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805323

registered interest
date	12/12/2017
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Homelessness: Kirklees
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of the £28 million funding for Housing First pilot schemes he plans to allocate to projects in the Kirklees local authority area.
tabling member constituency	Colne Valley
tabling member printed	Thelma Walker
uin	118995
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2017 answer text <p>At Autumn Budget 2017, the Chancellor announced £28 million of funding to pilot the Housing First approach for some of the country’s most entrenched rough sleepers. The pilots will cover the West Midlands Combined Authority, Greater Manchester, and the Liverpool City Region.</p><p>This action builds on wider action that we have taken to achieve our manifesto commitment of halving rough sleeping by 2022 and eliminating it altogether by 2027. This includes:</p><ul><li><p>establishing the Rough Sleeping and Homelessness Reduction Taskforce, to drive forward the implementation of a cross-Government strategy;</p></li><li><p>allocating over £1 billion to prevent homelessness and rough sleeping through to 2020; and</p></li><li>implementing the most ambitious legislative reform in this area in decades: the Homelessness Reduction Act.</li></ul><p>The Department for Communities and Local Government publishes regular statistics on rough sleeping which are published at national, London and local authority level. The latest statistics can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/homelessness-statistics" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/homelessness-statistics</a></p> answering member constituency Nuneaton answering member printed Mr Marcus Jones grouped question UIN 118997 question first answered 20/12/2017 17:24:11 answering member 4024 label Biography information for Mr Marcus Jones
tabling member	4649 label Biography information for Thelma Walker

805325

registered interest
date	12/12/2017
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Sleeping Rough: Kirklees
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of rough sleepers in the Kirklees local authority area in each year since 2010.
tabling member constituency	Colne Valley
tabling member printed	Thelma Walker
uin	118997
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2017 answer text <p>At Autumn Budget 2017, the Chancellor announced £28 million of funding to pilot the Housing First approach for some of the country’s most entrenched rough sleepers. The pilots will cover the West Midlands Combined Authority, Greater Manchester, and the Liverpool City Region.</p><p>This action builds on wider action that we have taken to achieve our manifesto commitment of halving rough sleeping by 2022 and eliminating it altogether by 2027. This includes:</p><ul><li><p>establishing the Rough Sleeping and Homelessness Reduction Taskforce, to drive forward the implementation of a cross-Government strategy;</p></li><li><p>allocating over £1 billion to prevent homelessness and rough sleeping through to 2020; and</p></li><li>implementing the most ambitious legislative reform in this area in decades: the Homelessness Reduction Act.</li></ul><p>The Department for Communities and Local Government publishes regular statistics on rough sleeping which are published at national, London and local authority level. The latest statistics can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/homelessness-statistics" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/homelessness-statistics</a></p> answering member constituency Nuneaton answering member printed Mr Marcus Jones grouped question UIN 118995 question first answered 20/12/2017 17:24:12 answering member 4024 label Biography information for Mr Marcus Jones
tabling member	4649 label Biography information for Thelma Walker

804273

registered interest
date	11/12/2017
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Children: Protection
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2017 to Question 116398, what assessment she has made of the effect of the reduction in neighbourhood policing on the ability of police forces to protect vulnerable children.
tabling member constituency	Colne Valley
tabling member printed	Thelma Walker
uin	118470
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2017 answer text <p>It is for operationally independent Chief Constables to make decisions on the size, composition and deployment of the workforce in line with local needs and priorities.</p><p>We recognise that it is crucial that the police have the right resources, capabilities and powers to keep the public safe. We have provided millions of pounds of extra investment through the Police Transformation Fund to transform policing to respond to changing crimes and threats including crimes against vulnerable children such as child sexual abuse.</p><p>Through this fund we have awarded £1.9million to the College of Policing to transform policing’s approach to vulnerability, including developing a more comprehensive package of training for first responders in vulnerability so that they are better able to identify signs of vulnerability and provide support to victims. This package will also include the piloting of a licence to practise which will ensure that only those officers who are qualified to carry out specialist investigations in high risk areas like child protection, are able to do so.</p> answering member constituency Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner answering member printed Mr Nick Hurd question first answered 14/12/2017 17:23:01 answering member 1561 label Biography information for Mr Nick Hurd
tabling member	4649 label Biography information for Thelma Walker

797800

registered interest
date	30/11/2017
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	Unemployment: Older People
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans the Government has to tackle unemployment among people over the age of 50 who have been made redundant.
tabling member constituency	Colne Valley
tabling member printed	Thelma Walker
uin	116708
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/12/2017 answer text <p>The Government is committed to supporting people aged 50 and over to remain in or return to the labour market and recognises that people who are made redundant over the age of 50 face additional barriers.</p><p> </p><p>In Feb 2017, Government published a new strategy ‘Fuller Working Lives: A Partnership Approach. The Strategy is led by employers, but also sets out the case for action by individuals, and the role of Government in supporting older workers to remain in and return to work. The Strategy and supporting evidence base are available at the attached web address: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fuller-working-lives-a-partnership-approach" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fuller-working-lives-a-partnership-approach</a></p><p> </p><p>To tackle outdated perceptions about older workers Government appointed the Business In The Community (BITC) Age at Work leadership team led by Andy Briggs, CEO of Aviva UK Life and Chairman of Global Life, as Business Champion for Older Workers, to spearhead the Government’s work. The team actively promote the benefits of older workers to employers across England – influencing them both strategically and in terms of practical advice.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>DWP has expanded the Older Claimant Champion network in all 34 Jobcentre Plus districts. The Older Claimant Champions work collaboratively with over 11,000 work coaches and employer facing staff to raise the profile of older workers, highlight the benefits of employing older jobseekers and share best practice.</p><p> </p><p>Everyone that claims Universal Credit will get targeted, personalised and work focussed support. The Department aims to support claimants with the same Work Coach throughout the duration of their Universal Credit claim, meaning claimants can build a relationship with their Work Coach.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 07/12/2017 12:57:47 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4649 label Biography information for Thelma Walker

797984

registered interest
date	30/11/2017
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, whether her Department plans to take steps to increase the period of time refugees continue to receive support after receiving a positive decision on their asylum application to 50 days.
tabling member constituency	Colne Valley
tabling member printed	Thelma Walker
uin	116891
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2017 answer text <p>There are no plans to increase the period to 50 days.</p><p> </p><p>If an asylum seeker receiving support from the Home Office is granted refugee status they are given notice that their support will stop 28 days later and provided with a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP). The BRP is the main document they need to prove their eligibility to take employment or apply for benefits from the Department of Work and Pensions. Additionally, under new arrangements the Home Office offers the refugee assistance to make a benefits claim by arranging an appointment with a local DWP office.</p><p> </p><p>The Home Office also issues the refugee with a national insurance number (NINO). Possession of a NINO at this stage is not essential to make a benefits application as the DWP can provide one as part of the benefits claim process. We have, however, been working to ensure that the NINO is issued at the same time as the BRP and plan to implement a new process in the new year whereby the number is printed on the BRP.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 04/12/2017 17:45:16 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	4649 label Biography information for Thelma Walker

797430

registered interest
date	29/11/2017
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	Game: Animal Welfare
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has plans to bring forward legislative proposals banning the keeping of game birds in cages; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Colne Valley
tabling member printed	Thelma Walker
uin	116393
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/12/2017 answer text <p>The welfare of game birds is protected by the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds Reared for Sporting Purposes, provides keepers with guidance on how to meet the welfare needs of their game birds, as required by the Act. The Code recommends that barren cages for breeding pheasants and small barren cages for breeding partridges should not be used and that any system should be appropriately enriched. The Act and Defra’s Code are enforced by the Animal and Plant Health Agency. We are not currently planning to change these requirements.</p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 07/12/2017 17:49:53 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	4649 label Biography information for Thelma Walker

797432

registered interest
date	29/11/2017
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	Health Services: Homelessness
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that homeless people can access NHS services.
tabling member constituency	Colne Valley
tabling member printed	Thelma Walker
uin	116395
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/12/2017 answer text <p>The Government is committed to ensuring that homeless people can access health services. From April 2018 we will be implementing an ambitious legislative reform, the Homelessness Reduction Act, which received Royal Assent earlier this year. The Act will mean more people getting the help they need earlier, to prevent them from becoming homeless in the first place. The Department is currently considering how best to implement in the healthcare sector the ‘duty to refer’ to housing services that was introduced by this Act.</p><p> </p><p>The homeless healthcare charity, Pathway, has led and developed best practice for health services to help people who are homeless. The Government has supported this project through the Homeless Hospital Discharge Fund. This has supported 52 voluntary sector-led projects to improve discharge arrangements for homeless people, and was positively evaluated by Homeless Link, the national membership charity for organisations working directly with people who become homeless in England.</p><p> </p><p>Public Health England provides a resource, `Homes for Health’, that provides a single point of access for policymakers, commissioners and others to wide-ranging authoritative information on data, evaluation, evidence and research relating to homelessness, including people with multiple complex needs. It contains good practice prompts for commissioning for homeless people with drug or alcohol problems.</p><p> </p><p>Homeless people are encouraged to sign up to a general practitioner (GP) service so they can get the treatment they need. Without an address, a GP can accept them by using the GP practice’s own address or an address of a hostel, where appropriate. Training is also available for receptionists and guidance for GPs to help them deliver essential frontline care to the homeless, thus creating a more joined-up workforce.</p> answering member constituency Thurrock answering member printed Jackie Doyle-Price question first answered 07/12/2017 14:33:03 answering member 4065 label Biography information for Dame Jackie Doyle-Price
tabling member	4649 label Biography information for Thelma Walker

797433

registered interest
date	29/11/2017
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Refuges: Closures
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many women’s refuges have closed in (a) Kirklees, (b) West Yorkshire and (c) England in each of the last 7 years.
tabling member constituency	Colne Valley
tabling member printed	Thelma Walker
uin	116396
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/12/2017 answer text <p>My Department does not hold information on refuge closures. We expect local areas to assess their need of services and support for victims of domestic abuse and to provide for that need, for this reason the Government has devolved power and responsibility accordingly.</p><p>In our Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy the Government committed to review the local approach to refuge provision, two years after the launch of the £20 million Fund (by November 2018). We have launched a tender for an audit of local authority commissioning of domestic abuse services, including refuge, which will inform our review.</p> answering member constituency Nuneaton answering member printed Mr Marcus Jones question first answered 07/12/2017 12:17:37 answering member 4024 label Biography information for Mr Marcus Jones
tabling member	4649 label Biography information for Thelma Walker

797435

registered interest
date	29/11/2017
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Children: Protection
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect of the reduction in neighbourhood policing on the ability of police forces to protect vulnerable children.
tabling member constituency	Colne Valley
tabling member printed	Thelma Walker
uin	116398
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2017 answer text <p>It is for operationally independent Chief Constables to make decisions on the size, composition and deployment of the workforce including police community support officers, in line with local needs and priorities. Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) are elected by the public to hold Chief Constables and the force to account; making the police answerable to the communities they serve.</p><p>We are undertaking a programme of engagement with the police to understand the impact of changing demands<strong>, </strong>and to hear how the police are managing these. That includes what more can be done to improve productivity and efficiency, reduce bureaucracy, and make prudent use of financial reserves.</p> answering member constituency Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner answering member printed Mr Nick Hurd question first answered 04/12/2017 17:48:09 answering member 1561 label Biography information for Mr Nick Hurd
tabling member	4649 label Biography information for Thelma Walker

797436

registered interest
date	29/11/2017
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	NHS: Temporary Employment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of the funding allocated to the NHS has been spent on agency staff in each of the last 7 years.
tabling member constituency	Colne Valley
tabling member printed	Thelma Walker
uin	116399
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/12/2017 answer text <p>Total figures for agency expenditure are available for National Health Service secondary care in England for each year from 2013-14 to 2016-17 but not before. We do not hold figures for agency expenditure in primary care.</p><p> </p><p>The following table shows NHS secondary care agency expenditure figures:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>NHS England mandate (£ billion)</p></td><td><p>Total NHS secondary care expenditure on agency staff in England (£ billion)</p></td><td><p>Agency spend as % of mandate</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013-14</p></td><td><p>94.731</p></td><td><p>2.589</p></td><td><p>2.73</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014-15</p></td><td><p>97.342</p></td><td><p>3.189</p></td><td><p>3.28</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015-16</p></td><td><p>100.500</p></td><td><p>3.632</p></td><td><p>3.61</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016-17</p></td><td><p>105.962</p></td><td><p>2.935</p></td><td><p>2.77</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>A number of measures have been introduced by the Secretary of State to bring secondary care agency spending under control including price caps, procurement frameworks and expenditure ceilings. These have contributed to the NHS spending around £700 million less on agency in 2016/17 than in the previous financial year.</p> answering member constituency Ludlow answering member printed Mr Philip Dunne question first answered 07/12/2017 14:35:50 answering member 1542 label Biography information for Philip Dunne
tabling member	4649 label Biography information for Thelma Walker