We are committed to ensuring the long-term sustainability of the civil legal aid sector and are keen to work closely with practitioners and their representative bodies to look at how best we can address this.<\/p>
We want to understand the different ways in which the justice system can be improved and will be carefully considering our options on the way forward. This includes considering the evidence on civil legal aid gathered over the past year.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4038", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Heidi Alexander"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Swindon South"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Heidi Alexander"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-09-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-09-09T16:04:30.797Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-08-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Legal Aid Scheme"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department plans to (a) review and (b) reform civil legal aid.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4598", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mohammad Yasin"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bedford"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mohammad Yasin"} ], "uin" : "3013"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1725754", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1725754/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
It is essential that there are enough children\u2019s homes for those vulnerable children who need residential care, and that these homes are in the areas children live so they can stay as part of their wider communities.<\/p>
<\/p>
All homes must register with Ofsted and in order to register as a children\u2019s home, providers are required to undertake a location assessment which must show the steps that have been taken to ensure the location is safe and promotes positive opportunities for children. Ofsted will take a view on whether these requirements have been met.<\/p>
<\/p>
The department is developing options in regard to planning of children\u2019s homes, including considering the location of new homes and registration requirements.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4698", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Janet Daby"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lewisham East"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Janet Daby"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-09-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-09-10T15:26:38.21Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-08-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Care Homes: Children"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to review licensing arrangements for children's homes in densely populated residential areas.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4598", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mohammad Yasin"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bedford"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mohammad Yasin"} ], "uin" : "3014"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1714596", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1714596/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Levelling Up Premium (LUP) is designed to incentivise the recruitment and retention of specialist teachers in chemistry, computing, mathematics, and physics. It is too early to evaluate its overall impact, but it is informed by previous pilots. An evaluation of Early Career Payments found they reduced the likelihood of teachers leaving by 37% for the £5,000 payments, and 58% for the £7,500 payments.<\/p>
The eligibility criteria for the LUP defines a subject specialist as a teacher who either holds a degree in the eligible subject or has completed an initial teacher training (ITT) course specialising in the eligible subject. Most hours of teaching in the eligible subjects are taught by a teacher with a relevant post A level qualification.<\/p>
The quality of teaching is the single most important in-school factor for improving pupil outcomes. Although the department recognises that some teachers are not subject specialists, it is vital that we retain subject specialists in the LUP-eligible subjects in the early years of their career.<\/p>
Last year the department accepted in full the School Teachers\u2019 Review Body (STRB) recommendations for the 2023/24 pay award for teachers and leaders. This means that teachers and leaders in maintained schools received a pay award of 6.5%, which is the highest pay award for teachers in over thirty years. The 2023/24 award also delivered the manifesto commitment of a minimum £30,000 starting salary for school teachers in all regions of the country.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3969", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Damian Hinds"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Hampshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Damian Hinds"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-05-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-05-08T11:52:55.177Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-04-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Teachers: Pay"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reason non-specialist teachers who teach core subjects eligible for levelling up premium payments are excluded from the scheme; and what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of this exclusion on the morale of those teachers.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4598", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mohammad Yasin"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bedford"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mohammad Yasin"} ], "uin" : "24092"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1713088", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1713088/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The EPR sandbox led by UKFT, and funded by UK Government is using data to explore a system that incentivises circular economy principles across the textiles supply chain. We look forward to the results of this project later this year.<\/p>
<\/p>
Since publication of Maximising Resources, Minimising Waste we have been engaging with stakeholders across the supply chain to develop the proposals for the consultation and build the evidence base for the impact assessment. The consultation is our priority, but we are open to other suggestions from the industry about what the most effective interventions could be, including how a potential Extended Producer Responsibility scheme for textiles could work.<\/p>
<\/p>
We are collaborating with our delivery partner the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) on the Textiles Waste Hierarchy. It will be a comprehensive guide for organisations that will be impacted by the proposals and those who handle used textiles. By including examples of good practice and case studies we hope, once developed, it will help organisations and citizens navigate changes that will reduce textiles waste across the supply chain.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4861", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Robbie Moore"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Keighley"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Robbie Moore"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-05-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-05-16T16:43:57.75Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-04-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Textiles: Recycling"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's policy paper entitled The waste prevention programme for England: Maximising Resources, Minimising Waste, updated on 10 August 2023, what progress he has made on developing a pilot Extended Producer Responsibility scheme for textiles; what his planned timetable is for publication of that pilot scheme; and what progress he has made on an impact assessment for non-domestic premises to support the textiles waste hierarchy.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4598", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mohammad Yasin"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bedford"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mohammad Yasin"} ], "uin" : "23261"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1702288", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1702288/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The intentions of the reforms to qualifications at Level 3 and below are to streamline the qualifications landscape, simplify choices for students, and only fund qualifications that are high-quality and lead to good progression outcomes. By ensuring that approved qualifications meet new, more rigorous criteria, young people can be confident that they will be able to progress to university and higher technical education and directly into apprenticeships and skilled employment.<\/p>
Qualification reform puts A levels and T Levels at the heart of study programmes. Qualifications reforms are being undertaken in cycles.<\/p>
Criminology qualifications will be considered in cycle 2 of the qualification\u2019s reforms. An announcement, on which qualifications will be approved and which will see funding removed, will be made in 2025 and will be implemented from 1 August 2026. For students interested in the police, prison service, and other uniformed or emergency services, large applied general qualifications in uniformed protective services will remain funded until 2026. After this, qualifications in these subjects will either be approved as small alternative academic qualifications (AAQs), or technical qualifications mapped against relevant Level 3 occupational standards. Criminology is contained in the sector subject area of sociology and social policy. This sector subject area also contains a sociology A level which will serve students wishing to progress to higher education.<\/p>
Students will have the option to choose A levels or a mixed study programme. A student aspiring to be a police constable for example, could study a small AAQ alongside appropriate A levels such as law, physical education, or sociology. Alternatively, they can study a relevant technical occupational entry qualification, which will be based on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education approved occupational standards. These have been designed by employers to give the skills, knowledge and behaviours needed for the occupations to which they pertain. Consequently, criminology has not been listed as an area where the department would accept a small AAQ.<\/p>
Over the last six months the department has invited all providers to attend one of ten in-person events in five cities across England to support them in understanding the details and timeline for reform and to provide information to help planning and designing their curriculum offer. The department has launched a set of web pages that provide colleges with the information they need. These web pages can be found here: https://support.tlevels.gov.uk/hc/en-gb/sections/16829562632850-Qualifications-Review<\/a>.<\/p> The department will continue to support schools and colleges through online information, future guides and events as the dates where the new qualifications landscape is introduced move closer.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4450", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Luke Hall"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Thornbury and Yate"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Luke Hall"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-04-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-04-26T11:51:25.35Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-04-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Criminology: Qualifications"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support schools and colleges to adapt their curriculum offering following the withdrawal of the WJEC Level 3 qualification in criminology (a) where the qualification was a significant component of vocational education programmes and (b) generally.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4598", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mohammad Yasin"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bedford"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mohammad Yasin"}
], "uin" : "22596"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1702289", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1702289/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Qualifications reform aims to streamline the qualifications landscape, simplify choices for students and only fund qualifications that are necessary, high-quality and lead to good progression outcomes.<\/p> <\/p> Between October 2020 and January 2021, the government consulted on proposals to reform post-16 technical and academic qualifications at Level 3. A subsequent policy statement, published in July 2021, considered all the evidence submitted by consultation respondents. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reforms-to-post-16-qualifications-at-level-3-in-england<\/a>.<\/p> <\/p> Qualification reform places A levels and T Levels at the heart of study programmes, which evidence shows provide the best foundation to progress, either into higher education (HE) or skilled employment. The department recognises there is a need for alternative academic qualifications (AAQs) in a small range of subjects aimed at progression to HE, to support the A level offer. The department will fund small AAQs where they are necessary because there is no A level in the sector subject area or where it is strategically important to do so.<\/p> <\/p> Qualifications reforms are being undertaken in cycles. Criminology qualifications will be considered in cycle 2. An announcement, on which qualifications will be approved and which will see funding removed, will be made in 2025 and implemented from 1 August 2026. Criminology is contained in the sector subject area of sociology and social policy which also contains a sociology A level that will serve students wishing to progress to HE. For those wishing to progress into other careers, such as police or prison officer, they could undertake small AAQs in subjects such as uniformed protective services alongside A levels such as physical education and sociology. Our reforms also allow for technical occupational entry qualifications to be developed. Consequently, criminology has not been listed as an area where the department would accept a small AAQ.<\/p> <\/p>