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1279263

registered interest
date	21/01/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Mental Health Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made (a) of the number of schools without direct access to in-school counsellors to support children’s and young people’s mental health and well-being in schools and colleges and (b) how such provision varies by local authority.
tabling member constituency	Harlow
tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
uin	141427
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/01/2021 answer text <p>We do not collect regular information on the provision of counselling in schools or colleges for pupils and staff. Our most recent survey of mental health provision in schools and colleges published in 2017 found that 61% of schools and colleges (56% of primary schools, 84% of secondary schools and 93% of colleges) reported offering access to counselling service for their pupils.</p><p>Counselling can play a particularly effective role as part of a whole-school or college approach. Many schools already provide their pupils access to counselling support. It is important for schools and colleges to have the freedom to decide what support to offer to students and staff based on their particular needs and drawing on an evidence base of effective practice. This support can come from a number of sources, including counselling.</p><p>To support the provision of counselling support in schools, the department published a blueprint for school counselling services. This provides schools with practical, evidence-based advice, informed by schools and counselling experts, on how to deliver high quality school-based counselling. It also offers information on how to ensure that vulnerable children, including those who have special educational needs and disabilities, are looked after children or identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, who have a higher prevalence to mental illness, can access counselling provision. Further guidance can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/counselling-in-schools" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/counselling-in-schools</a>.</p><p>The government is investing £8 million in the new Wellbeing for Education Return programme which is funding expert advisers who will be able to train and support schools and colleges in every area of England and can make links to available local authority provision, including counselling. Alongside this, the department launched a £95,000 pilot led by the Education Support charity to provide online peer support and telephone counselling from experts to around 250 school leaders. The pilot will end in March 2021. The outcome of the pilot will inform any future wellbeing and mental health interventions for staff.</p><p>To increase support further in the long term, we remain committed to our joint green paper delivery programme with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England, including introducing new mental health support teams linked to schools and colleges, providing training for senior mental health leads in schools and colleges, and testing approaches to faster access to NHS specialist support.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford grouped question UIN 141428 question first answered 27/01/2021 18:24:51 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1279264

registered interest
date	21/01/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Mental Health Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the availability of in-school counsellors to provide face-to-face mental health support for teachers and staff in schools and colleges.
tabling member constituency	Harlow
tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
uin	141428
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/01/2021 answer text <p>We do not collect regular information on the provision of counselling in schools or colleges for pupils and staff. Our most recent survey of mental health provision in schools and colleges published in 2017 found that 61% of schools and colleges (56% of primary schools, 84% of secondary schools and 93% of colleges) reported offering access to counselling service for their pupils.</p><p>Counselling can play a particularly effective role as part of a whole-school or college approach. Many schools already provide their pupils access to counselling support. It is important for schools and colleges to have the freedom to decide what support to offer to students and staff based on their particular needs and drawing on an evidence base of effective practice. This support can come from a number of sources, including counselling.</p><p>To support the provision of counselling support in schools, the department published a blueprint for school counselling services. This provides schools with practical, evidence-based advice, informed by schools and counselling experts, on how to deliver high quality school-based counselling. It also offers information on how to ensure that vulnerable children, including those who have special educational needs and disabilities, are looked after children or identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, who have a higher prevalence to mental illness, can access counselling provision. Further guidance can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/counselling-in-schools" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/counselling-in-schools</a>.</p><p>The government is investing £8 million in the new Wellbeing for Education Return programme which is funding expert advisers who will be able to train and support schools and colleges in every area of England and can make links to available local authority provision, including counselling. Alongside this, the department launched a £95,000 pilot led by the Education Support charity to provide online peer support and telephone counselling from experts to around 250 school leaders. The pilot will end in March 2021. The outcome of the pilot will inform any future wellbeing and mental health interventions for staff.</p><p>To increase support further in the long term, we remain committed to our joint green paper delivery programme with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England, including introducing new mental health support teams linked to schools and colleges, providing training for senior mental health leads in schools and colleges, and testing approaches to faster access to NHS specialist support.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford grouped question UIN 141427 question first answered 27/01/2021 18:24:51 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1279265

registered interest
date	21/01/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pupils: Mental Health
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how the Wellbeing for Education Return programme has (a) supported children since its introduction in September 2020 and (b) how the funding for that programme has been distributed to date by region.
tabling member constituency	Harlow
tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
uin	141429
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/01/2021 answer text <p>The department has worked with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Health Education England (HEE), Public Health England (PHE) and key voluntary sector organisations, to deliver Wellbeing for Education Return. This project, backed by £8m, has trained local experts to provide additional advice and resources for schools and colleges to help support pupil and student, parent and carer, and staff wellbeing, resilience and recovery in light of the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 outbreak and lockdown. It is intended to give education staff the confidence to support pupils and students, their parents, carers and their own colleagues, and know how and where to access appropriate specialist support where needed.</p><p>Wellbeing for Education Return funding was distributed to all local authority areas in England on 30 September 2020. Local authorities have been funded according to the number of state funded schools and colleges in their locality. Further details on allocations can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/wellbeing-for-education-return-grant-s31-grant-determination-letter" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/wellbeing-for-education-return-grant-s31-grant-determination-letter</a>.</p><p>Local experts from 97% of England’s Local Authority areas have now been trained to deliver support and resources into schools and colleges.</p><p>Over 85% of local authority areas in England have reported that they are delivering additional training and support into local schools and colleges as a result of funding. Nationally, our information indicates that more than 15,000 education settings are being offered this additional training and support.</p><p>In recognition of the significant pressures on school and college staff, local areas are tailoring their support, and offering interactive training sessions and follow up support on key themes to support the mental health and wellbeing of staff and pupils in response to COVID-19.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 27/01/2021 18:34:17 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1279267

registered interest
date	21/01/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pupils: Mental Health
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding his Department is providing to (a) Place2Be and (b) other children’s mental health charities that provide support within schools and colleges, in academic year 2020-21; and how much of that funding has been distributed to date, by region.
tabling member constituency	Harlow
tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
uin	141430
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/01/2021 answer text <p>The department does not provide specific funding to Place2Be or other mental health charities to provide support within schools and colleges.</p><p>It is up to schools and colleges to decide what support to offer to students, drawing on support from specialist services. Many schools use their funding to bring in support from charities, but we do not collect details of spend.</p><p>The Department for Education is currently providing the biggest increase to schools funding in a decade, with total additional investment of £14 billion across the next 3 years. There has already been a £2.6 billion increase in 2020-21, including £780 million for high needs, and there will be an increase of £4.8 billion compared to 2019-20 in 2021-22, including £730 million for high needs. There will also be an increase of £7.1 billion for schools and high needs compared to 2019-20, in 2022-23. High needs funding provides for children with complex special educational needs and disabilities including social, emotional and mental health issues, continues to be provided to local authorities as normal.</p><p>To support the return to school, the government has also announced an additional £650 million ‘catch up’ premium, as part of our wider £1 billion COVID-19 catch up package, to be shared across all state-funded schools over the 2020/21 academic year. This can be used to support pupils’ mental health and wellbeing, as a method of helping pupils to catch up after a period of disruption to their education.</p><p>On 27 January 2021, the government announced a further £300 million of new funding for high-quality tutoring to help children and young people catch up. The government will be working in collaboration with the education sector to develop specific initiatives for summer schools and a COVID premium to support catch up, alongside developing a long-term plan to support pupils to catch up over the course of this Parliament. Further detail on this funding and support will be confirmed in due course.</p><p>As part of our joint Green Paper delivery programme with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England, we are introducing Mental Health Support Teams to provide mental health support to groups of schools and colleges. These are currently being rolled out across England and charities are leading the provision of teams in some areas.</p><p>The government is also funding charities to provide wider support to children, young people and families affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. The department is providing £11 million to the See, Hear Respond programme between June 2020 and March 2021), delivered by a consortium of national and local charities to support vulnerable children and young people whose usual support networks have been impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak and associated restrictions. The programme provides support to those at risk of harm outside of the home, for new or struggling parents and to successfully connect or reintegrate children and young people back into education. It is particularly equipped to work with children under 5 years old and those who are experiencing a negative impact on their mental health.</p><p>Additionally, the government has provided £9 million funding to mental health charities – including Mind, the Samaritans, Young Minds, and Bipolar UK to help them adapt, expand and reach those who are most vulnerable.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 29/01/2021 16:40:56 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1278682

registered interest
date	20/01/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Iran: Nuclear Fuels
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the permanent members of the UN Security Council on reports that Iran is advancing research on uranium metal production.
tabling member constituency	Harlow
tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
uin	140775
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/01/2021 answer text <p>Iran has no credible civilian use for uranium metal, which could provide knowledge gains applicable to a weapons programme. We strongly urge Iran to halt this activity, and return to compliance with its JCPoA commitments without delay. We continue to engage closely with the Permanent Members of the UN Security Council to address Iran's non-compliance.</p> answering member constituency Braintree answering member printed James Cleverly question first answered 29/01/2021 10:29:02 answering member 4366 label Biography information for James Cleverly
tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1278699

registered interest
date	20/01/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Palestinians: Remote Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the findings of the Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education's report on the content of educational material published by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency during the Covid-19 pandemic to assist remote learning, published in January 2021.
tabling member constituency	Harlow
tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
uin	140776
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/01/2021 answer text <p>The UK government has zero-tolerance to incitement of violence, and we have raised this issue with UNRWA. We understand that as soon as the mistake was identified, UNRWA took swift action to correct the issue and conducted a thorough review to address any education materials in breach of its policies. We continue to monitor the situation to ensure self-learning materials remain in line with UN values. No UK funds were used for the development of UNRWA's self-learning material.</p> answering member constituency Braintree answering member printed James Cleverly question first answered 26/01/2021 15:55:47 answering member 4366 label Biography information for James Cleverly previous answer version 76938 answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton answering member 4358
tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1278252

registered interest
date	19/01/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Kurds: Foreign Relations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the policy priorities are of the UK Consulate-General for the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and northern Iraq.
tabling member constituency	Harlow
tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
uin	140043
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2021 answer text <p>The UK supports a strong and successful Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) within a thriving Iraq. During my December visit to Erbil, I discussed the mutual desire to deepen the UK-KRI partnership with the leadership of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). The UK looks forward to continued close engagement with the KRG as a critical and valued partner in the region; progressing security cooperation, increasing our business links, and supporting sustainable economic reform that delivers for all Iraqis.</p> answering member constituency Braintree answering member printed James Cleverly question first answered 25/01/2021 11:13:04 answering member 4366 label Biography information for James Cleverly
tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1278253

registered interest
date	19/01/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Kurds: Embassies
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the suitability of the existing premises for the UK Consulate-General for the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and northern Iraq.
tabling member constituency	Harlow
tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
uin	140044
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2021 answer text <p>The Consulate-General Erbil provides an effective platform for delivering our objectives in conjunction with the Embassy in Baghdad. The FCDO regularly reviews whether the existing premises meet HMG needs and provide value for money. Our physical footprint has remained in one location since 2015 throughout periods of regional instability and provides a fit for purpose and secure diplomatic presence.</p> answering member constituency Braintree answering member printed James Cleverly question first answered 25/01/2021 10:16:19 answering member 4366 label Biography information for James Cleverly
tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1278254

registered interest
date	19/01/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Kurds: Diplomatic Service
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many (a) Departmental staff and (b) local staff are employed in the UK Consulate-General for the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and northern Iraq.
tabling member constituency	Harlow
tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
uin	140045
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2021 answer text <p>The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has fewer than 10 UK Based Staff and fewer than 10 Country Based Staff working in the UK Consulate-General for the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and Northern Iraq.</p> answering member constituency Braintree answering member printed James Cleverly question first answered 25/01/2021 11:03:30 answering member 4366 label Biography information for James Cleverly
tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1278256

registered interest
date	19/01/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Iraq: Kurds
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential role of the UN in assisting the federal and regional governments of Iraq to support (a) resolution of the status of disputed territories in Iraq and (b) a budget deal and a revenue-sharing agreement between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the federal government.
tabling member constituency	Harlow
tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
uin	140046
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2021 answer text <p>We work closely with the UN and international partners to encourage the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government to resolve their issues, including on a sustainable budget and disputed internal boundaries. The recent agreement on Sinjar, which the UN supported, is a positive step in this regard. I discussed these issues with the Governments of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq during my visit in December 2020.</p> answering member constituency Braintree answering member printed James Cleverly question first answered 25/01/2021 10:41:10 answering member 4366 label Biography information for James Cleverly
tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon