I am grateful for the time that the Committee has spent looking at prison healthcare. We are considering carefully the Committee\u2019s recommendations and will respond in due course. Tackling drugs is vital to ensure safe and productive prison environments and this includes preventing prisoners developing substance misuse issues.<\/p>
To do this, we have formed a Drugs Taskforce, working with law enforcement and health partners across government. The Taskforce is developing a national drugs strategy, underpinned by advice and guidance that will support the whole of the estate to restrict supply, reduce demand and build recovery. Restricting access to illicit drugs in prison is crucial to preventing substance misuse. We are working with the police to catch and convict criminals who smuggle contraband into prisons, and exploring additional security measures and new technology to stop these incursions. Reducing demand for drugs in prison also requires us to get the incentives right. We have developed the concept of \u2018Incentivised Substance Free Living\u2019, where prisoners who can demonstrate \u2013 through regular compact-based and random mandatory testing \u2013 that they are not misusing drugs can experience better living conditions. This will support prisoners to make good decisions and prevent them developing issues with substance misuse. We are also testing innovative approaches through our £9 million joint Ministry of Justice and Department of Health and Social Care Drug Recovery Prison pilot at HMP Holme House.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4137", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rory Stewart"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Penrith and The Border"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rory Stewart"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-21T17:25:26.633Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Prisons: Drugs"} , "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, with reference to paragraph 77 on page 27 of the report of the Health and Social Care Committee Prison Health, published on 1 November 2018, HC 963, what steps he plans to take to prevent prisoners from developing a problem with illicit drugs while in prison.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "true", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4243", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dan Jarvis"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Barnsley Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dan Jarvis"} ], "uin" : "192123"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1008475", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1008475/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Students\u2019 ability to make informed choices is at the heart of our recent reforms to higher education (HE). This government recognises the importance of this area and is increasing the information available to students to ensure that they can make informed choices about what and where to study.<\/p>
As set out in the department\u2019s strategic guidance to the Office for Students (OfS), we expect them to play a key role in delivering our objectives to improve and support informed choice through the provision of effective information, advice and guidance to all students. In February, we asked the OfS to work with the HE sector to improve transparency so that students know what they should expect and can effectively challenge providers who do not deliver on their commitments.<\/p>
In addition, we asked the OfS to consider how to increase the transparency and visibility of what students can expect to receive for their investment at different HE providers, by making Longitudinal Education Outcomes data more widely available such as through publication on Unistats, thereby enabling students to make the right choices for them.<\/p>
Although we provide guidance for the OfS, we cannot instruct it to undertake any specific course of action as it is an independent arm\u2019s length body.<\/p>
The government will respond directly to the Education Select Committee on its HE value for money report recommendations in due course.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3980", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Sam Gyimah"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Surrey"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Sam Gyimah"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-21T16:41:17.557Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Students: Fees and Charges"} , "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, with reference to page 8 of the report of the Education Committee, Value for money in higher education, published on 5 November 2018, if will take steps to require universities to publish a breakdown of how tuition fees are spent.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "true", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4243", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dan Jarvis"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Barnsley Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dan Jarvis"} ], "uin" : "192124"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1008476", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1008476/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Widening participation to Higher Education is a priority for this government. The government wants everyone with the capability to succeed in Higher Education to have the opportunity to benefit from a university education, regardless of their background.<\/p>
This year, record rates of English 18 year olds, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, have entered full-time university. However, more could and should be done. That is why in the department\u2019s first guidance to the Office for Students, we asked them to encourage providers to make further progress in ensuring that students from: areas of low higher education participation; low household income; and/or low socio-economic status, can access, participate and succeed in higher education, including at the most selective institutions.<\/p>
In addition, a new transparency condition requires higher education providers to publish application, offer, acceptance, non-continuation and attainment rates by socio-economic background, gender and ethnicity. This will provide greater transparency and help drive fairness on admissions and outcomes.<\/p>
Prior attainment is a critical factor and the government have asked higher education providers to take on a more direct role in helping to raise attainment in schools as part of their outreach activity. All universities are expected to help raise attainment and support school improvement, including through school sponsorship and by establishing new state schools.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3980", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Sam Gyimah"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Surrey"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Sam Gyimah"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-21T16:19:38.343Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universities: Admissions"} , "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, with reference to page 23 of the report of the Education Committee, Value for money in higher education, published on 5 November 2018, HC 343, what steps he is taking to increase the number of state school-educated students studying at Russell Group universities.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "true", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4243", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dan Jarvis"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Barnsley Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dan Jarvis"} ], "uin" : "192125"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1008477", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1008477/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
In summer 2018, Public Health England and the Local Government Association published a guide for local authorities which provides an overview of gambling-related harms and how councils can begin to try to help local residents who are impacted by it. It provides information on the current framework for prevention and support, information on the regulatory tools councils can use to help tackle gambling-related harm and the role of public health.<\/p>
<\/p>
\u2018Tackling Gambling Related Harm: A whole council approach\u2019 is available to view at the following link:<\/p>
<\/p>