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1698476

registered interest
date	25/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Academic Freedom
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 21 March 2024 to Question 17725 on Academic Freedom, whether she has had recent discussions with the Office for Students on whether (a) higher education institutions and (b) students’ unions will have enough time to implement the guidance on securing free speech within the law before those obligations enter into force.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
uin	20287
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/04/2024 answer text <p>My right hon. Friend, the Member for East Sussex, and former Minister for Children, Families and Wellbeing with responsibility for freedom of speech in the department, met with Professor Arif Ahmed in 2023 following his appointment, and discussed plans for implementation of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act (the Act) over the next two years. I also met with Arif Ahmed on 16 January 2024. The intention has always been for the Office for Students (OfS) to publish any guidance within good time of the Act coming into force to allow the sector sufficient time to consider it. The expectation expressed was that any guidance pertaining to the provisions that come into force on 1 August 2024 would be published by summer 2024, giving the sector the summer period to implement it into their practices.</p><p> </p><p>The department understands that the OfS continues to work towards these timelines as set out on their website here: <a href="https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/quality-and-standards/freedom-of-speech/changes-to-regulation/" target="_blank">https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/quality-and-standards/freedom-of-speech/changes-to-regulation/</a>, although precise timings are a matter for the OfS.</p><p> </p><p>A draft version of the guidance that the OfS intend to issue following consultation has already been published for the sector to consider here: <a href="https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/fsvjdljh/regulatory-advice-24-guidance-related-to-freedom-of-speech.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/fsvjdljh/regulatory-advice-24-guidance-related-to-freedom-of-speech.pdf</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 19/04/2024 11:54:40 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1698101

registered interest
date	22/03/2024
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	Respiratory Diseases: Health Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 7 December 2023 to Question 4959 on Respiratory Diseases: Health Services, how many Acute Respiratory Infection hubs were operating in winter 2023/24.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
uin	20039
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2024 answer text <p>During winter 2022/23, 363 Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) hubs were implemented by integrated care systems (ICSs). The Department does not hold recorded information on the number of ARI hubs in 2023/24, as this information is held instead by local health bodies. The ambition in the recovery plan for urgent and emergency care is that each local area that would benefit from an ARI hub, has one in place ahead of winter. Evaluations from NHS England suggest that ARI hubs may save general practitioner appointments and accident and emergency attendances.</p> answering member constituency Pendle answering member printed Andrew Stephenson question first answered 03/04/2024 11:27:50 answering member 4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson
tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1694750

registered interest
date	08/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Academic Freedom
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will hold discussions with the Office for Students on ensuring that the forthcoming guidance for higher education providers on (a) securing free speech within the law and (b) publishing and maintaining a freedom of speech code of practice is published before 1 August 2024.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
uin	17725
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/03/2024 answer text <p>The remaining provisions of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 will come into force in two phases. The main provisions of the Act, introducing free speech duties on higher education providers, constituent institutions and students' unions, and the new complaints scheme, will come into force on 1 August 2024. The Office for Students (OfS) has already launched two consultations that will feed into new complaints scheme rules and guidance for students’ unions on the OfS’s approach to regulating them. These will be published before the 1 August 2024.</p><p>The second phase involves provisions relating to new conditions of registration on providers and monitoring of overseas funding. These will come into force on 1 September 2025.</p><p>The OfS expects to consult shortly on the proposed revisions to the regulatory framework, including on its approach to the recovery of costs, as well as on more detailed guidance on securing free speech within the law and on maintaining a free speech code of practice. The OfS consultations are not yet live, and the OfS will require time to run the consultation, analyse the results and publish a response before they can publish the guidance to which they relate. Precise timings on the publication of guidance are a matter for the OfS.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 21/03/2024 11:39:01 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1692756

registered interest
date	29/02/2024
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	Ophthalmic Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Answer of 19 June 2023 to Question 188964 on Ophthalmic Services, what recent progress her Department has made on developing standard service specifications for enhanced eye care services.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
uin	16321
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/03/2024 answer text <p>The new standard of clinical specification for community eye care services, both minor and urgent, was published by the Local Optical Committee Support Unit on 23 February 2024. The specification will help local commissioners in getting the best outcomes, if they choose to commission these services as part of their local eye care provision. The specification is available at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://locsu.co.uk/what-we-do/pathways/community-minor-and-urgent-eye-care-clinical-specification/" target="_blank">https://locsu.co.uk/what-we-do/pathways/community-minor-and-urgent-eye-care-clinical-specification/</a></p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 08/03/2024 14:25:06 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1692472

registered interest
date	28/02/2024
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	NHS: Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions she has had with the NHS Pay Review Body on its potential recommendations on the 2024-25 pay round.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
uin	16108
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/03/2024 answer text <p>My Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has had no discussions with the NHS Pay Review Body on its potential recommendations for the 2024/25 pay round.</p><p>My officials have regular engagement with the Pay Review Bodies (PRB) secretariat, however as independent bodies the PRBs will not discuss their potential recommendations with stakeholders, these are received alongside their report.</p> answering member constituency Pendle answering member printed Andrew Stephenson question first answered 07/03/2024 16:40:45 answering member 4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson
tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1692473

registered interest
date	28/02/2024
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	Nurses: Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure all general practice nursing staff will receive a pay uplift for 2023-24.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
uin	16109
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/03/2024 answer text <p>We hugely value and appreciate the vital work carried out by general practice (GP) nurses. The Government accepted the Doctors’ and Dentists’ Review Body’s recommendation on salaried GP staff pay, and increased the 2023/24 GP contract to provide funding for them to receive a 6% pay rise. We encourage all practices to pass this on to staff. As self-employed contractors to the National Health Service, it is for GPs to determine employee pay.</p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 08/03/2024 11:47:19 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1692005

registered interest
date	27/02/2024
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Horizon Europe
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will take steps to (a) expand the Government's support for the Horizon Europe pump priming collaboration and (b) end the rule that research applications to Horizon Europe must identify a call and topic in Pillar 2.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
uin	15875
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/03/2024 answer text <p>The British Academy has received considerable interest in the Pump Priming grants scheme, and the Government is pleased with the level of engagement, including from those new to the programme. There are no plans to expand the recently launched pump priming grants.</p><p> </p><p>Applications for Horizon Europe grants are made directly to the European Commission. All calls within Horizon Europe work programme 2024 and beyond are funded by the UK’s association to Horizon Europe.</p> answering member constituency Arundel and South Downs answering member printed Andrew Griffith question first answered 01/03/2024 11:35:24 answering member 4874 label Biography information for Andrew Griffith
tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1690358

registered interest
date	20/02/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Overseas Students
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of ending funding for the UK Council for International Student Affairs on the adequacy of support available to international students.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
uin	14852
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/02/2024 answer text <p>The government appreciates the significant economic and cultural contribution that international students make to UK higher education.</p><p>The government remains committed to the ambitions set out in its International Education Strategy, including the aim to host 600,000 international students in the UK per year by 2030. The government is proud to have met this ambition two years running.</p><p>Universities also offer a range of dedicated support to their international students before they arrive in the UK, on arrival and during their studies. Organisations such as the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) and the British Council continue to provide information to international students entering the UK.</p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 28/02/2024 11:39:46 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1690022

registered interest
date	19/02/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Teachers: Workplace Pensions
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 providing additional financial support to higher education institutions to help meet the cost of the teachers’ pension scheme.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
uin	14554
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/02/2024 answer text <p>Higher education providers (HEPs) are autonomous bodies, and the government does not fund the cost of changes to the scheme for them in the same way as for schools and colleges. The department expects HEPs to continue to adapt to uncertainties and financial risks to protect their longer-term sustainability.</p><p>The government will continue to work with the higher education sector to explore how it can best support those providers affected, including planning effectively for implementation. The department is also keen to maintain an ongoing dialogue with HEPs.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 27/02/2024 12:47:04 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1688184

registered interest
date	07/02/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Higher Education: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the report entitled Financial Sustainability of the UK Higher Education sector, published in January 2024.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
uin	13573
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2024 answer text <p>This response assumes that the report referenced is PwC’s UK Higher Education (HE) Financial Sustainability Report, which was commissioned by Universities UK. Departmental officials have met with Universities UK to discuss the findings of this report.</p><p>The PwC report cites similar risks to those identified by the Office for Students (OfS), which is the independent regulator of HE in England responsible for monitoring the financial sustainability of registered HE providers. The latest report by the OfS on the financial health of the sector, which was published in May 2023, can be accessed at: <a href="https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/0b7d9daa-d6c7-477e-a0b2-b90985d0f935/financial-sustainability-report-2023-updated-june-2023.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/0b7d9daa-d6c7-477e-a0b2-b90985d0f935/financial-sustainability-report-2023-updated-june-2023.pdf</a></p><p>The department continues to work closely with the OfS, HE representative bodies and other government departments, as appropriate, to understand the financial sustainability of the sector.</p><p>In the aforementioned OfS report on the financial health of the HE sector, the OfS stated that the overall aggregate financial position of the sector is sound. However, there continues to be significant variation between individual providers, both across the sector and within peer groups.</p><p>The department consistently assesses the potential implications for any policies that could impact the HE sector, including financially, and particularly with respect to the interests of students.</p><p>It is important to note that HE providers are autonomous and, as such, it is for them to decide effective business models in order to adapt to financial risks. All HE providers should be stress testing their financial plans to ensure they are fit for purpose and that they do not rely on optimism around student recruitment.</p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 19/02/2024 17:03:57 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield