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1662069

registered interest
date	19/09/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Childcare: Manchester Withington
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 14 September 2023 to Question 198639 on Childcare, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure the adequacy of (a) trained staff, (b) safe premises and (c) registered places in Manchester Withington constituency by the start of September 2025 to offer eligible children aged nine months and above to access 30 hours a week of free childcare for 38 weeks each year until the end of the term before they start at primary school.
tabling member constituency	Manchester, Withington
tabling member printed	Jeff Smith
uin	200542
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/10/2023 answer text <p>Having enough staff in place to deliver high-quality education and care will be key to ensuring the successful delivery of our record expansion of early years entitlements. Driving up interest in early years careers and ensuring there are enough opportunities for career development is a priority for this government.</p><p>In the government’s Spring Budget 2023, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced transformative reforms to childcare for parents, children and the economy. By 2027/28, this Government will expect to be spending in excess of £8 billion every year on free hours and early education, helping working families with their childcare costs. This represents the single biggest investment in childcare in England ever.</p><p>The department is developing a range of new workforce initiatives including the launch of a new national campaign, planned for the beginning of 2024, to boost interest in the sector and support the recruitment and retention of talented staff. To increase interest in early years, we are working to remove unnecessary barriers to entering the sector as well as considering how to make early years qualifications more accessible, coordinated and relevant.</p><p>Over the summer the department launched a competition for Early Years Skills Bootcamps with a pathway to an accelerated level 3 Early Years Educator apprenticeship, and we will consider degree apprenticeship routes so everyone from junior staff to senior leaders can easily move into or indeed enhance their career in the sector. We are also working across government to boost early years career awareness by collaborating with the Department for Work and Pensions and Careers &amp; Enterprise Company to promote the importance and value of a career in early years.</p><p>Regarding safe premises, with a growing number of staff joining the sector, the safety of our youngest children remains as important as ever. All new and existing early years providers must keep children safe and promote their welfare. The Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework sets the standards that all early years providers in England must meet to ensure that children are kept healthy and safe. More information can be found here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1170108/EYFS_framework_from_September_2023.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1170108/EYFS_framework_from_September_2023.pdf</a>.</p><p>Under these requirements, all owners and managers of childcare settings have a responsibility to ensure that their premises, including overall floor space and outdoor spaces, are fit for purpose and suitable for the age of children cared for and the activities provided on the premises. All providers must also comply with the requirements of health and safety legislation, including fire safety and hygiene requirements. At all times when children are present, at least one person who has a current paediatric first aid certificate must be on the premises.</p><p>Under Section 6 of the Childcare Act 2006, local authorities are responsible for ensuring that the provision of childcare is sufficient to meet the requirements of parents in their area. Part B of the Early education and childcare statutory guidance for local authorities highlights that local authorities should report annually to elected council members on how they are meeting their duty to secure sufficient childcare, and to make this report available and accessible to parents. More information can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-education-and-childcare--2" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-education-and-childcare--2</a>.</p><p>The Department has regular contact with each local authority in England about their sufficiency of childcare and any issues they are facing. Where local authorities report sufficiency challenges, we discuss what action the local authority is taking to address those issues and where needed support the local authority with any specific requirements through our childcare sufficiency support contract.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston grouped question UIN 200257 200283 200288 200294 200540 200541 200550 question first answered 19/10/2023 13:12:38 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
tabling member	4456 label Biography information for Jeff Smith

1658251

registered interest
date	05/09/2023
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Educational Visits: France
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent progress her Department has made on removing barriers to (a) school and (b) other group travel between the UK and France.
tabling member constituency	Manchester, Withington
tabling member printed	Jeff Smith
uin	197839
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2023 answer text <p>All visitors to the United Kingdom are expected to hold a valid passport and visa where necessary. France has its own rules on entry requirements.</p><p>As part of an overall agreement on migration reached with France during the March Leaders’ Summit between the Prime Minister and the French President, we committed to easing travel between our two countries for school children on organised trips. Work is now under way to operationalise these arrangements.</p> answering member constituency Newark answering member printed Robert Jenrick question first answered 11/09/2023 13:41:25 answering member 4320 label Biography information for Robert Jenrick
tabling member	4456 label Biography information for Jeff Smith

1656735

registered interest
date	01/09/2023
answering body	Department for Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	217
answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Cultural Heritage: Grants
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to review the level of grant-in-aid for heritage institutions, in the context of rises in inflation.
tabling member constituency	Manchester, Withington
tabling member printed	Jeff Smith
uin	196475
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2023 answer text <p>The UK’s heritage institutions play a vital part in our nation's rich history and cultural life.</p><p>Just as we supported it through the challenges of the pandemic, HM Government has made support available to mitigate increasing costs for the whole heritage sector, not just those bodies which receive grant-in-aid. The Energy Bills Discount Scheme was implemented from 1 April 2023, a key component of which is the higher level of support being provided to energy and trade-intensive industries. Heritage was recognised as one of these industries and therefore receives a higher level of discount on energy volumes and will be subject to the maximum discount for gas and electricity bills.</p><p>The Department for Culture, Media and Sport continues to work with its arm’s-length bodies and other Government Departments to support the sector’s resilience – and to deliver the Government’s promise to halve inflation this year to ease the cost of living and give people financial security.</p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Sir John Whittingdale question first answered 11/09/2023 13:44:11 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
tabling member	4456 label Biography information for Jeff Smith

1654480

registered interest
date	19/07/2023
answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept id	211
answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
hansard heading	Housing: Solar Power
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to CPRE, the countryside charity’s report entitled Shout from the rooftops: delivering a common sense solar revolution, published in May 2023, whether he plans to ensure that the Future Homes Standard requires roof space-mounted solar arrays to be installed on new homes.
tabling member constituency	Manchester, Withington
tabling member printed	Jeff Smith
uin	195186
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2023 answer text <p>Renewable energy, such as that generated from solar panels, is a key part of our strategy to get to net zero.</p><p>Not all homes are suitable for solar panels. For instance, some homes are heavily shaded due to nearby buildings or trees.</p><p>Under the Future Homes Standard, the Building Regulations will continue to set performance-based standards. Our approach to achieving higher standards will remain technology-neutral, to provide flexibility to choose the most appropriate and cost-effective solutions.</p> answering member constituency North East Derbyshire answering member printed Lee Rowley question first answered 06/09/2023 10:56:17 answering member 4652 label Biography information for Lee Rowley
tabling member	4456 label Biography information for Jeff Smith

1651887

registered interest
date	11/07/2023
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Self-assessment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an equalities impact assessment of proposals for a points-based penalty regime for late submissions of tax returns.
tabling member constituency	Manchester, Withington
tabling member printed	Jeff Smith
uin	193420
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/07/2023 answer text <p>A new points-based penalty system was brought in on 1 January 2023 for all VAT-registered businesses. The Government published the associated screening equality impact assessment on 23 March.</p><p> </p><p>An equalities impact assessment covering the new penalty system for Income Tax Self-Assessment taxpayers will be published during its introduction.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 18/07/2023 14:36:10 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
tabling member	4456 label Biography information for Jeff Smith

1643700

registered interest
date	12/06/2023
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: Guided Weapons
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 his Department has made of Iran's ballistic missile capabilities.
tabling member constituency	Manchester, Withington
tabling member printed	Jeff Smith
uin	189006
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/06/2023 answer text <p>Iran's ballistic missile programme destabilises the region and threatens European security. UN Security Council Resolution 2231 (UNSCR 2231) calls on Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such technology. Alongside France and Germany, we have written regularly to the UN Secretary-General to draw attention to Iranian missile activity inconsistent with UNSCR 2231, most recently on 12 June. We urge Iran to fully abide by UNSCR 2231 and all other relevant resolutions.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 20/06/2023 10:41:56 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4456 label Biography information for Jeff Smith

1643701

registered interest
date	12/06/2023
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: Palestinians
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 extent of Iran's influence on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
tabling member constituency	Manchester, Withington
tabling member printed	Jeff Smith
uin	189007
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/06/2023 answer text <p>The UK Government regularly assesses the impact of Iran's activity throughout the Middle East, including its political, financial and military support to several militant and proscribed groups. We work closely with our partners to deter destabilising Iranian activity in the region, including through a range of sanctions designations. We are aware of the activities of Iranian-backed militant organisations and we are working hard to de-escalate tensions in order to achieve a peaceful negotiated solution for Israel and the Palestinians.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 20/06/2023 10:44:06 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4456 label Biography information for Jeff Smith

1625335

registered interest
date	02/05/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Environment Protection: Technology
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to provide specific (a) educational opportunities and (b) training programmes to help the oil and gas workforce make the transition to work in green technologies.
tabling member constituency	Manchester, Withington
tabling member printed	Jeff Smith
uin	183460
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/05/2023 answer text <p>The department has a range of existing skills and training offers that can support workers looking to transition between oil and gas, and other offshore energy sectors.</p><p>​Skills Bootcamps are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks that give adults the opportunity to build sector-specific skills and access an interview. This can meet the needs of existing workers looking to upskill, as well as new entrants to a sector. Courses are available in energy skills, including offshore renewables and wind turbine blade repair.</p><p>​Apprenticeships are available in a range of occupational standards and can give employers and employees the skills they need to grow. The apprenticeships offer includes training in a huge range of disciplines, from logistics and project management to engineering and manufacturing. Flexibilities within apprenticeships include accelerated apprenticeships, which support those with existing industry experience to complete more quickly by recognising their prior leaning. This would suit people looking to move between sectors with transferable skills. Training is available for a range of engineering occupations crucial to the offshore energy sector including level 7 system integration engineer, level 3 plate welder, and level 4 asset manager.</p><p>In March 2021, The North Sea Transition Deal commited to supporting up to 40,000 direct and indirect supply chain jobs in decarbonising UK Continental Shelf jobs, and in Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) and Hydrogen. In May 2022, the government tasked offshore energy skills organisation, OPITO with developing an Integrated People and Skills Strategy. This work is complimented by the October 2021 Net Zero Strategy which commits the UK to net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The Green Jobs Delivery Group is also covering the oil and gas industry in its detailed work on workforce and skills. The Group will be publishing a Net Zero and Nature Workforce and Skills Action Plan in the first half of 2024.</p><p>​According to the Integrated People and Skills Strategy, there are approximately 118,400 workers in oil and gas, and 148,500 in offshore energy overall. The Strategy forecasts offshore energy sector jobs increasing to 350,000 by 2050. It estimates 90% of the existing UK oil and gas workforce has skills transferable to other offshore energy sectors. Additionally, it states over half of the oil and gas workforce would consider moving into renewable energy jobs, provided they were supported with the right training. The Strategy commits to developing transition pathways to support offshore energy workers open to moving between sectors. This includes integration with the Armed Forces Covenant.</p><p>​A digital skills passport is in development that allows people working in offshore energy to be occupationally competent across oil and gas, CCUS, Hydrogen, and offshore wind. According to the Green Jobs Taskforce report, published in July 2021, approximately 50%, or 100,000, of the UK’s offshore energy jobs by 2030 are predicted to be filled by workers transferring from oil and gas to offshore renewable roles, as well as new entrants from outside the sector. ​</p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 15/05/2023 15:55:57 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
tabling member	4456 label Biography information for Jeff Smith

1623315

registered interest
date	24/04/2023
answering body	Department for Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	217
answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Culture: EU Countries
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support cultural organisations to build and maintain relationships with European partners following the UK’s exit from the European Union.
tabling member constituency	Manchester, Withington
tabling member printed	Jeff Smith
uin	182333
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/05/2023 answer text <p>The Department is taking a number of steps to deepen the longstanding relationships with our European partners — and, indeed, with countries in other continents across the globe — for instance by supporting the British Council’s Seasons of Culture, via bilateral agreements with other Governments, and through our membership of multilateral fora such as the Council of Europe and UNESCO. Ministers also undertake regular international visits and hold virtual meetings to champion British arts and cultural organisations, and engage in regular dialogue with counterparts from key partner countries.</p><p>To give a recent example, in March 2023 the Department supported the UK-France Summit. The communiqué from this acknowledged our deep cultural connections and shared interests and agreed to develop people-to-people initiatives including encouraging mobility, culture, and exchanges, within the framework of the EU-UK relationship.</p><p>The Department also funds Arts Council England to support the sector to forge direct and deeper links at an institution-to-institution level. We agreed an objective with Arts Council England to ‘Help the Cultural Sector to Work Internationally’. This is included in its 2021–24 Delivery Plan and covered in accountability meetings.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 03/05/2023 17:11:07 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4456 label Biography information for Jeff Smith

1623316

registered interest
date	24/04/2023
answering body	Department for Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	217
answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Culture: Brexit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she has made an assessment of the impact of the UK’s exit from the European Union on the income of UK cultural organisations.
tabling member constituency	Manchester, Withington
tabling member printed	Jeff Smith
uin	182334
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2023 answer text <p>HM Government recognises the great value of the UK’s world-leading arts and cultural sectors. The Creative Industries continue to thrive and are a key high growth sector of the economy. The sector contributed £108 billion in 2021, accounting for 6% of UK GVA, and employed 2.3 million people – 7% of the total UK workforce – with employment growth increasing at almost five times the rate of the economy more widely since 2011.</p><p>The UK Shared Prosperity Fund delivers on a commitment to match EU funding across all four nations of the UK and gives local communities control of how their money is spent, removing unnecessary bureaucracy and enabling them to invest in the cultural organisations that particularly matter to them.</p><p>Recently, the Department has also supported the cultural sector through unprecedented periods of financial instability and international border closures with the Culture Recovery Fund. As the published evaluation for the Fund shows, this £1.57 billion package of emergency cultural funding was delivered efficiently, helping support nearly 220,000 jobs and 5,000 organisations through the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p>Similarly, the speed and highly targeted nature of the UK’s COVID-19 vaccination programme had a direct impact on our ability to open up the economy and ease social restrictions more quickly than other comparable countries.</p><p>The Department is also taking a number of steps to reaffirm and deepen the longstanding relationships with our European partners — and, indeed, with countries in other continents across the globe — which will support UK cultural organisations to maintain international connections and partnerships, and to forge new ones – for instance, supporting the British Council’s Seasons of Culture, via bilateral agreements with other governments, and through our membership of multilateral fora such as the Council of Europe and UNESCO. The Department also funds Arts Council England to support the sector to forge direct and deeper links at an institution-to-institution level. In all circumstances, we expect the UK’s creative output to continue to remain an export that is as highly valued in the European Union as it is across the world.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Sir John Whittingdale question first answered 23/05/2023 14:57:54 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
tabling member	4456 label Biography information for Jeff Smith