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1002552

registered interest
date	06/11/2018
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Autism: Respite Care
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate his Department has made of the number of (a) parents and (b) guardians of children who are high on the spectrum of autism who have accessed respite care in each of the last three years.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	188784
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/11/2018 answer text <p>The department does not collect specific information on the numbers of parents/guardians who access respite care. However, The Children and Families Act (2014) provides a framework to ensure that children with autism are identified early and receive the support they need. A disabled child would fall under the category of a child in need and parents, guardians or professionals could make a referral to the local authority children’s services who are best placed to assess the needs and priorities of disabled children in their area.</p><p>Information regarding how much local authorities have planned to spend on their short breaks/respite provision through the authorities’ annual section 251 returns can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-local-authority-school-finance-data" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-local-authority-school-finance-data</a>.</p><p>Giving children and young people with autism the right start in life is hugely important in ensuring that they can have successful and rewarding lives. We want all children, no matter what their special educational need or disability, to be able to reach their full potential and receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. That is why we have put in place significant reforms, aimed at making the system less confrontational and promoting better involvement of parents and a real focus on outcomes and transition to adult life.</p> answering member constituency Stratford-on-Avon answering member printed Nadhim Zahawi question first answered 13/11/2018 17:16:04 answering member 4113 label Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

1015448

registered interest
date	27/11/2018
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Foster Care: Regulation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to establish a regulatory body for foster agencies.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	196161
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2018 answer text <p>Fostering is a devolved matter. All fostering agencies registered in England are subject to regulations relevant to the placement of children in foster care including the Fostering Services (England) Regulations (2011) and the Care Standards Act (2000). These regulations provide the legal framework for the conduct of fostering services and sit alongside the national minimum standards in fostering. Ofsted take this framework into account in the inspection of fostering services in England but has no remit in the devolved administrations.</p><p>The department believes that the current system is robust and have no plans to introduce a separate regulatory body at this time.</p> answering member constituency Stratford-on-Avon answering member printed Nadhim Zahawi question first answered 05/12/2018 12:40:35 answering member 4113 label Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

1016242

registered interest
date	28/11/2018
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Special Educational Needs: Autism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if his Department will take steps to reduce the time taken for autistic children to receive a statement of special educational needs.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	196715
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2018 answer text <p>All local authorities in England are required to follow the guidance set out in the Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice: 0-25 years: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25</a>.</p><p>This requires them to meet a statutory deadline of 20 weeks for completion of an Education, Health and Care plan from the time that they receive a request for an assessment. This applies to all children and young people, including those on the autism spectrum.</p> answering member constituency Stratford-on-Avon answering member printed Nadhim Zahawi question first answered 04/12/2018 10:14:22 answering member 4113 label Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

1022975

registered interest
date	10/12/2018
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Closures
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many school closures there were in each of the last three years.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	200626
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2018 answer text <p>The attached table shows the number of school closures for all reasons in England in each of the last three calendar years. <br> In the majority of instances, a closure is a procedural event marking the ending of one legal entity immediately followed by the opening of a successor establishment under a new legal entity, for example where a school ceases to be maintained by its local authority and becomes an academy.</p><p>The actual number of schools that are recorded as closing without being replaced by a successor establishment are set out in the table below.</p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="4"><p><strong>Number of schools that are recorded as closing without being replaced by a successor establishment</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2"><p><strong>Type of establishment</strong></p></td><td colspan="3"><p><strong>Calendar year</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016</p></td><td><p>2017</p></td><td><p>2018 (to 11 December)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Academies</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>LA maintained schools</p></td><td><p>25</p></td><td><p>18</p></td><td><p>16</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Free schools*</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>11</p></td><td><p>10</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Independent schools</p></td><td><p>83</p></td><td><p>50</p></td><td><p>55</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>* including University Technical Colleges and Studio Schools.</p> answering member constituency Stratford-on-Avon answering member printed Nadhim Zahawi question first answered 18/12/2018 17:19:02 answering member 4113 label Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

1022976

registered interest
date	10/12/2018
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children: Obesity
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if his Department will provide funding for extracurricular activities for schools to help tackle childhood obesity.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	200627
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2018 answer text <p>The government firmly believes in the importance of physical education (PE), sport and extra-curricular activities to teach children the importance of physical activity to improve their physical and mental health as well as their overall wellbeing.</p><p> </p><p>Since 2013, the government has invested over £1 billion of ring-fenced funding through the primary PE and sport premium to improve PE, sport, physical activity and extra-curricular activities for all pupils in England. We encourage schools to use this funding to support their least active pupils achieve the Chief Medical Officers' guidelines of 60 minutes of physical activity each day, of which 30 minutes should be during the school day.</p><p> </p><p>Under the Childhood Obesity Plan chapter 2 update the government is promoting a national ambition for every primary school in England to embrace an active mile, such as the Daily Mile, as a fun, inclusive and engaging way for all pupils to develop healthy exercise habits from a young age. Schools have the freedom to use the funding to determine which activities will improve participation, especially for their least active pupils.</p><p> </p><p>The government has also allocated £100 million from the Sugar Industry Direct Levy through the Healthy Pupils Capital Fund in England to improve pupil access to facilities for physical activity, healthy eating, mental health and wellbeing and medical conditions. Schools have used this fund to improve their facilities which can be used to provide extra-curricular activities for pupils. Examples how this funding has been spent include, resurfacing playgrounds, refurbishing swimming pools and building changing rooms.</p> answering member constituency Stratford-on-Avon answering member printed Nadhim Zahawi question first answered 18/12/2018 10:26:13 answering member 4113 label Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

1027605

registered interest
date	18/12/2018
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Adoption
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children were adopted in each of the last three years.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	203262
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/12/2018 answer text <p>The number of adopted children who were formerly looked-after by the local authority in each of the last three years was published in Table E1 in the statistical release ‘Children looked after in England including adoption: 2017 to 2018’ available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2017-to-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2017-to-2018</a>. The department does not estimate the number of adopted children who were not previously looked-after.</p> answering member constituency Stratford-on-Avon answering member printed Nadhim Zahawi question first answered 21/12/2018 10:22:32 answering member 4113 label Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

1027606

registered interest
date	18/12/2018
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Foster Care: Training
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate his Department has made of the number of foster and kinship carers that undertook training for those roles in 2017.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	203263
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/12/2018 answer text <p>The information requested on the number of foster carers and kinship carers that undertook training in 2017 is not held centrally.</p><p>The statutory framework, Fostering Services Regulations 2011, clearly sets out that all foster parents, including kinship foster carers, must receive the training and development they need to carry out their role effectively. All foster parents are required to complete the Training, Support and Development Standards within 12 months of approval as a foster parent and maintain a training and development portfolio. Over and above this, it is up to local fostering service providers to determine what training their foster parents undertake in order to meet local need.</p> answering member constituency Stratford-on-Avon answering member printed Nadhim Zahawi question first answered 21/12/2018 10:15:59 answering member 4113 label Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

1027607

registered interest
date	18/12/2018
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Foster Care
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children are currently in foster care.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	203264
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/12/2018 answer text <p>At 31 March 2018, there were 55,200 looked-after children in England in foster placements. Further information on the number of looked-after children by their placement is published in table A2 of the statistical release ‘Children looked after in England including adoption: 2017 to 2018’: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2017-to-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2017-to-2018</a>.</p> answering member constituency Stratford-on-Avon answering member printed Nadhim Zahawi question first answered 21/12/2018 09:32:45 answering member 4113 label Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

1041462

registered interest
date	14/01/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Special Educational Needs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to help provide classes for students with special needs in the schools of their choice.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	208281
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2019 answer text <p>In England, the Children and Families Act 2014, the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Regulations 2014 and SEND Code of Practice make clear that all schools should use their best endeavours to meet the needs of all children with a special educational need.</p><p> </p><p>The Children and Families Act requires local authorities to keep the provision for children with SEND under review, including its sufficiency, and to publish a local offer, outlining the services available in their local area for children and young people with SEND.</p><p>We have announced that local authorities will receive an additional £250 million over the next two years on top of the £6 billion already provided for the high needs budget this year, to provide much needed support for children and young people with complex SEND. Families will also benefit from more choice for their child’s education through an extra £100 million for facilities and places; taking our total capital investment from 2018 to 2021 to £365 million. This funding will improve facilities and create more specialist places in mainstream schools, colleges and special schools, giving more children and young people access to a good school or college place that meets their individual needs.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Stratford-on-Avon answering member printed Nadhim Zahawi question first answered 21/01/2019 16:40:30 answering member 4113 label Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

1047649

registered interest
date	24/01/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children in Care
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children were taken into care due to parental drug and alcohol related issues in 2017.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	212341
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/02/2019 answer text <p>The department does not collect this level of detail on the reason why a child becomes looked-after.</p><p>The available information on the primary need of children starting to be looked-after is published annually in table C1 of the statistical release ‘Children looked-after in England including adoption: 2017 to 2018’ at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2017-to-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2017-to-2018</a>. The category ‘Parental disability or illness’ includes children whose main category of need was due to the capacity of their parents to care for them being impaired by the parents’ disability, physical or mental illness or addictions.</p><p>We know that parental drug and alcohol related issues can be a common factor in families with children in need of help and protection. We are working to ensure that families receive the right help at the right time to promote the welfare and outcomes of children and enable them to stay together where it is safe to do so.</p> answering member constituency Stratford-on-Avon answering member printed Nadhim Zahawi question first answered 01/02/2019 10:59:06 answering member 4113 label Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson