Asked by: Lord Kempsell (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to teach artificial intelligence skills in state schools.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)
Programming, algorithms and the use of information technology are taught to pupils through the statutory national curriculum subject of computing from key stage 1 to key stage 4, providing the foundation for further study in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI).
To support the teaching of AI in schools, the department funds the National Centre for Computing Education (NCCE), which delivers a range of courses for teachers on machine learning and AI, ethics, and teaching about AI in primary and secondary computing. For example, this includes ‘AI in key stage 3 computing’, which supports teachers to understand what AI is and how it can be used for asset creation, equipping them with the knowledge required to promote the effective and safe use of AI tools. The government’s continued investment in the NCCE for the 2025/26 financial year will ensure that teachers can access the support they need to be able to teach about AI, and other computing topics, effectively and confidently.
The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The review seeks to deliver a curriculum that readies young people for life and work, building the knowledge, skills and attributes needed to thrive. This includes considering how young people will acquire the key digital skills needed for future life. The review group will publish an interim report in early spring setting out its interim findings and confirming the key areas for further work, and will publish its final report with recommendations this autumn. The department will take decisions on what changes to make to the curriculum in light of these recommendations.
Asked by: Lord Kempsell (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to upskill public sector workers in artificial intelligence (AI) to improve productivity; and what training in AI is given to civil servants.
Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government Digital Service leads on developing our digital experts, and is taking steps to upskill public sector workers in artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance productivity. This includes the AI Accelerator Programme which, as one of the five Kick Starters in the Blueprint for Modern Digital Government, will upskill >50 data scientists to become machine learning engineers. Furthermore, following a successful AI pilot with second-year Digital Fast Streamers, the Government Digital Service is introducing AI to the broader digital Fast Stream curriculum. Finally, the Civil Service Learning platform offers over 250 hours of AI learning, and is available to all civil servants.
The incubator for AI, within GDS, is also building a suite of productivity tools for public servants, nicknamed 'Humphrey' including meeting transcription and consultation analysis.
Asked by: Lord Kempsell (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will detail the bilateral and multilateral trade deals and arrangements they have signed or acceded to since coming into office.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Since the General Election in July 2024, the UK has acceded to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and has signed a landmark Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) with Iraq – a treaty on trade and strategic cooperation. We have also signed non-legally binding arrangements with partners, such as an Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP) with Thailand, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with U.S. state of Colorado, and endorsed a joint workplan to further bilateral cooperation with Malaysia at the inaugural Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO).
Asked by: Lord Kempsell (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have undertaken an impact assessment or preparatory policy work ahead of their plans to introduce an EU–UK youth mobility scheme, and if so, whether they will publish them.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government set out clear priorities for the reset with the EU in the manifesto. There are no plans for a Youth Mobility Scheme.
Asked by: Lord Kempsell (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have considered rationalising their efficiency efforts in a new department modelled on the Department of Government Efficiency in the USA; and whether they have any plans to learn from that body.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Departments have agreed a 2% productivity, efficiency and savings target in the first phase of the Spending Review and have been set a stretching 5% target in the second phase. This target is to be delivered via efficiencies and savings from innovative technology-driven approaches, such as Artificial Intelligence; more effectively joining up services; and a more strategic approach to government processes, including procurement.
The Chief Secretary to the Treasury has also asked each department to carry out a line-by-line review of existing day-to-day budgets to identify where spending is no longer aligned with this government’s priorities or is poor value for money.
To support these efforts, the Office for Value for Money will work with departments to assess where and how to root out waste and inefficiency, including agreeing plans to deliver technical efficiencies through the Spending Review period. It will also develop recommendations for system reform, informed by lessons learned from the past, international best practice, and the views of external organisations. This will underpin a ruthless focus within government on realising benefits from every pound of public spending.
Asked by: Lord Kempsell (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what were the percentages of successful claimants for (1) Personal Independence Payments, and (2) the Work Capability Assessment, in the (a) 2021–22, (b) 2022–23, and (c) 2023–24, financial years, by assessment modality such as face-to-face, telephone, video, and paper-based.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The percentage of successful claims for Personal Independence Payment at initial decision by financial year and assessment channel is provided in the table below:
Assessment Channel | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 |
Face to Face Assessment | 45% | 42% | 44% |
Paper Based Assessment | 85% | 85% | 88% |
Telephone Assessment | 44% | 46% | 49% |
Video Assessment | 54% | 44% | 47% |
1 The data provided does not include Scottish claimants.
2 The percentage of ‘successful claimants’ is calculated as the volume of clearances awarded out of the volume of clearances which were either awarded or were disallowed post-assessment due to failing the assessment.
The percentage of claimants recommended to be successful during their Work Capability Assessment for Employment and Support Allowance and Universal Credit by financial year and assessment channel is provided below:
Assessment Channel | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 |
Face to face assessment | 77% | 73% | 74% |
Paper based assessment | 100% | 100% | 100% |
Telephone assessment | 71% | 74% | 79% |
Video assessment | 73% | 76% | 77% |
1 Percentages are based on recommendations made by assessment providers for claimants undergoing ESA or Universal Credit work capability assessments. Recommendations are then considered, along with other evidence, by DWP Decision Makers when making a final decision. Outcome data is currently not available in a form that can be analysed within the cost limit.
2 We have assumed 'successful claimants' to be those recommended for the 'Support Group' or 'Work Related Activity Group' for ESA or the 'Limited capability for work and work-related activity' or 'Limited capability for work' groups for Universal Credit Health.
Asked by: Lord Kempsell (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of Access to Work Claimants were in work when claiming Access to Work compared to those with a job offer or those who were or are self-employed for the (1) 2021–22, (2) 2022–23, (3) 2023–24, and (4) 2024–25, financial years.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Available information on Access to Work claimants by employment status is in the following table:
Table 1. Proportion of individuals who received a payment for an Access to Work element within each financial year, by employment status.
Employment Status | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 |
Employed | 78% | 78% | 76% |
Self-employed | 9% | 10% | 12% |
Unemployed | 13% | 12% | 12% |
Notes
Asked by: Lord Kempsell (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether there is any upper limit on the proportion of assessments carried out for each assessment modality (face-to-face, telephony, video, paper-based) by providers of the Health Assessment Advisory Service.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The feasibility of a paper-based assessment will always be considered in the first instance. Only where a paper-based review is not possible, will the claimant then be invited to an assessment.
The contracts between Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and its assessment suppliers’ state that 80% of assessments should be carried out remotely (via telephone or video) and 20% carried out face-to-face, including home visits.
DWP remains committed to enabling a multi-channel assessment approach. Any future decisions will be evidence-based and to ensure this we will draw on existing evidence, as well as continuing to build our understanding via research and analysis.
Asked by: Lord Kempsell (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the current projected spending for the 2024–25 financial year for Access to Work compared to the forecast expenditure for 2024–25 as determined at the Spending Review in 2021.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The forecast expenditure for Access to Work grants for 2024-25 is £290m.
The SR 2021 settlement included baseline funding for Access to Work of c£140m.
Asked by: Lord Kempsell (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of successful claims for (1) Personal Independence Payments, and (2) Employment and Support Allowance/Support Group Top Up in Universal Credit, were reached without medical evidence supplied by a healthcare professional who was not involved in the eligibility assessment, in the financial years (a) 2021–22, (b) 2022–23, (c) 2023–24, and (d) 2024–25.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
The Department does not hold data centrally on whether a health care professional had supplied any medical evidence prior to a claimant’s assessment. Obtaining such data would require a manual search of individual records.