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1317098

	registered interest
	date	21/05/2021
	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	Parking: Private Sector
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has plans to encourage private companies that levy car parking charges to introduce clearer signage for the public on the charges and potential consequences of parking in private car parks.
	tabling member constituency	Linlithgow and East Falkirk
	tabling member printed	Martyn Day
	uin	5219
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/06/2021 answer text <p>My department is leading on the implementation of the Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019, which includes creation of an independent Code of Practice for private parking companies to improve standards.</p><p>MHCLG is developing the Code of Practice through the British Standards Institution (BSI) in close consultation with key stakeholders, including landowners, consumer organisations, and the private parking industry, who are advising on its impact. The draft Code, which is available online at <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstandardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com%2Fprojects%2F2020-00193&amp;data=04%7C01%7CParliamentary%40communities.gov.uk%7Ca2a0204852e34133c00c08d924df3cf5%7Cbf3468109c7d43dea87224a2ef3995a8%7C0%7C0%7C637581363473074510%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=bait8IhMX4KGzLgjIudX6vZk9S1AjaePkQ4jmknX9lw%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://standardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com/projects/2020-00193</a> and on which the BSI recently publicly consulted, includes a requirement for a clear signage, surface markings, and clear and accessible displays of terms and conditions, as well as appropriate terminology used in operator notices or by debt recovery agents.</p><p>In parallel to the BSI consultation on the Code, my department consulted on the Parking Code of Practice Enforcement Framework and on 20 March 2021 published the response to the consultation, available online at: <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fconsultations%2Fparking-code-enforcement-framework&amp;data=04%7C01%7CParliamentary%40communities.gov.uk%7Ca2a0204852e34133c00c08d924df3cf5%7Cbf3468109c7d43dea87224a2ef3995a8%7C0%7C0%7C637581363473084459%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=QLqVF%2FiRg2LmiI%2BsdMsnSfK6Cz75nvSdgfKBAN5KIR4%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/parking-code-enforcement-framework</a></p><p>The consultation response announced our intention to develop a series of fairer parking measures which will benefit motorists and encourage people to return to high streets and town centres. This includes the creation of a single independent appeals service for motorists to turn to if they receive a private parking charge and an Appeals Charter, which will protect motorists from charges that are unfair or issued in error.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall grouped question UIN 5220 question first answered 01/06/2021 10:49:24 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
	tabling member	4488 label Biography information for Martyn Day

1317099

	registered interest
	date	21/05/2021
	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	Parking: Fees and Charges
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has made an assessment of the implications for its policies of the practice of car parking companies (a) sending letters threatening legal action and (b) passing details to debt collection agencies in cases of unpaid parking charges.
	tabling member constituency	Linlithgow and East Falkirk
	tabling member printed	Martyn Day
	uin	5220
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/06/2021 answer text <p>My department is leading on the implementation of the Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019, which includes creation of an independent Code of Practice for private parking companies to improve standards.</p><p>MHCLG is developing the Code of Practice through the British Standards Institution (BSI) in close consultation with key stakeholders, including landowners, consumer organisations, and the private parking industry, who are advising on its impact. The draft Code, which is available online at <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstandardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com%2Fprojects%2F2020-00193&amp;data=04%7C01%7CParliamentary%40communities.gov.uk%7Ca2a0204852e34133c00c08d924df3cf5%7Cbf3468109c7d43dea87224a2ef3995a8%7C0%7C0%7C637581363473074510%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=bait8IhMX4KGzLgjIudX6vZk9S1AjaePkQ4jmknX9lw%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://standardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com/projects/2020-00193</a> and on which the BSI recently publicly consulted, includes a requirement for a clear signage, surface markings, and clear and accessible displays of terms and conditions, as well as appropriate terminology used in operator notices or by debt recovery agents.</p><p>In parallel to the BSI consultation on the Code, my department consulted on the Parking Code of Practice Enforcement Framework and on 20 March 2021 published the response to the consultation, available online at: <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fconsultations%2Fparking-code-enforcement-framework&amp;data=04%7C01%7CParliamentary%40communities.gov.uk%7Ca2a0204852e34133c00c08d924df3cf5%7Cbf3468109c7d43dea87224a2ef3995a8%7C0%7C0%7C637581363473084459%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=QLqVF%2FiRg2LmiI%2BsdMsnSfK6Cz75nvSdgfKBAN5KIR4%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/parking-code-enforcement-framework</a></p><p>The consultation response announced our intention to develop a series of fairer parking measures which will benefit motorists and encourage people to return to high streets and town centres. This includes the creation of a single independent appeals service for motorists to turn to if they receive a private parking charge and an Appeals Charter, which will protect motorists from charges that are unfair or issued in error.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall grouped question UIN 5219 question first answered 01/06/2021 10:49:24 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
	tabling member	4488 label Biography information for Martyn Day

1257655

	registered interest
	date	02/12/2020
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Foster Care
	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 extending the remit of the proposed review of foster care legislation to include foster carer's employment status.
	tabling member constituency	Linlithgow and East Falkirk
	tabling member printed	Martyn Day
	uin	124261
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/12/2020 answer text <p><strong>‘</strong>Foster Care in England’, the 2017 independent review of foster care, was clear that the current legislative framework is fit for purpose: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/foster-care-in-england" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/foster-care-in-england</a>. The reviewers did not recommend a change to the current employment status of foster carers. Their assessment was consistent with that of the Education Select Committee in determining that whilst there could be improvement in the respect and value shown to foster carers, in recognition of the invaluable role they play in Children’s Social Care and the lives of some of our most vulnerable children, this would not necessarily be achieved by becoming employees of fostering agencies: <a href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmeduc/340/340.pdf" target="_blank">https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmeduc/340/340.pdf</a>. As a result, we have no immediate intention to revise the foster care legislation to that effect.</p><p>In our response, ‘Foster Better Outcomes’ (2018), we committed to considering where changes could be made to the statutory guidance to strengthen and clarify issues around support for foster carers and to assess whether the National Minimum Standards for Foster Care should be replaced by Quality Standards: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fostering-better-outcomes" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fostering-better-outcomes</a>. We are committed to undertaking this work and will engage fully with the sector when we do so.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 10/12/2020 16:38:35 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
	tabling member	4488 label Biography information for Martyn Day

1299278

	registered interest
	date	03/03/2021
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Apprentices: Taxation
	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 reform the apprenticeship levy to allow it to be used to support different forms of training.
	tabling member constituency	Linlithgow and East Falkirk
	tabling member printed	Martyn Day
	uin	162663
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2021 answer text <p>The Department for Education is responsible for apprenticeships policy in England only.</p><p>The apprenticeship levy is collected by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs from all UK employers with a pay bill above £3 million. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland receive a share of levy funding and it is the responsibility of the devolved administrations to determine how they spend this share to fund and operate their apprenticeship programmes.</p><p>The apprenticeship levy underpins our reforms in England to raise apprenticeship quality and support employers to make a long-term, sustainable investment in the skills that they need to grow. Employers are able to use their levy funds to access high-quality apprenticeship training and assessment. We currently have no plans to review what apprenticeship levy funds can be spent on.</p><p>We have set out our plans to improve the working of the apprenticeship levy in England in our Skills for Jobs white paper. We are making apprenticeships more flexible so that they work better for employers from all sectors, and we are enabling large employers to make greater use of their levy funds by improving and simplifying the process of transferring funds to other employers, including small employers who do not pay the levy.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Chichester answering member printed Gillian Keegan question first answered 12/03/2021 11:13:23 answering member 4680 label Biography information for Gillian Keegan
	tabling member	4488 label Biography information for Martyn Day

1580256

	registered interest
	date	24/01/2023
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	CITB: Learning Disability
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had discussions with industry representatives about the assistance available to ensure people with learning disabilities are adequately supported to sit the Construction Industry Training Board’s Health, safety, and environment test.
	tabling member constituency	Linlithgow and East Falkirk
	tabling member printed	Martyn Day
	uin	131312
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/02/2023 answer text <p>Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.</p><p>Under the Equalities Act 2010, employers are required to make reasonable adjustments for individuals with disabilities, as defined by the Act. The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) must have due regard to this.</p><p>As the management of the health, safety and environment test, including access arrangements for candidates, is an operational matter for the CITB, I have asked the CITB’s Chief Executive, Tim Balcon, to write to the hon. Member with details of the assistance available to ensure people with learning disabilities are adequately supported to sit the test. A copy of his reply will be placed in the libraries of both Houses.</p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 01/02/2023 11:06:53 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
	tabling member	4488 label Biography information for Martyn Day

1645325

	registered interest
	date	16/06/2023
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	STEM Subjects: Education
	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 adequacy for future need of the number of current and projected students studying STEM subjects.
	tabling member constituency	Linlithgow and East Falkirk
	tabling member printed	Martyn Day
	uin	189964
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/06/2023 answer text <p>Science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) skills are in demand by employers across the country, and such demand is growing. The department is investing in STEM education at all levels to ensure people have access to high-quality STEM teaching and can access STEM career opportunities to meet current and future demand. The number of students studying STEM subjects is already growing. Between 2019 and 2022, there was a 9% increase in the number of UK students accepted onto full-time undergraduate STEM courses[1] in the UK, with uptake of Computer Science degrees among the fastest growing.</p><p>Employers have designed over 360 high-quality apprenticeship standards in STEM sectors, including over 100 at levels 6 and 7, to support individuals in England looking to start, or progress, in a career in STEM. 33% of all apprenticeship starts in the first half of 2022/23 academic year have been in STEM. The department is increasing investment in apprenticeships in England to £2.7 billion by the 2024/25 financial year to support more of these high-quality opportunities.</p><p>The department’s Unit for Future Skills (UFS) is working to improve the quality of jobs and skills data, which will support a better understanding of current skill mismatches and future demand across key sectors, including those related to STEM. As part of cross-government work to cement the UK’s status as a science and technology superpower by 2030, the UFS is developing a Skills Dashboard to understand the supply and demand of science and technology skills for priority technologies.</p><p>[1] UCAS data 2019 and 2022.</p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 26/06/2023 15:32:20 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
	tabling member	4488 label Biography information for Martyn Day

1645326

	registered interest
	date	16/06/2023
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	STEM Subjects: Education
	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 attract foreign students to study STEM subjects.
	tabling member constituency	Linlithgow and East Falkirk
	tabling member printed	Martyn Day
	uin	189965
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/06/2023 answer text <p>As part of the UK Science and Technology Framework, a cross-government strategy which aims to cement the UK’s status as a science and technology superpower by 2030, the department is committed to establishing a competitive advantage in attracting international talent to the UK. Details from the Framework on attracting talent in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-science-and-technology-framework/the-uk-science-and-technology-framework#talent-and-skills" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-science-and-technology-framework/the-uk-science-and-technology-framework#talent-and-skills</a>.</p><p>The UK higher education (HE) sector has been successful for two years running in delivering on the government’s ambition, set out in our International Education Strategy, of hosting at least 600,000 students per year by 2030, which includes many international students studying STEM subjects.</p><p>Our offer to international students, including those wishing to study STEM subjects, is extremely competitive. With our world class universities that excel in both teaching and research, the department is committed to ensuring the UK remains a destination of choice for international students from across the globe.</p><p>International students make a significant economic and cultural contribution to the UK’s HE sector, which is beneficial for our universities and delivers growth at home.</p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 26/06/2023 14:02:54 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
	tabling member	4488 label Biography information for Martyn Day

1669521

	registered interest
	date	13/11/2023
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Hate Crime
	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 reduce the prevalence of verbal abuse of children by adults.
	tabling member constituency	Linlithgow and East Falkirk
	tabling member printed	Martyn Day
	uin	1644
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/11/2023 answer text <p>Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.</p><p>Protection from abuse and neglect is a fundamental right for all children. The government’s priority for all vulnerable children is to keep them safe, protect their welfare and put their best interests at the heart of every decision. It is about supporting and intervening with the right families, at the right time, and, most importantly, in the right way.</p><p>In the department’s 'Children in need’ statistics release, we publish data on factors identified at the end of an assessment. Currently, verbal abuse is not defined but would fall into emotional abuse. For that reason, the department has not made a specific assessment of the impact of verbal abuse on children, but it is the government’s priority to ensure all children are protected and safe from harm, and we have an ambitious programme of reform to children’s social care underway. The latest statistics release is available at: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/characteristics-of-children-in-need" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/characteristics-of-children-in-need</a>.</p><p>On 2 February 2023, the department published ‘Stable Homes, Built on Love’, an implementation strategy and consultation which sets out our plans to transform children’s social care, in response to the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, the national review into the murders of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes and Star Hobson, and the Competition Markets Authority report.</p><p>The department’s strategy focuses on six pillars of action to transform children’s social care, including to help families overcome challenges at the earliest stage, keep children safe from significant harm, and make sure children in care have stable, loving homes, long-term loving relationships, and opportunities for a good life.</p><p>Over the next two years, the department will address urgent issues and lay the foundations for wider-reaching reform across the whole system, which will have an impact for those children experiencing abuse, including verbal abuse.</p><p>Furthermore, the statutory guidance, ‘Working together to safeguard children’ (2018), is clear that, if at any time it is considered that a child may be a child in need or has suffered significant harm or is likely to do so, a referral should be made immediately to a local authority’s children social care service.</p><p>In terms of supporting children’s mental health, the department has committed to offer all state schools and colleges a grant to train a senior mental health lead by 2025, enabling them to introduce effective, whole school approaches to mental health and wellbeing. More than 14,000 schools and colleges have now received a senior mental health lead training grant, including more than 7 in 10 state-funded secondary schools.</p><p>Intervening early is critical. To expand access to early mental health support, the department is continuing to roll out Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) to schools and colleges. As of April 2023, MHSTs covered 35% of pupils in schools and learners in further education in England. We are extending coverage of MHSTs to an estimated 44% of pupils and learners by the end of this financial year and at least 50% by the end of March 2025.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston grouped question UIN 1645 1936 question first answered 22/11/2023 16:12:12 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	4488 label Biography information for Martyn Day

1669522

	registered interest
	date	13/11/2023
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Hate Crime
	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 recording verbal abuse of children by adults as its own maltreatment subgroup.
	tabling member constituency	Linlithgow and East Falkirk
	tabling member printed	Martyn Day
	uin	1645
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/11/2023 answer text <p>Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.</p><p>Protection from abuse and neglect is a fundamental right for all children. The government’s priority for all vulnerable children is to keep them safe, protect their welfare and put their best interests at the heart of every decision. It is about supporting and intervening with the right families, at the right time, and, most importantly, in the right way.</p><p>In the department’s 'Children in need’ statistics release, we publish data on factors identified at the end of an assessment. Currently, verbal abuse is not defined but would fall into emotional abuse. For that reason, the department has not made a specific assessment of the impact of verbal abuse on children, but it is the government’s priority to ensure all children are protected and safe from harm, and we have an ambitious programme of reform to children’s social care underway. The latest statistics release is available at: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/characteristics-of-children-in-need" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/characteristics-of-children-in-need</a>.</p><p>On 2 February 2023, the department published ‘Stable Homes, Built on Love’, an implementation strategy and consultation which sets out our plans to transform children’s social care, in response to the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, the national review into the murders of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes and Star Hobson, and the Competition Markets Authority report.</p><p>The department’s strategy focuses on six pillars of action to transform children’s social care, including to help families overcome challenges at the earliest stage, keep children safe from significant harm, and make sure children in care have stable, loving homes, long-term loving relationships, and opportunities for a good life.</p><p>Over the next two years, the department will address urgent issues and lay the foundations for wider-reaching reform across the whole system, which will have an impact for those children experiencing abuse, including verbal abuse.</p><p>Furthermore, the statutory guidance, ‘Working together to safeguard children’ (2018), is clear that, if at any time it is considered that a child may be a child in need or has suffered significant harm or is likely to do so, a referral should be made immediately to a local authority’s children social care service.</p><p>In terms of supporting children’s mental health, the department has committed to offer all state schools and colleges a grant to train a senior mental health lead by 2025, enabling them to introduce effective, whole school approaches to mental health and wellbeing. More than 14,000 schools and colleges have now received a senior mental health lead training grant, including more than 7 in 10 state-funded secondary schools.</p><p>Intervening early is critical. To expand access to early mental health support, the department is continuing to roll out Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) to schools and colleges. As of April 2023, MHSTs covered 35% of pupils in schools and learners in further education in England. We are extending coverage of MHSTs to an estimated 44% of pupils and learners by the end of this financial year and at least 50% by the end of March 2025.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston grouped question UIN 1644 1936 question first answered 22/11/2023 16:12:12 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	4488 label Biography information for Martyn Day

1669832

	registered interest
	date	14/11/2023
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Hate Crime
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of verbal abuse of children by adults on children's (a) mental health and (b) long-term educational outcomes.
	tabling member constituency	Linlithgow and East Falkirk
	tabling member printed	Martyn Day
	uin	1936
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/11/2023 answer text <p>Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.</p><p>Protection from abuse and neglect is a fundamental right for all children. The government’s priority for all vulnerable children is to keep them safe, protect their welfare and put their best interests at the heart of every decision. It is about supporting and intervening with the right families, at the right time, and, most importantly, in the right way.</p><p>In the department’s 'Children in need’ statistics release, we publish data on factors identified at the end of an assessment. Currently, verbal abuse is not defined but would fall into emotional abuse. For that reason, the department has not made a specific assessment of the impact of verbal abuse on children, but it is the government’s priority to ensure all children are protected and safe from harm, and we have an ambitious programme of reform to children’s social care underway. The latest statistics release is available at: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/characteristics-of-children-in-need" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/characteristics-of-children-in-need</a>.</p><p>On 2 February 2023, the department published ‘Stable Homes, Built on Love’, an implementation strategy and consultation which sets out our plans to transform children’s social care, in response to the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, the national review into the murders of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes and Star Hobson, and the Competition Markets Authority report.</p><p>The department’s strategy focuses on six pillars of action to transform children’s social care, including to help families overcome challenges at the earliest stage, keep children safe from significant harm, and make sure children in care have stable, loving homes, long-term loving relationships, and opportunities for a good life.</p><p>Over the next two years, the department will address urgent issues and lay the foundations for wider-reaching reform across the whole system, which will have an impact for those children experiencing abuse, including verbal abuse.</p><p>Furthermore, the statutory guidance, ‘Working together to safeguard children’ (2018), is clear that, if at any time it is considered that a child may be a child in need or has suffered significant harm or is likely to do so, a referral should be made immediately to a local authority’s children social care service.</p><p>In terms of supporting children’s mental health, the department has committed to offer all state schools and colleges a grant to train a senior mental health lead by 2025, enabling them to introduce effective, whole school approaches to mental health and wellbeing. More than 14,000 schools and colleges have now received a senior mental health lead training grant, including more than 7 in 10 state-funded secondary schools.</p><p>Intervening early is critical. To expand access to early mental health support, the department is continuing to roll out Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) to schools and colleges. As of April 2023, MHSTs covered 35% of pupils in schools and learners in further education in England. We are extending coverage of MHSTs to an estimated 44% of pupils and learners by the end of this financial year and at least 50% by the end of March 2025.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston grouped question UIN 1644 1645 question first answered 22/11/2023 16:12:13 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	4488 label Biography information for Martyn Day