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1712757

registered interest
date	22/04/2024
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Immigration: Universities
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of his immigration policies on universities.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	22835
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2024 answer text <p>We keep all our immigration policies under constant review to ensure they best serve the UK and reflect the public’s priorities. Impact assessments are produced and considered when developing Government policies.</p><p>We have been successful in delivering our International Education Strategy goal of hosting 600,000 students per year by 2030, earlier than planned, and expect universities to be able to adapt to policy change.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 29/04/2024 15:57:44 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1712784

registered interest
date	22/04/2024
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Veterans: Social Rented Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Veterans' Strategy Action Plan 2022-24, what steps the Office for Veterans Affairs has taken to improve veterans' access to social housing.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	22836
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/05/2024 answer text <p>The Veterans Strategy Action Plan sets out over sixty commitments from across government to deliver on the vision and principles of our 2018 Strategy for our veterans, including on housing.</p><p>The Government is committed to providing high priority access for social housing and temporary accommodation. To improve access to social housing, we changed the law so that veterans with urgent housing needs are always given ‘additional preference’ (high priority) for social housing, and that those who left the forces within the preceding 5 years cannot be disqualified from social housing because of a local connection or residency requirement.</p><p>We have also published dedicated statutory social housing allocations guidance which sets out how local authorities can support veterans and their families to access social housing.</p><p>To ensure the sustainable supply of social housing, the £20 million Veteran Capital Housing Fund continues to award grants to fund the refurbishment of existing, affordable and social rental properties, as well as the development and delivery of new build projects.</p><p><strong></strong><br><br></p> answering member constituency Plymouth, Moor View answering member printed Johnny Mercer question first answered 01/05/2024 15:48:03 answering member 4485 label Biography information for Johnny Mercer
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1712785

registered interest
date	22/04/2024
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Office for Veterans' Affairs: Finance and Staff
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the annual budget for the Office for Veterans Affairs is for the (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25 financial year; and how many people work for the Office for Veterans Affairs as of 22 April 2024.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	22837
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/05/2024 answer text <p>This Government is investing record amounts to support our veterans and their families.</p><p>The Veterans’ Strategy Action Plan totals more than £70 million from across government, with an injection of a further £33 million in the Spring Budget 2023, topped up by a further £10 million in the Chancellor's Autumn statement. As of 22 April 2024, 58 people work in the Office for Veterans’ Affairs.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Plymouth, Moor View answering member printed Johnny Mercer question first answered 01/05/2024 15:39:52 answering member 4485 label Biography information for Johnny Mercer
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1712786

registered interest
date	22/04/2024
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Veterans Welfare Service: Finance and Staff
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the budget of the Veterans Welfare Service is; and how many staff work for that Service.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	22838
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/05/2024 answer text <p>The Veterans Welfare Service forms part of Defence Business Services (DBS), and is not an independent entity.</p><p> </p><p>Budgets and staff numbers are allocated within DBS at the delivery of veterans' services level referred to publicly as Veterans UK, and includes the administration of compensation claims, veterans' welfare services, pensions, some support to serving personnel and the running of Ilford Park Polish Home. It is not possible to break this information down to only the Veterans Welfare Service.</p><p> </p><p>The Veterans Services overall budget for financial year (FY)2023-24 was £20.003million and includes the HM Armed Forces Veteran Card project delivery.</p><p>The average Full Time Equivalent (FTE) across all Veterans Services for FY2023-24 was 437.91.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 01/05/2024 14:44:56 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1712823

registered interest
date	22/04/2024
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	Universal Credit: Veterans
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many veterans have been identified as Universal Credit claimants since the introduction of the new DWP marker.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	22839
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2024 answer text <p>The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) started collecting data on the Armed Forces status of Universal Credit (UC) claimants in Great Britain (GB) in April 2021. At first only new claimants were asked about their Armed Forces status. From June 2021 onwards, other UC claimants reporting changes in their work and earnings have also been able to report their status. From July 2021 onwards, UC agents have also been able to record claimants’ Armed Forces status if they are told about this via other means such as journal messages, face-to-face meetings or by telephone.</p><p> </p><p>It should be noted that Armed forces status is self-reported by claimants and is not verified by the Ministry of Defence or Office for Veterans’ Affairs. A claimant’s status can be recorded as “currently serving”, “served in the past”, “not served” or “prefer not to say”.</p><p> </p><p>By 14th March 2024, an armed forces status of “served in the past” had been recorded for approximately 110,000 claimants with UC claims for which a statement had been generated. This figure includes some people who are no longer on the UC caseload, some who had a nil payment claim and some who subsequently reported a different armed forces status, e.g. “currently serving”. It should be noted that the available data does not allow a comprehensive estimate of the total number of UC claimants who are, or have been, veterans.</p><p> </p><p>Notes:</p><p>1. The figure provided is for Great Britain. Data is not collected on the Armed Forces status of UC claimants in Northern Ireland.</p><p>2. The figure provided has been rounded to the nearest ten thousand.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 26/04/2024 12:07:07 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1700949

registered interest
date	15/04/2024
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Telecommunications: Infrastructure
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to require broadband companies to gain the consent of (a) the local authority and (b) residents before erecting telephone poles.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	21525
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/04/2024 answer text <p>Telegraph poles play an important role in delivering efficient and cost-effective coverage and connectivity to communities, particularly in hard to reach areas without costly and disruptive roadworks, or where existing infrastructure cannot be used.</p><p> </p><p>Permitted development rights allow telegraph poles and lines to be deployed without requiring case-by-case approval from the local planning authority, and we have no plans to introduce legislation to change permitted development rights for telegraph poles.</p><p> </p><p>However, we are aware of the concerns that residents in some parts of the country have about the deployment of telegraph poles. There are existing measures to minimise pole deployment and avoid inappropriate siting, and we are also taking further action to respond to those concerns.</p><p> </p><p>For example, the Electronic Communications Code (Conditions and Restrictions) Regulations 2003 (“the 2003 Regulations”) set out the legal requirements operators must adhere to.</p><p> </p><p>Already, Local Planning Authorities should be notified 28 days before poles are installed in many circumstances as set out in the 2003 Regulations, and can impose conditions on this installation which operators must adhere to provided that the conditions are reasonable. The 2003 regulations also state that operators should share infrastructure where practicable.</p><p> </p><p>There is also a Code of Practice in place, which provides guidance on ways operators can ensure new installations are placed appropriately, and that local authorities and communities are to be engaged with regarding proposed installations.</p><p> </p><p>Ofcom can take enforcement action in respect of breaches of the restrictions and conditions contained in the 2003 regulations. Ofcom have also stated that they would investigate any cases where poles are sited in a way which is not consistent with the requirements and guidelines in place – including where they block residents’ drives or where operators systematically fail to engage with local planning authorities’ suggestions. We encourage Local Planning Authorities to make complaints to Ofcom if they feel these criteria apply.</p><p> </p><p>I recently met with Melanie Dawes, CEO of Ofcom, to discuss this, and to explore ways DSIT and Ofcom can work together to raise awareness of statutory roles and responsibilities and ensure better compliance.</p><p> </p><p>I also wrote to all fixed line operators on 14 March, setting out the government’s concerns and emphasising the importance of infrastructure sharing. Specifically, I have asked them to do everything possible to share existing telegraph poles before installing new ones.</p><p> </p><p>Separately, DSIT is considering how revisions to the Cabinet Siting and Pole Siting Code of Practice might be delivered to promote better working practices.</p><p> </p><p>I met interested MPs on Monday 25 March 2024, and I remain keen to hear and understand the concerns shared by MPs and their constituents. I am also meeting fixed-line operators to discuss these concerns.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 19/04/2024 08:12:45 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1699961

registered interest
date	12/04/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Veterans
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a veteran awareness day in schools.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	20854
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2024 answer text <p>The department wants all children to leave school with the knowledge, skills, and values that will enable them to understand the world around them and prepare them to be active and responsible citizens in modern Britain. This could include activities focusing on the role of the armed forces and learning from the experiences of veterans.</p><p>It is important for schools to have flexibility over the design of their curriculum to ensure that it meets the needs of their pupils and the local context. Schools are able to use this flexibility to include a veterans awareness day or to teach about British veterans and the armed forces through subjects within the national curriculum, such as citizenship, history or English literature, or as part of wider remembrance activities.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 17/04/2024 15:03:23 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1699962

registered interest
date	12/04/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Veterans
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing veteran awareness training for teachers.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	20855
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2024 answer text <p>A key principle behind the government's plan for education is to give teachers and school leaders the freedom to use their professional judgement to do what works best for their pupils. As such, headteachers are ultimately responsible for employment in their schools and the department trusts them to take decisions about the right mix of qualifications, skills and experience that they expect teachers in their schools to have.</p><p>The department recently reviewed the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Core Content Framework (CCF) and Early Career Framework (ECF) alongside each other and revised the ITT CCF and the ECF into the combined and updated Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF). This now covers the first three years or more at the start of a teacher’s career, and sets out the entitlement of every trainee and early career teacher (ECT) to the core body of knowledge, skills and behaviours that define great teaching. The ITTECF is universal and designed to work for all teachers, across all phases and subjects.</p><p>Beyond this, school leaders are responsible for ensuring their workforce has appropriate training to meet the needs of all pupils, which is in line with the department’s position on school autonomy and school leaders being best placed to assess the needs of their pupils and workforce.</p><p>The government remains committed to supporting veterans with a passion for teaching to enter the profession, both in schools and the further education sector. The department is working with the Ministry of Defence to ensure veterans are aware of the range of programmes and support available through the department’s services and bursaries.</p><p>Veterans are eligible for a tax-free undergraduate bursary of £40,000 if they are:</p><ul><li>A veteran who has left full-time employment with the British Army, Royal Air Force or Royal Navy no more than 5 years before the start of the teacher training course.</li><li>Training to teach secondary biology, chemistry, computing, languages, maths or physics.</li><li>Doing an undergraduate degree leading to qualified teacher status (QTS) in England.</li></ul><p>Graduate veterans may also be eligible for a postgraduate scholarship or bursary if they are training to teach priority subjects.</p><p>More information on how the department support veterans to become teachers, including the offer of one-to-one support from a teacher training advisor, can be found here: <a href="https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/funding-and-support/if-youre-a-veteran" target="_blank">https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/funding-and-support/if-youre-a-veteran</a>.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 20857 question first answered 17/04/2024 12:16:24 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1699963

registered interest
date	12/04/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Veterans: Schools
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of encouraging veterans to become school governors.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	20856
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2024 answer text <p>The department recognises the valuable skills, experience and perspectives that former military personnel can bring to schools and academy trusts. The department will continue to encourage schools and academy trusts, and the organisations that support them, to look for volunteers with a broad range of backgrounds, so that pupil outcomes can benefit from the best possible governance.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 17/04/2024 15:26:14 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1699964

registered interest
date	12/04/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Veterans
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of employing veterans in schools to provide courses on leadership and resilience for (a) teachers and (b) students.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	20857
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2024 answer text <p>A key principle behind the government's plan for education is to give teachers and school leaders the freedom to use their professional judgement to do what works best for their pupils. As such, headteachers are ultimately responsible for employment in their schools and the department trusts them to take decisions about the right mix of qualifications, skills and experience that they expect teachers in their schools to have.</p><p>The department recently reviewed the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Core Content Framework (CCF) and Early Career Framework (ECF) alongside each other and revised the ITT CCF and the ECF into the combined and updated Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF). This now covers the first three years or more at the start of a teacher’s career, and sets out the entitlement of every trainee and early career teacher (ECT) to the core body of knowledge, skills and behaviours that define great teaching. The ITTECF is universal and designed to work for all teachers, across all phases and subjects.</p><p>Beyond this, school leaders are responsible for ensuring their workforce has appropriate training to meet the needs of all pupils, which is in line with the department’s position on school autonomy and school leaders being best placed to assess the needs of their pupils and workforce.</p><p>The government remains committed to supporting veterans with a passion for teaching to enter the profession, both in schools and the further education sector. The department is working with the Ministry of Defence to ensure veterans are aware of the range of programmes and support available through the department’s services and bursaries.</p><p>Veterans are eligible for a tax-free undergraduate bursary of £40,000 if they are:</p><ul><li>A veteran who has left full-time employment with the British Army, Royal Air Force or Royal Navy no more than 5 years before the start of the teacher training course.</li><li>Training to teach secondary biology, chemistry, computing, languages, maths or physics.</li><li>Doing an undergraduate degree leading to qualified teacher status (QTS) in England.</li></ul><p>Graduate veterans may also be eligible for a postgraduate scholarship or bursary if they are training to teach priority subjects.</p><p>More information on how the department support veterans to become teachers, including the offer of one-to-one support from a teacher training advisor, can be found here: <a href="https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/funding-and-support/if-youre-a-veteran" target="_blank">https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/funding-and-support/if-youre-a-veteran</a>.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 20855 question first answered 17/04/2024 12:16:24 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe