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1693283

registered interest
date	04/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Families: Social Workers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department has taken to tackle shortages in family social workers.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	16733
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/03/2024 answer text <p>Social workers play a valuable role in supporting the most vulnerable in society and the department is committed to ensuring there is an excellent child and family social worker for everyone who needs one. The department recognises the ongoing challenge facing local authorities across the country in recruiting and retaining child and family social workers, with reasons for social workers leaving the profession varied and complex.</p><p>On 2 February 2023, the department published the care reform strategy, ‘Stable Homes, Built on Love’, which set out proposals to help stabilise the workforce. This includes supporting the recruitment of up to 461 social worker apprentices, a new Early Career Framework that will set out the development plans for a social worker’s first five years, proposals to reduce the overreliance on agency social workers, and setting up a National Workload Action Group to tackle unnecessary workload drivers which keep social workers away from direct time with children and families.</p><p>Every year, through the department’s fast track and development programmes, the department trains an average of 800 new social workers and provides professional development for around 4,000 others.</p><p>The number of full time equivalent child and family social workers in post at 30 September 2023 was 33,100. This is the highest figure we've seen since gathering this data. The statistics show that the department’s £50 million average yearly investment over this Spending Review on recruitment and training child and family social workers, alongside the hard work of local authorities is generating positive results.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 14/03/2024 11:48:15 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1693288

registered interest
date	04/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Child rearing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to improve the accessibility of evidence-based parenting support for parents and families residing in local authority areas that do not offer Family Hubs.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	16734
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/03/2024 answer text <p>The Family Hubs and Start for Life programme aims to improve access to services for parents and families with children 0-19 or up to 25 for those with special educational needs and disabilities. It provides funding for parenting support as part of the Start for Life offer to be used on evidence-based programmes alongside peer support and community outreach activities.</p><p>The department has selected 75 local authorities based on levels of disadvantage. The department would like to see Family Hubs open across the country. The departments initial focus is on delivering well in the local areas that it is currently working with and building a model and evidence base. The department can then look to expand further in the future.</p><p>The published programme guide sets out requirements for local authorities to invest in evidence-based programmes with encouragement to select those that feature in published guidance, which have been rigorously evaluated and demonstrated impact.</p><p>The programme guide can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/family-hubs-and-start-for-life-programme-local-authority-guide" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/family-hubs-and-start-for-life-programme-local-authority-guide</a>. The published guidance is available at: <a href="https://guidebook.eif.org.uk/programme/incredible-years-preschool" target="_blank">https://guidebook.eif.org.uk/programme/incredible-years-preschool</a>.</p><p>The department is working with the local authorities selected for the programme to assess delivery of all funded services in Family Hubs, and evidence-based parenting programmes are included as part of this. A comprehensive external evaluation of the parenting support offer has been commissioned and is due to report in late 2025. This evaluation will explore how well different parenting programmes have been implemented into the Family Hubs model. It will include a quasi-experimental impact evaluation that will assess the outcomes for families and an assessment of the value for money offered by the programme as a whole.</p><p>The department is currently considering options for widening access to parenting support through Family Hubs and as such undertaking assessments of the effectiveness and value for money of evidence-based parenting programmes, as well as other forms of support for parents. As part of this work to inform future fiscal events, the department considers policies from across the world, including Australia, to inform departmental thinking. This scoping work also includes engaging with the Social Mobility Commission following their recent report into family and parenting programmes.</p><p>The department is also investing over £17 million on the Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) in order to improve the language skills of reception age children who need it most following the pandemic. This evidence-based programme targets children needing extra support with their speech and language development and is proven to help them make four months of additional progress, and seven months for those on free school meals. Over 500,000 children have had their language screened, with 160,000 reception age children having received extra support with their speech and language development from this proven programme.</p><p>Alongside investing in parenting support and the NELI programme, the department has also launched a national media campaign ‘Little Moments Together’ to encourage parents to chat, play and read with their pre-school children. The campaign, run jointly with the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, provides evidence-based advice for parents on the NHS Better Health Start for Life website, and support from national partners on activities for parents. Little Moments Together is based on long-standing evidence on the importance of the home learning environment to providing children the best start to life. The Better Health Start for Life website can be found at: <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/start-for-life/early-learning-development/" target="_blank">https://www.nhs.uk/start-for-life/early-learning-development/</a>.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston grouped question UIN 16736 16738 16739 question first answered 22/03/2024 11:26:45 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1692031

registered interest
date	27/02/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Discipline
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to commence section 93A of the Education and Inspections Act 2006.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	15886
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/03/2024 answer text <p>The department will commence Section 93a of the Education and Inspections Act 2006, making recording and reporting incidents of reasonable force a legal duty. This will be enacted to coincide with the publication of updates to the ‘Use of reasonable force’ guidance, originally published in 2013, to ensure that schools have adequate advice on how they should be recording and reporting any incidents where reasonable force, including restrictive interventions, is used.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 01/03/2024 13:04:29 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1691642

registered interest
date	26/02/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Domestic Abuse: Family Proceedings
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of (a) barristers, (b) solicitors and (c) CILEX practitioners have registered for work under the Cross Examination Prohibition Scheme in each of the last 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	15623
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/02/2024 answer text <p>We have assumed that both questions refer to the Qualified Legal Representative (QLR) scheme which was introduced in July 2022 and follows the Government’s Domestic Abuse Act (2021) which prohibited unrepresented perpetrators or alleged perpetrators of abuse from cross-examining their victims or alleged victims in family and civil proceedings, and vice versa. The prohibition ensures that vulnerable victims and witnesses are not traumatised by being cross-examined directly by their alleged perpetrator.</p><p> </p><p>Barristers, solicitors, and CILEX practitioners can register to undertake work as part of the QLR scheme at GOV.UK: <a href="https://register-qualified-legal-representative.form.service.justice.gov.uk/" target="_blank">Register to be a qualified legal representative (justice.gov.uk)</a>. The statutory guidance sets out the requirement for QLRs to have undertaken advocacy and vulnerable witness training, or to have made a commitment to attend such training within six months of having registered on the court list of qualified legal representatives: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/63109a5fd3bf7f73a121c8b2/final-statutory-guidance-role-of-the-qualified-legal-representative.pdf" target="_blank">Statutory Guidance for the Qualified Legal Representative Scheme</a>. The Government encourages professionals to take up this important work to assist in both the family and civil courts.</p><p> </p><p>As of 27 February 2024, in total, there were 363 QLRs registered for family cases, and 78 QLRs registered for civil cases. We do not hold monthly data on registrations, or central data on how many QLRs have completed or applied for training, which they are able to access from a range of external providers. The QLR register does not record whether practitioners are barristers, solicitors, or CILEX practitioners. We do not collect data on the number of QLRs that have presented cases under the scheme.</p> answering member constituency Newbury answering member printed Laura Farris grouped question UIN 15624 question first answered 29/02/2024 16:45:48 answering member 4826 label Biography information for Laura Farris
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1691643

registered interest
date	26/02/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Domestic Abuse: Family Proceedings
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of (a) barristers, (b) solicitors and (c) CILEX practitioners have (i) applied for and (ii) completed training to become a qualified legal representative under the Cross Examination Prohibition Scheme since July 2022; and whether he has made an estimate of the number these individuals that have presented cases under the scheme.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	15624
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/02/2024 answer text <p>We have assumed that both questions refer to the Qualified Legal Representative (QLR) scheme which was introduced in July 2022 and follows the Government’s Domestic Abuse Act (2021) which prohibited unrepresented perpetrators or alleged perpetrators of abuse from cross-examining their victims or alleged victims in family and civil proceedings, and vice versa. The prohibition ensures that vulnerable victims and witnesses are not traumatised by being cross-examined directly by their alleged perpetrator.</p><p> </p><p>Barristers, solicitors, and CILEX practitioners can register to undertake work as part of the QLR scheme at GOV.UK: <a href="https://register-qualified-legal-representative.form.service.justice.gov.uk/" target="_blank">Register to be a qualified legal representative (justice.gov.uk)</a>. The statutory guidance sets out the requirement for QLRs to have undertaken advocacy and vulnerable witness training, or to have made a commitment to attend such training within six months of having registered on the court list of qualified legal representatives: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/63109a5fd3bf7f73a121c8b2/final-statutory-guidance-role-of-the-qualified-legal-representative.pdf" target="_blank">Statutory Guidance for the Qualified Legal Representative Scheme</a>. The Government encourages professionals to take up this important work to assist in both the family and civil courts.</p><p> </p><p>As of 27 February 2024, in total, there were 363 QLRs registered for family cases, and 78 QLRs registered for civil cases. We do not hold monthly data on registrations, or central data on how many QLRs have completed or applied for training, which they are able to access from a range of external providers. The QLR register does not record whether practitioners are barristers, solicitors, or CILEX practitioners. We do not collect data on the number of QLRs that have presented cases under the scheme.</p> answering member constituency Newbury answering member printed Laura Farris grouped question UIN 15623 question first answered 29/02/2024 16:45:48 answering member 4826 label Biography information for Laura Farris
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1691653

registered interest
date	26/02/2024
answering body	Department for Business and Trade
answering dept id	214
answering dept short name	Business and Trade
answering dept sort name	Business and Trade
hansard heading	Freight: Insolvency
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many road haulage businesses trading under SIC code 49410 entered insolvency in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	15625
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/02/2024 answer text <p>Estimated numbers of companies with the SIC code 49410 that entered insolvency in the UK in each of the last five calendar years are presented in the table below.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Calendar Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Companies entering insolvency</strong> (SIC code 49410 – Freight Transport by Road)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019</p></td><td><p>280</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2020</p></td><td><p>189</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2021</p></td><td><p>265</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2022</p></td><td><p>408</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2023</p></td><td><p>494</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member constituency Thirsk and Malton answering member printed Kevin Hollinrake question first answered 29/02/2024 13:21:42 answering member 4474 label Biography information for Kevin Hollinrake
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1691654

registered interest
date	26/02/2024
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Roads: Freight
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment has he made of the potential merits of the recommendation of the Road Haulage Association to extend full expensing to the cost of leased vehicles, published on 26 January 2024.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	15626
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/02/2024 answer text <p>At the Autumn Statement 2023, the government confirmed it will keep this proposal under consideration and will be publishing draft legislation for a period of technical consultation in due course.</p><p> </p><p>The government will continue to work with industry on this important issue, through the established working group.</p> answering member constituency Mid Worcestershire answering member printed Nigel Huddleston question first answered 29/02/2024 15:17:13 answering member 4407 label Biography information for Nigel Huddleston
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1691726

registered interest
date	26/02/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Discipline
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her planned timetable is to respond to her Department's consultation entitled Use of reasonable force and restrictive practices in schools which closed on 11 May 2023.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	15627
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/02/2024 answer text <p>The government recognises that the misuse of reasonable force and restrictive interventions can have a significant and long-lasting effect on the pupils, staff members and parents involved, as well as the wider classroom, which can potentially hinder the creation of a calm, safe and supportive school environment. The government is committed to minimising the use of reasonable force and restrictive interventions in all schools in England, including special schools and alternative provision.</p><p> </p><p>This commitment includes updating the ‘Use of reasonable force’ guidance, published in 2013, to provide advice for schools on creating environments that minimise the use of reasonable force and restrictive interventions, the powers of school staff to use reasonable force and restrictive interventions safely, appropriately and within the law, and making recording and reporting incidents of reasonable force a legal duty.</p><p> </p><p>Updates to the ‘Use of reasonable force’ guidance will be informed by the call for evidence which closed on 11 May 2023, as well as independent research into the use of reasonable force, physical restraint and other restrictive practices in special schools and alternative provision settings, stakeholder engagement, and data collection through departmental omnibus surveys. The department is considering all responses to the call for evidence as part of its work before the ‘Use of reasonable force’ guidance goes out for public consultation later this year.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 29/02/2024 12:38:57 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1690406

registered interest
date	20/02/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Legal Aid Scheme: Solicitors
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what modelling his Department is undertaking to estimate the number of criminal legal aid duty solicitors that will be working over the next five years.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	14860
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/02/2024 answer text <p>The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) frequently reviews market capacity, including the number of duty solicitors on each local duty scheme, to make sure there is adequate access to legal aid services throughout England and Wales. The LAA moves quickly, where issues arise, taking operational actions within its control to secure additional provision and to ensure continuity of legal aid services.</p><p>We publish data on numbers, new joiners, returners, and leavers <a href="https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiNjAxNGY2MDUtODU4Yi00NzE4LTgyNzgtMDdjYjAxMDAyZjIyIiwidCI6ImM2ODc0NzI4LTcxZTYtNDFmZS1hOWUxLTJlOGMzNjc3NmFkOCIsImMiOjh9&amp;chromeless=1" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p>In responding to the Criminal Legal Aid Independent Review, we uplifted most criminal legal aid fee schemes, including the police station fee scheme, by 15%.</p><p>On 29 January, we published a consultation on proposed reforms to the police station fee scheme and the Youth Court where an additional £21.1 million per year has been allocated.</p><p>This increases spend by up to £141 million a year, taking expected criminal legal aid spend to £1.2 billion per year.</p> answering member constituency Finchley and Golders Green answering member printed Mike Freer question first answered 23/02/2024 11:34:05 answering member 4004 label Biography information for Mike Freer
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1690407

registered interest
date	20/02/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Legal Aid Scheme: Solicitors
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will have discussions with the Legal Aid Agency on the effectiveness of the duty solicitor scheme at providing duty solicitor coverage 24 hours a day, 365 days a year; and what data his Department holds on the number of schemes that are unable to provide this level of coverage.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	14861
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/02/2024 answer text <p>Ministry of Justice Ministers and the Legal Aid Agency meet regularly to discuss matters pertaining to criminal legal aid, including the duty solicitor scheme.</p><p>In September 2022, we uplifted most criminal legal aid fee schemes by 15%. This includes a 15% increase to the police station scheme and the magistrates’ court scheme, which includes youth court work.</p><p>On 29 January, we published a consultation on proposed reforms to the police station fee scheme and the Youth Court where an additional £21.1 million per year has been allocated.</p><p>The increases we have implemented, alongside longer-term reforms, mean that criminal legal aid spending is expected to be up to £1.2 billion per year.</p><p>We are unaware of any duty schemes unable to provide coverage 24 hours a day, 365 days a year either on an ongoing basis or as an isolated instance.</p> answering member constituency Finchley and Golders Green answering member printed Mike Freer question first answered 23/02/2024 11:35:39 answering member 4004 label Biography information for Mike Freer
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham