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1169091

	registered interest
	date	07/01/2020
	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
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many universal credit claimants have signed a waiver outlining any previous communication with a political representative regarding benefits before accessing appeals information since that policy was introduced.
	tabling member constituency	Weaver Vale
	tabling member printed	Mike Amesbury
	uin	1039
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2020 answer text <p>At no point during a Universal Credit claim does the Department ask a person to sign a waiver. To safeguard the sensitive and personal data we hold about people’s Universal Credit claims, we ask representatives making enquiries on behalf of others to demonstrate that they have claimant consent. This is a simple process, which can be completed online or by telephone by the claimant, and has been in place since 2017.</p><p> </p><p>The Universal Credit system is structured around an online personal account which contains all the information relevant to the claim. This can include details about: bank accounts, savings, capital, medical history and family relationships, in addition to third parties including landlords and employers. Therefore, we need to ensure a high level of security and protection exists to combat unscrupulous individuals and organisations who try to access the information and seek to impersonate genuine representatives.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is continuing to work with Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) and third party organisations to understand how Universal Credit can support organisations who help our claimants. We are committed to having processes in place which effectively supports claimants to access our services, but which also protects information.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 15/01/2020 17:12:46 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4667 label Biography information for Mike Amesbury

1403999

	registered interest
	date	18/01/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Day Care
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment his Department has made over the number of women at risk of unemployment due to (a) lack of available childcare spaces and (c) the rising costs for childcare.
	tabling member constituency	Weaver Vale
	tabling member printed	Mike Amesbury
	uin	106865
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2022 answer text <p>In terms of the availability of childcare spaces, we know from findings from the 2021 Childcare and early years providers survey that there is some spare capacity in the system. 7 in 10 (70 per cent) group-based providers reported having spare places in their full day provision and almost half of childminders (49%) reported having spare capacity on average across the week. The survey can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childcare-and-early-years-providers-survey-2021" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childcare-and-early-years-providers-survey-2021</a>.</p><p>We continue to monitor sufficiency of childcare and liaise regularly with local authorities through telephone calls and regular surveys. They are not currently reporting any substantial sufficiency or supply issues and we have not seen a substantial number of parents unable to secure a childcare place, either this term or since early years providers re-opened fully on 1 June 2020.</p><p>This government is committed to making childcare more affordable and more accessible. In terms of the costs of childcare, this includes 15 hours free early education for all three and four year olds and disadvantaged two year olds, as well as an additional 15 hours for eligible working parents (also known as ‘30 hours’), which can help save families over £6,000 per child a year.</p><p>The tax-free childcare offer is also available for working families. This scheme means that for every £8 parents pay their provider via an online account, the government will pay £2, up to a maximum contribution of £2,000 per child each year (up to £500 every 3 months).</p><p>Additionally, Universal Credit childcare reimburses up to 85% of childcare costs for working parents on a low income. This is subject to a monthly limit of £646 for one child or £1,108 for two or more children, payable in arrears</p><p>Findings from the department’s parent survey (published in December 2019) highlights the positive impact the 30 hours free childcare entitlements can have on parents’ working patterns, with a third (33%) of parents saying that in the absence of 30 hours they would be working fewer hours and the majority of parents (70%) reporting that 30 hours had given them more flexibility in the hours they could work. It also showed that a small but notable proportion of mothers reported that accessing the 30 hours had led them to enter work (6%) or increase their hours (17%). The survey can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childcare-and-early-years-survey-of-parents-2019" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childcare-and-early-years-survey-of-parents-2019</a>.</p><p>The department continues to explore what more can be done to help parents access childcare which suits their lives, including out of hours childcare or before or after school. We are committed to working together across government to make our current suite of offers work as effectively as possible and ensure it delivers for those parents who need it.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 25/01/2022 15:51:27 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4667 label Biography information for Mike Amesbury

1566546

	registered interest
	date	12/01/2023
	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	Fampridine
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had recent discussions with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on access to Fampridine for people with multiple sclerosis.
	tabling member constituency	Weaver Vale
	tabling member printed	Mike Amesbury
	uin	122256
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/01/2023 answer text <p>There have been no specific discussions. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing evidence-based guidance for the National Health Service on whether medicines represent a clinical and cost-effective use of resources. NICE was unable to recommend fampridine in its clinical guideline on managing multiple sclerosis which was originally published in 2014 and updated in 2022.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 18/01/2023 16:38:04 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4667 label Biography information for Mike Amesbury

1422703

	registered interest
	date	18/02/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children in Care: Safety
	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 safety of children in local authority care; and if his Department will take steps to ensure the safety of children by ensuring that (a) all settings are regulated by Ofsted, (b) children are not placed in care outside their local authority area due to lack of appropriate placements and (c) children are cared for by more than two staff members at any one time.
	tabling member constituency	Weaver Vale
	tabling member printed	Mike Amesbury
	uin	125463
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/02/2022 answer text <p>Local authorities have statutory duties to meet the needs of children they look after, and to keep them safe. The government is committed to ensuring that all placements provide children and young people with the care and support they need.</p><p>The vast majority of looked after children live with foster carers or in a children’s homes. Foster carers and children’s’ homes are already subject to robust regulatory checks and balances by Ofsted, to ensure that they meet the needs of children they accommodate and keep them safe. A growing number of older children live in supported accommodation, often termed ‘unregulated provision’ because it is not currently registered and inspected by Ofsted.</p><p>The department will invest over £142 million across the next three years to fund the introduction of new mandatory national standards, Ofsted registration and inspection for these providers. This will mean that all placements that accommodate looked after children and care leavers up to 18 will now be regulated by Ofsted.</p><p>Where local authorities place a young person out of area, there are clear statutory requirements in place to safeguard young people. These require the placing authority to inform the host authority before confirming the placement and to check whether the host authority is aware of any concerns about the setting. The statutory responsibilities for looked after children remain with the placing local authority and Director of Children’s Services who must approve all distant placements, and Ofsted can challenge where they believe a poor decision has been made.</p><p>In October 2021, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced £259 million capital funding which will provide high quality homes for some of our most vulnerable young people, keeping them closer to families, schools, and health services.</p><p>When local authorities make a placement decision, they are responsible for ensuring the placement is suitable. This includes ensuring staff who will be looking after the child at the setting are appropriately trained and have the skills needed to meet the needs of the child and keep them safe. It is not in accordance with the law to place a looked after child in a setting that does not meet their needs and keep them safe, and it is unacceptable for any child or young person to be placed in such a setting.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 28/02/2022 17:53:34 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4667 label Biography information for Mike Amesbury

1437129

	registered interest
	date	01/03/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Social Services
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Local Government Association's projection that the cost of children’s social care will increase by an estimated £600 million each year until 2024-25, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of that increase; and what steps his Department is taking to support local authorities to meet that extra cost.
	tabling member constituency	Weaver Vale
	tabling member printed	Mike Amesbury
	uin	132353
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/03/2022 answer text <p>The department recognises the challenges local authorities are facing. In recent years, the government have boosted real-term funding to local, including creating the social care grant which has increased significantly from £410 million in 2019 to £1.7 billion this year and will continue to increase in the financial year 2022-23.</p><p>Next financial year (2022-23), the government is providing over £630 million additional funding into the social care grant, bringing the grant total to £2.4 billion. The department is also providing a one-off services grant in the 2022-23 financial year worth over £800 million that can be used for all services, including children’s social care.</p><p>In total, local authorities will have access to £54.1 billion for the 2022-23 financial year, an increase of up to £3.7 billion on the previous financial year 2021-22.</p><p>Further, the government has provided an additional £200 million for Supporting Families announced at the Budget and Spending Round 2021. This represents around a 40% real-terms uplift in funding for the programme by the 2024-25 financial year, taking total planned investment across the next three years to £695 million.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 08/03/2022 13:14:39 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4667 label Biography information for Mike Amesbury

1438874

	registered interest
	date	08/03/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Social Services
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to Reporting Year 2021, Children's social work workforce, published 24 February 2022, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of child social care in response to the 4,995 social workers who left their roles in 2021; and what steps his Department is taking to (a) retain current social workers and (b) help ensure that the 6,522 vacant positions are filled.
	tabling member constituency	Weaver Vale
	tabling member printed	Mike Amesbury
	uin	136640
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2022 answer text <p>The number of full-time equivalent (FTE) child and family social workers employed by local authorities in England is increasing every year. On 30 September 2021, there were 32,500 FTE child and family social workers employed by local authorities in England. This is an increase of 2% compared to 2020, and an increase of 14.1% compared to 2017. It is important to note that the 4,995 social workers who left their roles in 2021 includes all social workers who have moved between local authorities but are still working in children’s social care.</p><p> </p><p>While the government recognises this may not be the picture some local authorities are seeing on the ground, we are working closely with local authorities and using central programmes and funding to respond to their needs.</p><p> </p><p>The department is supporting the recruitment and retention of social workers through investment in fast-track initial social worker training programmes, and in professional development programmes to improve leadership. The department is also seeing some innovative practices from local authorities that are driving down agency rates and stabilising their workforces.</p><p> </p><p>The government’s COVID-19 Recovery Action Plan aims to stabilise and strengthen children’s social care as we transition out of the pandemic, to deliver well for children and young people and provide a strong foundation for longer-term reform, informed by the independent review of children’s social care.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 16/03/2022 16:56:46 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4667 label Biography information for Mike Amesbury

1438877

	registered interest
	date	08/03/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Social Services
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Local Government Association's projection that the cost of children’s social care will increase by an estimated £600 million each year until 2024-25, whether his Department plans to allocate additional funding to local authorities in response to that projection.
	tabling member constituency	Weaver Vale
	tabling member printed	Mike Amesbury
	uin	136641
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2022 answer text <p>In recent years, the government has boosted real-terms funding to local authorities, including creating the social care grant which has increased significantly from £410 million in 2019 to £1.7 billion this current financial year. In total, local authorities will have access to £54.1 billion for the financial year 2022/23, an increase of up to £3.7 billion in 2021/22.</p><p> </p><p>My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced that the government is providing councils with £4.8 billion of new grant funding over the Spending Review period to 2025. This will enable the sector to maintain vital frontline services, including children’s social care. This means for the next financial year (2022/23), the government is providing over £630 million additional funding into the social care grant, bringing the grant total to over £2.3 billion. The government is also providing a one-off Services Grant in the financial year 2022/23 which is worth over £800 million that can be used for all services, including children’s social care.</p><p> </p><p>Further, the government has provided an additional £200 million for Supporting Families announced at the Budget and Spending Round 2021. This represents around a 40% real-terms uplift in funding for the programme by the financial year 2024/25, taking total planned investment across the next three years to £695 million.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 16/03/2022 17:20:40 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4667 label Biography information for Mike Amesbury

1438887

	registered interest
	date	08/03/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Adoption Support Fund
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make it his policy to extend the Adoption Support Fund to aid the recruitment and retention of foster carers and the children's home workforce.
	tabling member constituency	Weaver Vale
	tabling member printed	Mike Amesbury
	uin	136642
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2022 answer text <p>The adoption support fund (ASF) was developed to provide vital therapeutic interventions for children that have left the care system through adoption or special guardianship orders. The ASF does not provide funding for any type of recruitment activity.</p><p><br> However, the department has invested in different approaches to help councils provide the right kind of foster care places. This includes using digital tools to improve information sharing, matching and placement processes. The department has also funded seven local authority-led partnerships to test new approaches to collaborative commissioning and sufficiency planning for fostering placements. In addition, the department is working collaboratively with the residential childcare sector to identify ways to support it to promote careers in the sector, and how it can raise the profile of these roles locally.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 16/03/2022 14:49:40 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4667 label Biography information for Mike Amesbury

1438938

	registered interest
	date	08/03/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Social Services
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Ofsted report on inspections on 5 and 6 January 2022 relating to Achieve Care Homes Limited, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) potential merits of strengthening regulations on child social care providers and (b) role of profit-making companies in the provision of children's social care.
	tabling member constituency	Weaver Vale
	tabling member printed	Mike Amesbury
	uin	136644
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2022 answer text <p>Ensuring that vulnerable children remain protected is a top priority for this government.</p><p> </p><p>There is a rigorous Ofsted inspection regime in place for the inspection and monitoring of children’s homes, enabling Ofsted to take action when standards are not met.</p><p> </p><p>However, we should always look to improve the system. The department will consider the recommendations of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) who have been examining the lack of availability and increasing costs in children’s social care provision. The CMA published its report and recommendations on 10 March 2022. The department also expects the Independent Care Review to make recommendations on how to make social care system work better to safeguard and improve the lives of vulnerable children.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 136645 question first answered 16/03/2022 13:57:24 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4667 label Biography information for Mike Amesbury

1438944

	registered interest
	date	08/03/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Social Services
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make it his policy to reform the Care Standards Act to improve the oversight and checks of providers of child social care.
	tabling member constituency	Weaver Vale
	tabling member printed	Mike Amesbury
	uin	136645
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2022 answer text <p>Ensuring that vulnerable children remain protected is a top priority for this government.</p><p> </p><p>There is a rigorous Ofsted inspection regime in place for the inspection and monitoring of children’s homes, enabling Ofsted to take action when standards are not met.</p><p> </p><p>However, we should always look to improve the system. The department will consider the recommendations of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) who have been examining the lack of availability and increasing costs in children’s social care provision. The CMA published its report and recommendations on 10 March 2022. The department also expects the Independent Care Review to make recommendations on how to make social care system work better to safeguard and improve the lives of vulnerable children.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 136644 question first answered 16/03/2022 13:57:24 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4667 label Biography information for Mike Amesbury