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1731103

registered interest
date	04/10/2024
answering body	Department for Business and Trade
answering dept id	214
answering dept short name	Business and Trade
answering dept sort name	Business and Trade
hansard heading	Export Controls
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many export licences were approved in (a) August 2024 and (b) each of the preceding 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Bridlington and The Wolds
tabling member printed	Charlie Dewhirst
uin	6996
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/10/2024 answer text <p>Official Statistics for 2024 have not yet been published. Information covering January to July 2024 are planned to be released by November 2024.</p><p> </p><p>The UK operates one of the most transparent export licensing systems in the world. We publish quarterly and annual statistics on all our export licensing decisions. These can be accessed here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/strategic-export-controls-licensing-data" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/strategic-export-controls-licensing-data </a></p><p> </p><p>We do not publish monthly licensing statistics, but we have published quarterly statistics for 2023:</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Reporting period</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Number issued</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2023</p></td><td><p>11,746</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2023Q1</p></td><td><p>2,853</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2023Q2</p></td><td><p>2,987</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2023Q3</p></td><td><p>2,967</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2023Q4</p></td><td><p>2,939</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member constituency Lothian East answering member printed Mr Douglas Alexander question first answered 10/10/2024 13:59:50 answering member 632 label Biography information for Mr Douglas Alexander
tabling member	5169

1729368

registered interest
date	12/09/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Kent
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to ensure sufficient school places in Kent; and what support she plans to provide to help children in (a) towns and (b) rural areas get to and from school by public transport.
tabling member constituency	Faversham and Mid Kent
tabling member printed	Helen Whately
uin	5621
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/10/2024 answer text <p>The government wants to ensure all children have fair access to a school place, where they can achieve and thrive.</p><p> </p><p>Kent County Council is responsible for ensuring there are sufficient school places for children in Kent. The department engages with local authorities, including Kent County Council, on a regular basis to review their plans for creating additional primary and pre-16 secondary school places, and to consider alternatives where necessary. When local authorities are experiencing difficulties, the department offers support and advice.</p><p> </p><p>The department provides capital funding through the basic need grant to support local authorities to provide the needed mainstream school places for year groups from reception to year 11, based on their own pupil forecasts and school capacity data. Kent will receive just over £134 million to support the provision of new school places needed between May 2022 and September 2026, paid across the five financial years from 2021/22 to 2025/26. This takes their total funding allocated between 2011 and 2026 to just over £462 million. Local authorities’ allocations are available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/basic-need-allocations" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/basic-need-allocations</a>.</p><p> </p><p>Good local bus services are an essential part of prosperous and sustainable communities and provide access to schools and other services. This government has set out an action plan to deliver better bus services, grow passenger numbers and drive opportunity to under-served regions. As announced in the King’s Speech, the government will introduce the Buses Bill to put the power over local bus services in the hands of local leaders to ensure networks can meet the needs of the communities who rely on them. The government also plans to empower local transport authorities by reforming bus funding to give local leaders more control and flexibility over their funding so they can plan ahead to deliver their local transport priorities.</p> answering member constituency Newcastle upon Tyne North answering member printed Catherine McKinnell question first answered 10/10/2024 13:58:56 answering member 4125 label Biography information for Catherine McKinnell
tabling member	4527 label Biography information for Helen Whately

1729531

registered interest
date	12/09/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Childcare: Epsom and Ewell
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help increase the (a) availability and (b) affordability of childcare in Epsom and Ewell constituency.
tabling member constituency	Epsom and Ewell
tabling member printed	Helen Maguire
uin	5778
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/10/2024 answer text <p>It is the department’s ambition that all families have access to high quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, improving the life chances for every child and the work choices for every parent.</p><p> </p><p>From September 2024, eligible working parents of children aged nine months and above can access 15 hours government funded childcare a week over 38 weeks a year. From September 2025, this will be extended so eligible working parents will be able to access 30 hours per week (over 38 weeks a year) for children from the age of 9 months to when they start school.</p><p> </p><p>The government has committed to continue to roll out the expanded childcare entitlements for eligible working parents of children aged from nine months. The department is also growing the provision of wraparound before and after school provision of childcare for primary school children.</p><p> </p><p>In 2024/25, the department expects to provide over £1.7 billion to support local authorities and providers to deliver the childcare expansion. In Surrey, the hourly rate for government funded childcare entitlements for 3 to 4 year olds is £6.77, which is an increase of 5.8%. For two year olds, this figure is £9.61 per hour and for under 2’s, £13.04 per hour.</p><p> </p><p>The government has also committed to upgrading unused space in primary schools to create much needed places in 3,000 nurseries by working in partnership with all parts of the sector and local authorities.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to the entitlements, parents may also be eligible for childcare support through Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credit. Parents can check what childcare support they are entitled to via the Childcare Choices website.</p><p> </p><p>The department has regular contact with each local authority in England about their sufficiency of childcare and any issues they are facing, including supporting them through its childcare delivery support contract where appropriate.</p><p> </p><p>The government is committed to delivering a modern childcare system from the end of parental leave to the end of primary school, providing every child with a firm foundation which sets them up for life and ensures parents are able to work the jobs and hours they choose to effectively break down the barriers to opportunity for every family.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Portsmouth South answering member printed Stephen Morgan question first answered 10/10/2024 13:51:40 answering member 4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan
tabling member	5336

1731381

registered interest
date	04/10/2024
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 her Department is taking to reduce child poverty in families affected by the two-child limit in Universal Credit claims.
tabling member constituency	Harpenden and Berkhamsted
tabling member printed	Victoria Collins
uin	7076
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/10/2024 answer text <p>Tackling child poverty is at the heart of this Government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and improve the life chances of every child.</p><p> </p><p>The Child Poverty Taskforce, co-chaired by the Work and Pensions and Education Secretaries, has started urgent work to publish the Child Poverty Strategy in Spring and will explore all available levers to drive forward short and long-term actions across government to reduce child poverty.</p><p> </p><p>The vital work of the Taskforce comes alongside the Government’s commitments to roll out free breakfast clubs at all primary schools, setting every child up at the start of the day ready to learn, expanding childcare to deliver work choices for parents and life chances for children, provide stronger protection for families who rent privately as well as deliver our plan to make work pay.</p><p> </p><p>As of April 2024, the number of children (third or subsequent children born on or after 6 April 2017) affected by the policy to provide support for a maximum of 2 children was 470,000.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Number of households affected by the policy</p></td><td><p>Total number of children in households affected by the policy</p></td><td><p>Number of third or subsequent children in households affected by the policy</p></td><td><p>Number of children affected by the policy (third or subsequent children born on or after 6 April 2017)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>GB Total</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>380,000</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>1,300,000</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>580,000</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>470,000</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Birkenhead answering member printed Alison McGovern grouped question UIN 7075 question first answered 10/10/2024 13:49:55 answering member 4083 label Biography information for Alison McGovern
tabling member	5201

1731380

registered interest
date	04/10/2024
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	Children: Poverty
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the number of children who will be (a) affected by the two-child limit, (b) living in poverty and (c) both affected by the two-child limit and living in poverty in each of the next 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Harpenden and Berkhamsted
tabling member printed	Victoria Collins
uin	7075
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/10/2024 answer text <p>Tackling child poverty is at the heart of this Government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and improve the life chances of every child.</p><p> </p><p>The Child Poverty Taskforce, co-chaired by the Work and Pensions and Education Secretaries, has started urgent work to publish the Child Poverty Strategy in Spring and will explore all available levers to drive forward short and long-term actions across government to reduce child poverty.</p><p> </p><p>The vital work of the Taskforce comes alongside the Government’s commitments to roll out free breakfast clubs at all primary schools, setting every child up at the start of the day ready to learn, expanding childcare to deliver work choices for parents and life chances for children, provide stronger protection for families who rent privately as well as deliver our plan to make work pay.</p><p> </p><p>As of April 2024, the number of children (third or subsequent children born on or after 6 April 2017) affected by the policy to provide support for a maximum of 2 children was 470,000.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Number of households affected by the policy</p></td><td><p>Total number of children in households affected by the policy</p></td><td><p>Number of third or subsequent children in households affected by the policy</p></td><td><p>Number of children affected by the policy (third or subsequent children born on or after 6 April 2017)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>GB Total</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>380,000</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>1,300,000</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>580,000</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>470,000</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Birkenhead answering member printed Alison McGovern grouped question UIN 7076 question first answered 10/10/2024 13:49:55 answering member 4083 label Biography information for Alison McGovern
tabling member	5201

1728969

registered interest
date	11/09/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Film: Apprentices
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will bring forward legislative proposals to include employers’ running costs for providing visual effects and post-production placements in the Apprenticeship Levy.
tabling member constituency	Bournemouth East
tabling member printed	Tom Hayes
uin	5455
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/10/2024 answer text <p>This government is transforming the Apprenticeship Levy into a new Growth and Skills Levy. The new levy will build on the apprenticeships programme to create more opportunities for learners and give employers greater flexibility to address critical skill shortages in their workforce, which will help drive economic growth.</p><p> </p><p>Skills England will be responsible for identifying training that is eligible for the Growth and Skills Levy, ensuring that levy-funded training delivers value for money and meets the needs of businesses.</p><p> </p><p>The department is working across government to develop the design of the Growth and Skills Levy and will set out more detail in due course.</p> answering member constituency Lewisham East answering member printed Janet Daby question first answered 10/10/2024 13:41:31 answering member 4698 label Biography information for Janet Daby
tabling member	5210

1727975

registered interest
date	09/09/2024
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	Gastrointestinal System: Health
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of prohibiting the use of the term probiotic in promotional material on public awareness of how to maintain good gut health.
tabling member printed	Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick
uin	HL899
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/10/2024 answer text <p>Probiotic is a term commonly used to describe the effect of one or more strains of live bacteria used in food and food supplements. The Department has not made any assessment of the impact of prohibiting the use of the term probiotic.</p><p>The Department’s view is that the term probiotic would be considered a health claim. A health claim is any claim that states, suggests, or implies that health benefits can result from consuming a given food. Regulations governing the use of nutrition and health claims on foods require health claims to be authorised before they can be used on food or in a commercial context. The authorisation process involves scientific assessment of substantiating evidence. These regulations are in place to protect consumers from being misled by ensuring any health claims made are backed by robust scientific evidence.</p><p>The term probiotic would only be permitted as a health claim if a health claim is authorised for a specific strain of live bacteria. There are currently no such authorised health claims. The established process for authorising health claims allows industry to submit an application for a new health claim, and should they be authorised for a strain of live bacteria, then it could be possible to use the term probiotic.</p> answering member printed Baroness Merron question first answered 10/10/2024 13:39:23 answering member 347 label Biography information for Baroness Merron
tabling member	4130 label Biography information for Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick

1730510

registered interest
date	04/10/2024
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	Winter Fuel Payment: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changing eligibility requirements for the winter fuel payment on people with disabilities.
tabling member constituency	Arbroath and Broughty Ferry
tabling member printed	Stephen Gethins
uin	6297
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/10/2024 answer text <p>This Government is committed to pensioners. Everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement.</p><p> </p><p>Given the substantial pressures faced by the public finances this year and next, the Government has had to make hard choices to bring the public finances back under control.</p><p> </p><p>Winter Fuel Payments will continue to be paid to pensioner households that need it most, that is those receiving Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits. They will continue to be worth £200 for eligible households, or £300 for eligible households with someone aged over 80.</p><p> </p><p>An equality analysis was produced as part of Ministerial decision making in line with the requirements of the Public Sector Equality Duty. This was published on 13 September and can be found <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/responses-to-freedom-of-information-requests-on-equality-impact-assessments-produced-for-targeting-winter-fuel-payment/dwp-freedom-of-information-response" target="_blank">here</a>. By convention, such analyses are not published alongside secondary legislation. However, in view of the close public interest in this issue Ministers decided, exceptionally, to publish in this case.</p><p> </p><p>For those with long-term illnesses, the “extra costs” disability benefits (namely Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Attendance Allowance (AA) in England and Wales; and equivalent benefits in Scotland) provide a tax free, non-income-related contribution towards the extra costs people with a long-term health condition can face, such as additional heating costs. They are paid monthly throughout the year. AA can be worth up to £5,600 a year and recipients are free to use their benefit according to their own priorities.</p><p> </p><p>Receipt of disability benefits can provide a passport to additional amounts in means-tested benefits (notably Pension Credit and Housing Benefit) for those on low incomes providing they meet the other eligibility criteria.</p> answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds question first answered 10/10/2024 13:36:55 answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds previous answer version 7758 answering member constituency Wycombe answering member printed Emma Reynolds answering member 4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds
tabling member	4434 label Biography information for Stephen Gethins

1729369

registered interest
date	12/09/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Kent
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 the introduction of VAT on private schools on state schools in Kent.
tabling member constituency	Faversham and Mid Kent
tabling member printed	Helen Whately
uin	5622
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/10/2024 answer text <p>In line with research from the independent Institute for Fiscal Studies, the government does not anticipate the ending of the VAT exemption that private schools enjoy to prompt notable movement into the state sector, and any movement is expected to take place over several years. This research can be found here: <a href="https://ifs.org.uk/publications/tax-private-school-fees-and-state-school-spending" target="_blank">https://ifs.org.uk/publications/tax-private-school-fees-and-state-school-spending</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The department collects pupil forecasts and school capacity data from local authorities annually through the school capacity survey and this data shows that in May 2023, 11.7% of primary capacity and 11.5% of secondary capacity was unfilled nationally, meaning school places are available in many parts of the country. The department will monitor demand and capacity using its normal processes and continue to work with local authorities to meet any pressures.</p> answering member constituency Portsmouth South answering member printed Stephen Morgan question first answered 10/10/2024 13:31:41 answering member 4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan
tabling member	4527 label Biography information for Helen Whately

1731045

registered interest
date	04/10/2024
answering body	Department for Business and Trade
answering dept id	214
answering dept short name	Business and Trade
answering dept sort name	Business and Trade
hansard heading	Trade Agreements
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to take steps to ensure Parliament has greater oversight of the UK’s trade negotiations.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Adam Jogee
uin	6956
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/10/2024 answer text <p>The Government is committed to supporting parliamentary scrutiny of the UK’s trade agreements, balancing the need for robust scrutiny with the need to ensure we can negotiate effectively in the UK’s best interests.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Business and Trade is currently considering scrutiny arrangements for trade agreements, to ensure they are fit for purpose.</p> answering member constituency Lothian East answering member printed Mr Douglas Alexander question first answered 10/10/2024 13:31:17 answering member 632 label Biography information for Mr Douglas Alexander
tabling member	5168