Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1135497

	registered interest
	date	28/06/2019
	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: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure that the childcare element of universal credit is not an economic barrier to work.
	tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
	tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
	uin	270813
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2019 answer text <p>The Government recognises that childcare costs can affect parents’ decisions to take up paid work or increase their working hours. We are committed to helping parents into work.</p><p> </p><p>To overcome this barrier to employment, Universal Credit claimants are able to claim up to 85 per cent of their childcare costs, compared to 70% on the legacy system. This can be claimed up to a month before starting a job, and can be worth up to £13,000 a year for families with two children.</p><p> </p><p>We recognise the difficulty that some claimants might have in paying upfront childcare costs. Where the initial month’s childcare costs may prevent a claimant from starting work, Jobcentres will use the Flexible Support Fund to help claimants in the first instance. This is a non-repayable award, which can be used to meet the upfront childcare costs to help support a claimant into work. For claimants who are in work and need help with upfront childcare costs, budgeting advances are available that can be used to cover the cost of paying upfront childcare costs or a deposit.</p><p> </p><p>We have piloted a more flexible approach to claimants reporting childcare costs, which will allow people, including lone parents, to be reimbursed for childcare when, with good reason, they are not able to provide evidence within their assessment period. We are now looking to implement this nationally.</p><p> </p><p>We have undertaken significant work to increase work coach awareness and understanding of the Universal Credit childcare offer through improved training and guidance and communications.</p><p> </p><p>The Universal Credit childcare policy also aligns with the wider government childcare offer, which includes free childcare hours and tax free childcare.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 270814 question first answered 03/07/2019 12:18:32 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

1135498

	registered interest
	date	28/06/2019
	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: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to find a long-term solution for upfront costs in childcare under universal credit.
	tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
	tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
	uin	270814
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2019 answer text <p>The Government recognises that childcare costs can affect parents’ decisions to take up paid work or increase their working hours. We are committed to helping parents into work.</p><p> </p><p>To overcome this barrier to employment, Universal Credit claimants are able to claim up to 85 per cent of their childcare costs, compared to 70% on the legacy system. This can be claimed up to a month before starting a job, and can be worth up to £13,000 a year for families with two children.</p><p> </p><p>We recognise the difficulty that some claimants might have in paying upfront childcare costs. Where the initial month’s childcare costs may prevent a claimant from starting work, Jobcentres will use the Flexible Support Fund to help claimants in the first instance. This is a non-repayable award, which can be used to meet the upfront childcare costs to help support a claimant into work. For claimants who are in work and need help with upfront childcare costs, budgeting advances are available that can be used to cover the cost of paying upfront childcare costs or a deposit.</p><p> </p><p>We have piloted a more flexible approach to claimants reporting childcare costs, which will allow people, including lone parents, to be reimbursed for childcare when, with good reason, they are not able to provide evidence within their assessment period. We are now looking to implement this nationally.</p><p> </p><p>We have undertaken significant work to increase work coach awareness and understanding of the Universal Credit childcare offer through improved training and guidance and communications.</p><p> </p><p>The Universal Credit childcare policy also aligns with the wider government childcare offer, which includes free childcare hours and tax free childcare.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 270813 question first answered 03/07/2019 12:18:32 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

1132809

	registered interest
	date	18/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Schools: Inspections
	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 trends in the number of exempt schools that require an Ofsted inspection as a result of declining standards; and if he will undertake a review of the regulations exempting schools ranked as outstanding from routine inspections.
	tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
	tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
	uin	266149
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <p>The Department has a responsibility to ensure that inspection arrangements are proportionate and achieve an appropriate balance between school autonomy and assurance. That is why we have asked Ofsted to increase the number of outstanding schools it inspects this year, based on its risk assessment, so that those most at risk of decline are inspected.</p><p>Given Ofsted inspects outstanding schools where it has specific concerns, it is to be expected that in some cases school performance will have declined. This demonstrates that the risk assessment process is working. Nevertheless, of the 305 risk based inspections of exempt schools undertaken by Ofsted between September 2018 and 31 March 2019, 70% were found to be outstanding or good.</p><p>Since 2017, the Department has given every local authority more money for every pupil in every school, and has allocated the biggest increases to those that have been most underfunded. The Department recognises the budgeting challenges schools face and continues to support schools to make the most of their budgets by reducing non staff costs such as energy, water bills and materials.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 266150 question first answered 24/06/2019 16:43:34 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
	tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

1132810

	registered interest
	date	18/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Schools: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment has his department made of the effect of trends in the level of school funding on the number of (a) Ofsted rated outstanding schools that have been assessed as (i) good, (ii) requires improvement and (iii) inadequate by Ofsted and (b) stuck schools.
	tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
	tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
	uin	266150
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <p>The Department has a responsibility to ensure that inspection arrangements are proportionate and achieve an appropriate balance between school autonomy and assurance. That is why we have asked Ofsted to increase the number of outstanding schools it inspects this year, based on its risk assessment, so that those most at risk of decline are inspected.</p><p>Given Ofsted inspects outstanding schools where it has specific concerns, it is to be expected that in some cases school performance will have declined. This demonstrates that the risk assessment process is working. Nevertheless, of the 305 risk based inspections of exempt schools undertaken by Ofsted between September 2018 and 31 March 2019, 70% were found to be outstanding or good.</p><p>Since 2017, the Department has given every local authority more money for every pupil in every school, and has allocated the biggest increases to those that have been most underfunded. The Department recognises the budgeting challenges schools face and continues to support schools to make the most of their budgets by reducing non staff costs such as energy, water bills and materials.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 266149 question first answered 24/06/2019 16:43:34 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
	tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

1130375

	registered interest
	date	06/06/2019
	answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
	answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
	hansard heading	Public Health: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of trends in the level of public health spending on the local authority public health services.
	tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
	tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
	uin	261268
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2019 answer text <p>Local authorities will receive over £3.1 billion in 2019/20 for use on public health, including for sexual health. It is for local authorities themselves to determine how best to use these resources based on their assessment of local need and with regard to their statutory duties. This funding is in addition to what the National Health Service spends on preventative interventions such as immunisation and screening, including over £1.2 billion on national public health functions in 2018/19.</p><p>Local authorities report their spending on public health against a series of spend categories, including for sexual and reproductive health. The spend data is published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Public Health England monitors and publishes data on trends for the wide range of indicators of public health set out in the Public Health Outcomes Framework. Most are stable or improving. That framework can be found at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/public-health-outcomes-framework" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/public-health-outcomes-framework</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Ribble answering member printed Seema Kennedy grouped question UIN 261269 question first answered 11/06/2019 15:45:20 answering member 4455 label Biography information for Seema Kennedy
	tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

1130376

	registered interest
	date	06/06/2019
	answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
	answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
	hansard heading	Genito-urinary Medicine
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of trends in the level of public health funding of on the provision of local authority sexual health services.
	tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
	tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
	uin	261269
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2019 answer text <p>Local authorities will receive over £3.1 billion in 2019/20 for use on public health, including for sexual health. It is for local authorities themselves to determine how best to use these resources based on their assessment of local need and with regard to their statutory duties. This funding is in addition to what the National Health Service spends on preventative interventions such as immunisation and screening, including over £1.2 billion on national public health functions in 2018/19.</p><p>Local authorities report their spending on public health against a series of spend categories, including for sexual and reproductive health. The spend data is published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Public Health England monitors and publishes data on trends for the wide range of indicators of public health set out in the Public Health Outcomes Framework. Most are stable or improving. That framework can be found at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/public-health-outcomes-framework" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/public-health-outcomes-framework</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Ribble answering member printed Seema Kennedy grouped question UIN 261268 question first answered 11/06/2019 15:45:20 answering member 4455 label Biography information for Seema Kennedy
	tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

1130006

	registered interest
	date	05/06/2019
	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	Pensions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions she has had with representatives from the pensions industry on (a) the divestment of pensions funds from carbon-intensive industries and fossil fuels and (b) incorporating climate-related risk into their investment decision-making.
	tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
	tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
	uin	260692
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/06/2019 answer text <p>The Governments wants to support trustees in making responsible investment decisions. However, it does not seek to direct pension schemes to invest or divest in any particular way.</p><p>We recognise that climate change is a key national and international issue and we have made sure that pension schemes understand their role responding to its effects. In September 2018, following extensive consultation with the pensions industry, this Government laid regulations to clarify that trustees should be taking account of the financial risks of climate change when developing their investment strategies. The regulations come into force from October this year. The FCA are consulting on corresponding provisions for workplace personal pension schemes. As the Minister for Pensions and Financial Inclusion I have spoken extensively about the new requirements and the Government expectations of pension schemes, including at the Westminster Hall debate regarding Pension Funds: Financial and Ethical Investments on the 22 May 2019:</p><p>“For too long there has been a perception by too many trustees -I am happy to clarify this as a Government Minister- that the environmental practices of the firms they invest in are purely ethical concerns, which they do not need to worry about: that is utterly wrong. Aside from the ethical considerations, there are real financial risks resulting from climate change. With the long-term horizons of pension investing, trustees must now consider that when they set out their investment strategies. Trustees who do not consider those matters will be breaching their statutory and potentially their fiduciary duties not only to current but future members.”</p><p>The full debate can be viewed here:</p><p><a href="https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2019-05-22/debates/D3194408-7581-4635-AEDC-6D22AD6F0EBC/PensionFundsFinancialAndEthicalInvestments" target="_blank">https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2019-05-22/debates/D3194408-7581-4635-AEDC-6D22AD6F0EBC/PensionFundsFinancialAndEthicalInvestments</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 260693 question first answered 12/06/2019 14:07:04 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

1130008

	registered interest
	date	05/06/2019
	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	Pensions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to encourage the pension industry to (a) divest pension funds from carbon-intensive industries and fossil fuels and (b) adopt the recommendations of The Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures in their reporting structures.
	tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
	tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
	uin	260693
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/06/2019 answer text <p>The Governments wants to support trustees in making responsible investment decisions. However, it does not seek to direct pension schemes to invest or divest in any particular way.</p><p>We recognise that climate change is a key national and international issue and we have made sure that pension schemes understand their role responding to its effects. In September 2018, following extensive consultation with the pensions industry, this Government laid regulations to clarify that trustees should be taking account of the financial risks of climate change when developing their investment strategies. The regulations come into force from October this year. The FCA are consulting on corresponding provisions for workplace personal pension schemes. As the Minister for Pensions and Financial Inclusion I have spoken extensively about the new requirements and the Government expectations of pension schemes, including at the Westminster Hall debate regarding Pension Funds: Financial and Ethical Investments on the 22 May 2019:</p><p>“For too long there has been a perception by too many trustees -I am happy to clarify this as a Government Minister- that the environmental practices of the firms they invest in are purely ethical concerns, which they do not need to worry about: that is utterly wrong. Aside from the ethical considerations, there are real financial risks resulting from climate change. With the long-term horizons of pension investing, trustees must now consider that when they set out their investment strategies. Trustees who do not consider those matters will be breaching their statutory and potentially their fiduciary duties not only to current but future members.”</p><p>The full debate can be viewed here:</p><p><a href="https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2019-05-22/debates/D3194408-7581-4635-AEDC-6D22AD6F0EBC/PensionFundsFinancialAndEthicalInvestments" target="_blank">https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2019-05-22/debates/D3194408-7581-4635-AEDC-6D22AD6F0EBC/PensionFundsFinancialAndEthicalInvestments</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 260692 question first answered 12/06/2019 14:07:04 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

1109024

	registered interest
	date	02/04/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Automation
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the Office for National Statistics analysis of the occupations at highest risk of being automated.
	tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
	tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
	uin	240041
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2019 answer text <p>The Industrial Strategy sets out the Government’s vision to make the UK a global centre for AI and data innovation, alongside measures to ensure our people are equipped to capitalise on those opportunities.</p><p> </p><p>Many of the 1.5 million jobs identified by Office for National Statistics (ONS) will be transformed, rather than destroyed. Automation can have beneficial impacts for the existing workforce; enabling workers to upskill, achieve better-quality work and become more productive. The ONS estimate also overlooks the considerable opportunity for creation of new, highly-skilled employment opportunities. World Economic Forum estimate that robots will displace 75 million jobs globally by 2022, but create 133 million new ones.</p><p> </p><p>We are committed to ensure that the labour market continues to work for everyone. That is why we are improving the UK's system for training in digital skills and lifelong learning to ensure that working people have the support they need to navigate the challenge of automation to a higher-wage future. Through the Industrial Strategy we have delivered:</p><p> </p><ul><li>16 New Centres for Doctoral Training at universities across the country, delivering 1,000 new PhDs over the next 5 years;</li><li>New prestigious AI fellowships to attract and retain the top AI talent, underpinned by up to £50m of funding agreed at Autumn Budget</li><li>Industry-funding for new AI Masters places;</li><li>Invested £406m in maths, digital and technical education; and</li><li>Committed £100m for the first phase of developing the National Retraining Scheme to support people vulnerable to technological change.</li></ul><p> </p><p>The apprenticeships programme delivers upskilling and retraining throughout the economy. Since 2010, 45% of the apprenticeship starts have been by over-25s; two thirds of those have been at higher levels, and 84 per cent of over-25 apprentices were already working for their employer prior to starting the apprenticeship.</p><p> </p><p>In December 2018, the Government published the <a href="https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbeisgov.sharepoint.com%2Fsites%2Fbeis%2F278%2FSitePages%2FPeople.aspx%23goodwork&amp;data=02%7C01%7CHelen.Delima%40beis.gov.uk%7C6be1eaf911c74b93d09008d6b2b8a7cc%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C636892903483450425&amp;sdata=xzkgOjoXVLKiI7svhRKIWxJts3TFxeNuRWMFpBE5yns%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Good Work Plan​</a>, which commits to a wide range of policy and legislative changes to ensure that workers can access fair and decent work, that both employers and workers have the clarity they need to understand their employment relationships, and that the enforcement system is fair and fit for purpose.</p><p> </p><p>The Government will be publishing a strategy later in the Spring that sets out its vision and action to promote gender equality and economic empowerment. Supporting working mothers and promoting increased flexible working will be core to this.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst grouped question UIN 240042 240043 240044 question first answered 08/04/2019 16:07:27 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

1109025

	registered interest
	date	02/04/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Automation
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans his Department has to ensure workers whose jobs are at risk of automation are supported with training in new skills to find new work.
	tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
	tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
	uin	240042
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2019 answer text <p>The Industrial Strategy sets out the Government’s vision to make the UK a global centre for AI and data innovation, alongside measures to ensure our people are equipped to capitalise on those opportunities.</p><p> </p><p>Many of the 1.5 million jobs identified by Office for National Statistics (ONS) will be transformed, rather than destroyed. Automation can have beneficial impacts for the existing workforce; enabling workers to upskill, achieve better-quality work and become more productive. The ONS estimate also overlooks the considerable opportunity for creation of new, highly-skilled employment opportunities. World Economic Forum estimate that robots will displace 75 million jobs globally by 2022, but create 133 million new ones.</p><p> </p><p>We are committed to ensure that the labour market continues to work for everyone. That is why we are improving the UK's system for training in digital skills and lifelong learning to ensure that working people have the support they need to navigate the challenge of automation to a higher-wage future. Through the Industrial Strategy we have delivered:</p><p> </p><ul><li>16 New Centres for Doctoral Training at universities across the country, delivering 1,000 new PhDs over the next 5 years;</li><li>New prestigious AI fellowships to attract and retain the top AI talent, underpinned by up to £50m of funding agreed at Autumn Budget</li><li>Industry-funding for new AI Masters places;</li><li>Invested £406m in maths, digital and technical education; and</li><li>Committed £100m for the first phase of developing the National Retraining Scheme to support people vulnerable to technological change.</li></ul><p> </p><p>The apprenticeships programme delivers upskilling and retraining throughout the economy. Since 2010, 45% of the apprenticeship starts have been by over-25s; two thirds of those have been at higher levels, and 84 per cent of over-25 apprentices were already working for their employer prior to starting the apprenticeship.</p><p> </p><p>In December 2018, the Government published the <a href="https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbeisgov.sharepoint.com%2Fsites%2Fbeis%2F278%2FSitePages%2FPeople.aspx%23goodwork&amp;data=02%7C01%7CHelen.Delima%40beis.gov.uk%7C6be1eaf911c74b93d09008d6b2b8a7cc%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C636892903483450425&amp;sdata=xzkgOjoXVLKiI7svhRKIWxJts3TFxeNuRWMFpBE5yns%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Good Work Plan​</a>, which commits to a wide range of policy and legislative changes to ensure that workers can access fair and decent work, that both employers and workers have the clarity they need to understand their employment relationships, and that the enforcement system is fair and fit for purpose.</p><p> </p><p>The Government will be publishing a strategy later in the Spring that sets out its vision and action to promote gender equality and economic empowerment. Supporting working mothers and promoting increased flexible working will be core to this.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst grouped question UIN 240041 240043 240044 question first answered 08/04/2019 16:07:27 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes