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1196012

registered interest
date	15/05/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Free School Meals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of providing parents and carers in England with direct payments in place of the national free school meal voucher scheme.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	47273
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/05/2020 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 will continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.</p><p>Schools are best placed to make decisions about the most appropriate free school meal (FSM) arrangements for eligible pupils during this period. In the first instance, we are asking schools to speak to their catering teams and food suppliers about making food parcel arrangements for children staying at home as we believe that this is the best way to ensure that children are continuing to receive healthy meals. Where this is not possible, schools can use our national voucher scheme or alternatively can also set up their own voucher arrangements where the national scheme is not suitable. We have not put forward an approach that would involve direct payments to parents.</p><p>Schools and local authorities continue to accept FSM applications from parents or pupils. The department provides an Eligibility Checking System to support schools and local authorities in verifying and awarding FSM and we have developed a model registration form to help schools encourage parents to sign up for FSM.</p><p>Our Holiday Activities and Food Scheme will ensure that thousands of disadvantaged children have access to healthy meals this summer. On 16 March, we wrote to all bidders to let them know whether or not they were successful in their applications for funding and offered feedback to unsuccessful bidders. We will shortly announce the successful areas publicly.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford grouped question UIN 47274 47275 47276 question first answered 26/05/2020 17:00:36 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1196013

registered interest
date	15/05/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Free School Meals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support his Department provides to (a) schools and (b) local authorities to encourage newly-eligible families to apply for free school meals.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	47274
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/05/2020 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 will continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.</p><p>Schools are best placed to make decisions about the most appropriate free school meal (FSM) arrangements for eligible pupils during this period. In the first instance, we are asking schools to speak to their catering teams and food suppliers about making food parcel arrangements for children staying at home as we believe that this is the best way to ensure that children are continuing to receive healthy meals. Where this is not possible, schools can use our national voucher scheme or alternatively can also set up their own voucher arrangements where the national scheme is not suitable. We have not put forward an approach that would involve direct payments to parents.</p><p>Schools and local authorities continue to accept FSM applications from parents or pupils. The department provides an Eligibility Checking System to support schools and local authorities in verifying and awarding FSM and we have developed a model registration form to help schools encourage parents to sign up for FSM.</p><p>Our Holiday Activities and Food Scheme will ensure that thousands of disadvantaged children have access to healthy meals this summer. On 16 March, we wrote to all bidders to let them know whether or not they were successful in their applications for funding and offered feedback to unsuccessful bidders. We will shortly announce the successful areas publicly.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford grouped question UIN 47273 47275 47276 question first answered 26/05/2020 17:00:36 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1196014

registered interest
date	15/05/2020
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 1 May 2020 to Question 38875 on Academic Year and Free School Meals, by what date his Department will announce the successful bids for the summer 2020 Holiday Activities and Food scheme.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	47275
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/05/2020 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 will continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.</p><p>Schools are best placed to make decisions about the most appropriate free school meal (FSM) arrangements for eligible pupils during this period. In the first instance, we are asking schools to speak to their catering teams and food suppliers about making food parcel arrangements for children staying at home as we believe that this is the best way to ensure that children are continuing to receive healthy meals. Where this is not possible, schools can use our national voucher scheme or alternatively can also set up their own voucher arrangements where the national scheme is not suitable. We have not put forward an approach that would involve direct payments to parents.</p><p>Schools and local authorities continue to accept FSM applications from parents or pupils. The department provides an Eligibility Checking System to support schools and local authorities in verifying and awarding FSM and we have developed a model registration form to help schools encourage parents to sign up for FSM.</p><p>Our Holiday Activities and Food Scheme will ensure that thousands of disadvantaged children have access to healthy meals this summer. On 16 March, we wrote to all bidders to let them know whether or not they were successful in their applications for funding and offered feedback to unsuccessful bidders. We will shortly announce the successful areas publicly.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford grouped question UIN 47273 47274 47276 question first answered 26/05/2020 17:00:36 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1196015

registered interest
date	15/05/2020
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: North East
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2020 to Question 9002, on Holiday Activities and Food Research Fund, of the nine bids received from the North East region how many were successful; and what the value is of those successful bids.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	47276
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/05/2020 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 will continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.</p><p>Schools are best placed to make decisions about the most appropriate free school meal (FSM) arrangements for eligible pupils during this period. In the first instance, we are asking schools to speak to their catering teams and food suppliers about making food parcel arrangements for children staying at home as we believe that this is the best way to ensure that children are continuing to receive healthy meals. Where this is not possible, schools can use our national voucher scheme or alternatively can also set up their own voucher arrangements where the national scheme is not suitable. We have not put forward an approach that would involve direct payments to parents.</p><p>Schools and local authorities continue to accept FSM applications from parents or pupils. The department provides an Eligibility Checking System to support schools and local authorities in verifying and awarding FSM and we have developed a model registration form to help schools encourage parents to sign up for FSM.</p><p>Our Holiday Activities and Food Scheme will ensure that thousands of disadvantaged children have access to healthy meals this summer. On 16 March, we wrote to all bidders to let them know whether or not they were successful in their applications for funding and offered feedback to unsuccessful bidders. We will shortly announce the successful areas publicly.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford grouped question UIN 47273 47274 47275 question first answered 26/05/2020 17:00:36 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1196016

registered interest
date	15/05/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: ICT
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to his written statement of 21 April 2020, HCWS193, on Support for Education Settings/Providers, how many (a) laptops and tablets and (b) wireless 4G routers have been (i) applied for and (ii) will be received by schools on behalf of children and young people in each local authority area in the North East region.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	47277
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/05/2020 answer text <p>The Government has committed over £100 million to support vulnerable and disadvantaged children in England to access remote education, including by providing laptops, tablets and 4G routers.</p><p>We are providing laptops and tablets to vulnerable and disadvantaged children who would otherwise not have access and are preparing for examination in Year 10, receiving support from a social worker or are a care leaver.</p><p>The Department has ordered over 200,000 laptops and tablets. Local authorities and academy trusts are best place to identify and prioritise children and young people who need devices. The Department is agreeing the number of devices allocated to each local authority and academy trust based on its estimates of the number of eligible children that do not have access to a device.</p><p>The Department is working to provide these devices in the shortest possible timeframe; deliveries to schools and Local Authorities will start this month and continue in June.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 26/05/2020 16:35:38 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1196054

registered interest
date	15/05/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers have been transferred from Section 95 to Section 4 support since 23 March 2020.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	47278
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/05/2020 answer text <p>Published stats will be available on gov.uk in due course, recent statistics since March 2020 are not yet ready for release. We can confirm that we have seen an increase in Section 4 application and we continue to move people who would no longer be eligible for Section 95 support onto Section 4. We are working to ensure that applications are dealt with efficiently, and that no one should be left destitute.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 26/05/2020 12:36:40 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1196055

registered interest
date	15/05/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for Section 4 support have been (a) granted and (b) refused since 23 March 2020.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	47279
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2020 answer text <p>Published stats will be available on gov.uk in due course, recent statistics since March 2020 are not yet ready for release.  We can confirm that we have seen an increase in Section 4 application and we have moved people who would no longer be eligible for Section 95 support onto Section 4.  We are working to ensure that applications are dealt with efficiently, and that no one should be left destitute.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 20/05/2020 08:01:34 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1196056

registered interest
date	15/05/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many negative decisions on asylum claims have been made but not served since 23 March 2020.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	47280
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/05/2020 answer text <p>The Home Office publishes data on initial decisions on asylum applications by outcome. This data can be found at Asy_02a, of the published Immigration Statistics December 2019 <a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-year-ending-december-2019/list-of-tables#asylum-and-resettlement" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-year-ending-december-2019/list-of-tables#asylum-and-resettlement</a>. However, this data is not yet published for the period from March 2020.</p><p>During COVID-19, Asylum Operations continue to make and serve decisions on cases where there is enough information to do so. In terms of decisions on negative claims ‘made but not served’, the Home Office does not publish data on what is usually a brief interregnum between a decision being written and then served.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 26/05/2020 13:10:54 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1196057

registered interest
date	15/05/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that people are not evicted from asylum accommodation into homelessness when the lockdown restrictions are eased; and what discussions she has had with representatives of (a) local authorities and (b) Public Health England on that matter.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	47281
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/05/2020 answer text <p>The Government has put in a range of measures to support asylum seekers who are affected by the coronavirus outbreak and continue to monitor the situation closely. Our current policy temporarily allows those granted refugee or other immigration status, and those who have been refused asylum and exhausted their appeal rights, to remain in their asylum accommodation. This policy will be reviewed before the end of June.</p><p>When normal arrangements resume, we will ensure our procedures are consistent with PHE guidance and that the impact on local authorities is carefully considered, as some of those granted refugee or other immigration status may require assistance to find alternative accommodation.</p><p>Failed asylum seekers who have exhausted their appeal right will continue to be provided with asylum accommodation provided they take reasonable steps to leave the UK or where there is a practical or legal obstacle that prevents their departure.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 26/05/2020 12:41:44 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1196059

registered interest
date	15/05/2020
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	Temporary Accommodation: Migrants
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 support his Department provides to local authorities in relation to support for people with no recourse to public funds that have been placed in temporary accommodation during the covid-19 outbreak; and whether officials in his Department have held discussions with representatives of Public Health England on that matter.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	47282
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/05/2020 answer text <p>The Government is aware of concerns about those with no recourse to public funds experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 crisis.</p><p>We are ensuring local authorities are supported, with £3.2 million in targeted funding to help support individuals who are sleeping rough off the streets, and an additional £3.2 billion provided to local authorities as part of the wider government response to the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p>This funding has been provided to help local authorities to reduce risks to public health and to support individuals on the basis of need.</p><p>The legal position on those with no recourse to public funds has not been amended.</p><p>The Government recognises that these are unprecedented times, and expects local authorities to support people who are sleeping rough, and also to minimise unnecessary risks to public health, acting within the law.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall question first answered 26/05/2020 15:38:45 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham