high quality care. The final NHS People Plan will be published in early 2020.</p><p>The Government recently pledged to increase nurse numbers by 50,000 in England over the next five years. As part of this commitment, eligible pre-registration nursing students enrolled on courses at English universities from September 2020 will receive a payment of at least £5,000 per academic year which they will not need to pay back.</p><p>In addition, in 2016 the Government committed to an extra 1,500 undergraduate medical school places - a 25% increase taking the total number of medical school training places in England to 7,500 by 2020/21. Five new medical schools will open in England to help deliver the expansion.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 08/01/2020 12:11:15 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4519 label Biography information for James Cartlidge

1168737

registered interest
date	20/12/2019
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	5G: Suffolk
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has for the roll-out of 5G in rural areas in Suffolk.
tabling member constituency	South Suffolk
tabling member printed	James Cartlidge
uin	341
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/01/2020 answer text <p>The Government remains committed to becoming a world leader in 5G and providing a 5G signal to a majority of the population by 2027.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Towards this aim, the Government has taken steps to ensure that we build the right conditions for commercial investment in 5G. As a part of this, we have invested in a nationally coordinated 5G Testbeds and Trials Programme which continues to build the business case for 5G in Britain.</p><p> </p><p>Two of the Phase 1 programmes funded through this scheme, 5GRIT and 5G RuralFirst, are specifically focussed on building a market for 5G use cases in rural areas. We are also providing funding for up to 10 rural-based 5G research and development projects over the next two years through the Rural Connected Communities initiative. We expect these projects to do important work in building the business case for 5G investment in rural areas, such as those within South Suffolk.</p><p> </p><p>It is important to note that the vast majority of commercial rollout of 5G services will be delivered by industry, according to their own timeframes. All four Mobile Network Operators have already begun launching their 5G offerings and coverage is expected to be available in 50 major towns and cities by summer 2020.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>In the interim, Government is working closely with the Mobile Network Operators on the Shared Rural Network proposal to provide high quality 4G coverage to 95 percent of the UK. This proposal will help tackle both partial not spots - area where this is currently only coverage from at least one, but not all operators - and total not spots - areas with no coverage from any operator, ensuring good 4G signal wherever people live, work and travel.</p><p> </p><p>It is expected that harder to reach locations, such as rural areas within Suffolk, will see the greatest benefit from this proposal.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Boston and Skegness answering member printed Matt Warman question first answered 07/01/2020 11:57:32 answering member 4361 label Biography information for Matt Warman
tabling member	4519 label Biography information for James Cartlidge

1168738

registered interest
date	20/12/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Special Educational Needs: Suffolk
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to improve SEND provision in Suffolk; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	South Suffolk
tabling member printed	James Cartlidge
uin	342
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/01/2020 answer text <p>Our ambition is for every local authority and Clinical Commissioning Group to deliver a high-quality service for every child or young person with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).</p><p> </p><p>Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission conduct inspections of SEND services in local areas. Their inspection of Suffolk published in 2017 and subsequent revisit published in 2019 found strengths and improvements over time, but there remained a number of areas of significant weakness where sufficient progress had not been made.</p><p> </p><p>Where we have concerns with performance, as there are with Suffolk, the Department for Education works with partners, including NHS England, to support and challenge local areas to improve. This includes regular advice and monitoring from the Department for Education and NHS England advisers as well as access to funded training opportunities and resources. Whilst there is more to be done, we welcome the progress being made and will continue to monitor the position closely.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, in 2020-21, Suffolk will be receiving £74.9 million for its high needs budget, an increase of 17% per head of population aged 2-18 years old.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Chippenham answering member printed Michelle Donelan question first answered 07/01/2020 17:16:19 answering member 4530 label Biography information for Michelle Donelan
tabling member	4519 label Biography information for James Cartlidge

