Asked by: Lord Farmer (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish data about how local authorities who receive funding for the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme are going further than minimum expectations on (1) reducing parental conflict, and (2) support for separating and separated funding.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department does not publish data on how funding impacts reducing parental conflict or support for separating parents.
Through the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme and the Family Hubs Transformation Fund, over 400 family hubs are now open across 88 local authorities. These hubs aim to connect separating parents with local services to prioritise children’s outcomes when agreeing arrangements and to avoid unnecessary court proceedings.
The government recognises the importance of resolving issues quickly and, where appropriate, outside court. The family mediation voucher scheme continues to provide £500 towards mediation costs, with over £16 million in vouchers issued to help 38,700 parents.
Local authorities with developed family hub models may offer hub-based mediation or shared parenting programmes to support separating families. While not mandatory, this is strongly encouraged for areas seeking to enhance their offer.
Asked by: Lord Farmer (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish data about how local authorities who receive funding for the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme are meeting expectations on (1) reducing parental conflict, and (2) support for separating and separated funding.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department does not publish data on how funding impacts reducing parental conflict or support for separating parents.
Through the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme and the Family Hubs Transformation Fund, over 400 family hubs are now open across 88 local authorities. These hubs aim to connect separating parents with local services to prioritise children’s outcomes when agreeing arrangements and to avoid unnecessary court proceedings.
The government recognises the importance of resolving issues quickly and, where appropriate, outside court. The family mediation voucher scheme continues to provide £500 towards mediation costs, with over £16 million in vouchers issued to help 38,700 parents.
Local authorities with developed family hub models may offer hub-based mediation or shared parenting programmes to support separating families. While not mandatory, this is strongly encouraged for areas seeking to enhance their offer.
Asked by: Lord Farmer (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 24 October (HL10891), whether the father's NHS number, email address and telephone number will be added to a baby's Patient Demographic Service records through linking with the father's health record; and if so, who will add those details, how those details will be added, and when those details will be added relative to the baby's birth.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
A father’s, and second parent’s, National Health Service number, emails, and telephone numbers will become available via a look up rather than via an actual field population, if parents have shared their data on the General Registry Office. Information added to the baby’s Personal Demographics Service Record in England will be through an automated process, completed after the birth registration.
Asked by: Lord Farmer (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve the financial sustainability of independent adult hospices in England in the light of plans to legalise assisted dying.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department and NHS England are currently working at pace to develop plans on how best to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care, including that provided by adult hospices, in line with the 10-Year Health Plan.
We are supporting hospices in England with a £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children’s hospices to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.
Irrespective of whether the law changes on assisted dying, we must continue to work towards creating a society where every person who needs it receives high-quality, compassionate palliative and end of life care.
Asked by: Lord Farmer (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will continue to place minimum expectations on those providing family hubs to support separating and separated families, including by connecting them to mediation, shared parenting programmes and programmes to reduce parental conflict.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Reducing Parental Conflict programme continues to deliver effective relationship support for parents, working with Local Authorities (LAs), family support services and a wide network of partners including voluntary and community organisations. Following the Spending Review, the Department will be making internal funding allocations ahead of the new financial year, and decisions will be communicated at the earliest opportunity.
The Programme remains a DWP initiative, though this does not mean it is kept separate from family help programmes. The 75 LAs funded under the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme are expected, as a minimum, to ensure that staff in family hubs are aware of the evidence on the impact of parental conflict, can identify it, can distinguish it from domestic abuse and provide universal level support and initial early support. This support should be available to parents who are together, separating or separated.
From April, all Local Authorities will receive funding to establish Best Start Family Hubs. Best Start Family Hubs will draw on what we know works from the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme, and Sure Start to provide essential support for parents and families. Best Start Family Hubs have a vital role in connecting families to a broad range of services to ensure holistic and integrated support. The Department for Work and Pensions will work closely with the Department for Education as they review the approach to programme expectations in preparation for the roll out of Best Start Family Hubs.
Asked by: Lord Farmer (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will continue to place minimum expectations on those providing family hubs to deliver or refer family members to programmes and other services which reduce parental conflict.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Reducing Parental Conflict programme continues to deliver effective relationship support for parents, working with Local Authorities (LAs), family support services and a wide network of partners including voluntary and community organisations. Following the Spending Review, the Department will be making internal funding allocations ahead of the new financial year, and decisions will be communicated at the earliest opportunity.
The Programme remains a DWP initiative, though this does not mean it is kept separate from family help programmes. The 75 LAs funded under the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme are expected, as a minimum, to ensure that staff in family hubs are aware of the evidence on the impact of parental conflict, can identify it, can distinguish it from domestic abuse and provide universal level support and initial early support. This support should be available to parents who are together, separating or separated.
From April, all Local Authorities will receive funding to establish Best Start Family Hubs. Best Start Family Hubs will draw on what we know works from the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme, and Sure Start to provide essential support for parents and families. Best Start Family Hubs have a vital role in connecting families to a broad range of services to ensure holistic and integrated support. The Department for Work and Pensions will work closely with the Department for Education as they review the approach to programme expectations in preparation for the roll out of Best Start Family Hubs.
Asked by: Lord Farmer (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government where responsibility for the Reducing Parental Conflict programme now lies within government, and whether there are any plans to change the responsible department.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Reducing Parental Conflict programme continues to deliver effective relationship support for parents, working with Local Authorities (LAs), family support services and a wide network of partners including voluntary and community organisations. Following the Spending Review, the Department will be making internal funding allocations ahead of the new financial year, and decisions will be communicated at the earliest opportunity.
The Programme remains a DWP initiative, though this does not mean it is kept separate from family help programmes. The 75 LAs funded under the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme are expected, as a minimum, to ensure that staff in family hubs are aware of the evidence on the impact of parental conflict, can identify it, can distinguish it from domestic abuse and provide universal level support and initial early support. This support should be available to parents who are together, separating or separated.
From April, all Local Authorities will receive funding to establish Best Start Family Hubs. Best Start Family Hubs will draw on what we know works from the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme, and Sure Start to provide essential support for parents and families. Best Start Family Hubs have a vital role in connecting families to a broad range of services to ensure holistic and integrated support. The Department for Work and Pensions will work closely with the Department for Education as they review the approach to programme expectations in preparation for the roll out of Best Start Family Hubs.
Asked by: Lord Farmer (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to announce funding allocations for the next phase of the Reducing Parental Conflict programme.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Reducing Parental Conflict programme continues to deliver effective relationship support for parents, working with Local Authorities (LAs), family support services and a wide network of partners including voluntary and community organisations. Following the Spending Review, the Department will be making internal funding allocations ahead of the new financial year, and decisions will be communicated at the earliest opportunity.
The Programme remains a DWP initiative, though this does not mean it is kept separate from family help programmes. The 75 LAs funded under the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme are expected, as a minimum, to ensure that staff in family hubs are aware of the evidence on the impact of parental conflict, can identify it, can distinguish it from domestic abuse and provide universal level support and initial early support. This support should be available to parents who are together, separating or separated.
From April, all Local Authorities will receive funding to establish Best Start Family Hubs. Best Start Family Hubs will draw on what we know works from the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme, and Sure Start to provide essential support for parents and families. Best Start Family Hubs have a vital role in connecting families to a broad range of services to ensure holistic and integrated support. The Department for Work and Pensions will work closely with the Department for Education as they review the approach to programme expectations in preparation for the roll out of Best Start Family Hubs.
Asked by: Lord Farmer (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the health implications for young people of smoking high-strength cannabis, including psychotic episodes; and what steps they are taking to raise awareness of those implications.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the clear medical and scientific evidence of the harms of cannabis and is committed to reducing the harm from all illicit drugs. Any illegal drug use, including cannabis, can be harmful, due to both the immediate side-effects and long-term physical and mental health problems. Cannabis use can contribute to and exacerbate existing mental health problems or can accelerate their development in people predisposed to mental health problems
Taking cannabis in any form has risks. For instance, vaping supposed tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) may increase the risk of users unwittingly consuming more dangerous substances like synthetic cannabinoids. Where there are incidents of synthetic cannabinoids in THC vapes, the local authority public health team and the Police should take action with partners to warn and protect their communities. The Department is tracking reports nationally and its regional teams are providing localised warnings and support.
The Department has recently launched a media campaign to raise awareness of the risks posed by new drug trends and products, including the adulteration of THC vapes with other drugs like synthetic cannabinoids.
The Government will continue to work with our partners to discourage drug use and to alert people, particularly young people, to the potential dangers of cannabis. The Government has a drug information and advice service called Talk to FRANK, which aims to reduce drug misuse and its harms by increasing awareness, particularly for young people and parents. Talk to FRANK offers easy to read information on the risks of using cannabis and basic harm reduction advice. Information on cannabis is available at the Talk to FRANK website, in an online only format.
Asked by: Lord Farmer (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in establishing a mechanism to collect tax information on a household basis, following the announcement from the Chancellor in the April 2024 Budget.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The personal tax system applies on an individual basis and has done since the introduction of the independent basis of taxation in 1990. The government remains committed to the principle of independent taxation.
However, there is more the government can do to improve how it uses the data it collects to better target financial support to those who need it, including to households.
At the Budget in October 2024, the government confirmed it will explore how better data use and sharing across government departments can improve the targeting of economic support to households, especially in times of crisis. HM Revenue and Customs is working with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to take this forward.