1168739

registered interest
date	20/12/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Unpaid Work
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if she will make it her Department's policy to ban the use of unpaid work trials at the outset of employment in UK businesses.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South
tabling member printed	Stewart Malcolm McDonald
uin	322
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/01/2020 answer text <p>Unpaid work trials that are excessive and not part of a genuine recruitment process are prohibited by National Minimum Wage legislation. It is simply wrong to exploit workers by setting up excessive unpaid trials.  The law is clear that if someone is “working” for minimum wage purposes, they must be paid at least the National Minimum or National Living Wage.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is committed to ensuring that all employers pay their workers correctly. HMRC consider all worker complaints and will take enforcement action in any cases of abuse.</p><p> </p><p>BEIS published guidance in December 2018 clarifying that unpaid work trials are not permissible if they are excessive or not part of a genuine recruitment process. They can, however, play an important role in helping people into work opportunities, if used correctly.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 07/01/2020 15:53:08 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	4461 label Biography information for Stewart Malcolm McDonald

1168740

registered interest
date	20/12/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	India: Nationality
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect on the human rights of Muslims in India of that Government's recent decision to pass the Citizenship Amendment Bill; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	282
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/01/2020 answer text <p>The British Government and the British High Commission in New Delhi are following the human rights situation across India and raise issues with Indian officials where appropriate.</p> answering member constituency South Derbyshire answering member printed Mrs Heather Wheeler question first answered 07/01/2020 09:39:07 answering member 4053 label Biography information for Mrs Heather Wheeler
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

1168741

registered interest
date	20/12/2019
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Community Development: Grants
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has plans to bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that community groups in receipt of large grants from administrative charities are required to comply with the political independence provisions in the Charities Act 2011.
tabling member constituency	Morecambe and Lunesdale
tabling member printed	David Morris
uin	300
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/01/2020 answer text <p>Grant-making charities must ensure that charitable funds are used to further their charitable purposes. The Charity Commission for England and Wales publishes guidance (&quot;Campaigning and political activity guidance for charities (CC9)&quot;) on the extent to which charities can legitimately engage in non-party political activity as part of furthering their charitable purposes.</p><p> </p><p>Any concerns that charitable funds are being used inappropriately, for example for party-political activities or purposes, should be raised with the Charity Commission for England and Wales, which can investigate and if appropriate take action. There are currently no plans to bring forward legislative proposals on this subject.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Faversham and Mid Kent answering member printed Helen Whately question first answered 07/01/2020 12:42:24 answering member 4527 label Biography information for Helen Whately
tabling member	4135 label Biography information for David Morris

1168742

registered interest
date	20/12/2019
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	Doctors: Fees and Charges
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 he has made of the effect on individuals of the level of fees charged by doctors to certify health prior to offers of employment; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	283
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/01/2020 answer text <p>There are a number of specified reports and certificates that must be completed by general practitioners (GPs) for their patients free of charge, as these form part of the services they must deliver under their contracts with the National Health Service. Providing support to an employment application does not fall under part of those services. Accordingly, if a GP is asked to provide a report or certificate to certify a patient’s health for the purposes of an employment application, then under General Medical Services (GMS) Regulations they are allowed to charge a fee for doing so. There is no statutory limit to the level of such a fee and this would ultimately be a matter for the practice. However, NHS England and NHS Improvement would expect the practice to charge a reasonable sum appropriate for the workload involved. The GMS and Personal Medical Services Regulations contain a list of statutory certificates that GP practices are required to provide without charge, and the British Medical Association publishes guidance to support GPs in deciding how much they should charge which is available at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://www.bma.org.uk/advice/employment/fees/check-your-fee" target="_blank">https://www.bma.org.uk/advice/employment/fees/check-your-fee</a></p><p>We recognise that there are concerns about some fees GPs charge for letters to certify a patient’s health and the consistency of those charges, and the additional burden this can place on GPs. We are considering how best to work with GPs and other stakeholders to look at where it is necessary for GPs to provide medical evidence and, where it is, that any charges for that evidence, where applicable, are fair and consistent.</p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 13/01/2020 17:44:39 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker