Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown Portrait

Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown

Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer

Became Member: 19th June 2018


Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown is not a member of any APPGs
Shadow DUP Spokesperson (Justice)
1st Jun 2010 - 30th Mar 2015
Shadow DUP Spokesperson (Home Affairs)
1st Jun 2010 - 30th Mar 2015
Shadow DUP Leader of the House of Commons
1st Jun 2009 - 30th Mar 2015
Panel of Chairs
16th Nov 2006 - 30th Mar 2015
Draft House of Lords Reform Bill (Joint Committee)
23rd Jun 2011 - 26th Mar 2012
Public Accounts Commission
12th Jul 2010 - 26th Jan 2011
Shadow Spokesperson (Communities and Local Government)
1st Jun 2009 - 6th May 2010
Shadow Spokesperson (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
1st Jun 2005 - 6th May 2010


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown has voted in 335 divisions, and 8 times against the majority of their Party.

30 Nov 2020 - High Speed Rail (West Midlands–Crewe) Bill - View Vote Context
Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 2 Democratic Unionist Party Aye votes vs 3 Democratic Unionist Party No votes
Tally: Ayes - 265 Noes - 274
5 Oct 2020 - Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill - View Vote Context
Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 1 Democratic Unionist Party Aye votes vs 2 Democratic Unionist Party No votes
Tally: Ayes - 304 Noes - 224
23 Jun 2020 - Corporate Insolvency and Governance Bill - View Vote Context
Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 1 Democratic Unionist Party Aye votes vs 3 Democratic Unionist Party No votes
Tally: Ayes - 160 Noes - 241
10 Jun 2021 - Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development etc.) (England) (Amendment) Order 2021 - View Vote Context
Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 2 Democratic Unionist Party Aye votes vs 2 Democratic Unionist Party No votes
Tally: Ayes - 260 Noes - 229
22 Feb 2022 - Procedure and Privileges Committee - View Vote Context
Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 1 Democratic Unionist Party No votes vs 4 Democratic Unionist Party Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 144 Noes - 133
16 Mar 2022 - Health and Care Bill - View Vote Context
Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 2 Democratic Unionist Party Aye votes vs 2 Democratic Unionist Party No votes
Tally: Ayes - 213 Noes - 154
18 Jul 2023 - Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill - View Vote Context
Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 2 Democratic Unionist Party Aye votes vs 2 Democratic Unionist Party No votes
Tally: Ayes - 195 Noes - 216
23 Oct 2023 - Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill - View Vote Context
Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown voted No - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 1 Democratic Unionist Party No votes vs 5 Democratic Unionist Party Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 179 Noes - 196
View All Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown Division Votes

Debates during the 2019 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Lord Caine (Conservative)
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
(23 debate interactions)
Lord Bethell (Conservative)
(10 debate interactions)
Lord Callanan (Conservative)
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
(7 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Northern Ireland Office
(53 debate contributions)
Department of Health and Social Care
(13 debate contributions)
Home Office
(13 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown's debates

Lords initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.


2 Bills introduced by Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown


The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to require the Secretary of State to set up a body to establish a public initiative for the prevention of suicide and self harm, to work with internet providers and others to reduce access to information on the internet and through other sources on methods of suicide and to develop a system of alerts and blocks for internet searches relating to suicide; and for connected purposes

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading: House Of Commons
Tuesday 13th November 2012

The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to require the Secretary of State to set up a body to establish a public initiative for the prevention of suicide and self harm, to work with internet providers and others to reduce access to information on the internet and through other sources on methods of suicide and to develop a system of alerts and blocks for internet searches relating to suicide; and for connected purposes

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading: House Of Commons
Wednesday 25th April 2012

Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
2 Other Department Questions
1st Mar 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what further steps they are taking to improve social mobility.

This Government believes the circumstances of one's birth should not determine life outcomes.

We recently published our landmark Levelling Up White Paper, which sets out our ambitious plans to spread opportunity more equally across the UK.

The Social Mobility Commission is important to our levelling up agenda. We have bolstered the work of the Commission by recruiting a new Chair and Deputy Chair and giving the Commission more leverage to influence other government departments. We are also running a competition for new Commissioners and the new board is expected to be in place by Spring 2022.

To support our levelling up agenda, the Minister for Women and Equalities announced the Equality Data Programme to ensure that geographic and socio-economic inequality is considered, alongside other factors, when identifying barriers to opportunity.

We will use evidence from the Equality Data Programme and Social Mobility Commission to inform and support the development of policy across the Government to level up opportunities across the UK.

20th Oct 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with the Northern Ireland Executive in preparation for COP26.

We are committed to working with the Northern Ireland Executive, as well as the other devolved administrations, to ensure an inclusive and ambitious summit for the whole of the UK. All parts of the UK will have important roles to play in ensuring the summit’s success.

The COP President Designate, Rt Hon Alok Sharma MP, has invited climate change Ministers from the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive to participate in a regular devolved administrations group to ensure effective engagement and collaboration on COP26 in support of the delivery of an inclusive and welcoming COP26 representative of the whole of the UK. The last meeting took place in September.

Officials in the COP26 Unit are also in regular discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive, as well as the other devolved administrations, about preparations for COP26.

29th Feb 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Irish sea border has been removed.

By any sensible comparison with any other trade border in the world, there is no sense of a trade border for goods moving within the UK internal market. The smooth flow of goods within the UK internal market is secured and strengthened through our commitments in the Safeguarding the Union Command Paper.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
29th Feb 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government whether, given UK internal market requirements, the EU still has any control of trade from Great Britain to Northern Ireland through Regulations 2023/1231 and 2023/1128.

The EU does not have control over the movement of goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. The operation of the UK internal market system is the responsibility of UK competent authorities.

The Government has guaranteed the smooth flow of these and other goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland through the new UK internal market system, which complements the Windsor Framework and its associated legislation. Taken together, these will protect historic trade flows and reduce burdens and formalities on businesses seeking to trade across the UK, backed by a UK internal market guarantee and independent scrutiny.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
17th Nov 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to trigger Article 16 of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.

It remains the UK’s preference to find a negotiated outcome to problems caused by the Northern Ireland Protocol. The Government will use Article 16 as a safeguard measure if a negotiated outcome cannot be found, in order to protect the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and address difficulties caused by the Protocol.

17th Nov 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many suicides have been recorded in each region in England and Wales in the last 12 months.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have, therefore, asked the Authority to respond.

Professor Sir Ian Diamond | National Statistician

Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown

House of Lords

London

SW1A 0PW

19 November 2021

Dear Lord McCrea,

As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question regarding the number of suicides that have been recorded in each region in England and Wales in the last 12 months (HL4142).

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes annual suicide death registration statistics for England and Wales as part of our annual statistical release for the UK (1,2). The latest available figures were published by the ONS in September 2021 and covered calendar years up to 2020. The ONS also publish quarterly provisional statistics on suicide death registrations in England (3). The ONS hold death registrations for England and Wales; separate figures for Northern Ireland and Scotland are available from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (4) and the National Records of Scotland (5), respectively.

Table 1 shows the number of suicides and age standardised suicide rates for regions in England, and Wales, based on deaths registered in 2020 and July 2020 to June 2021. The figures that are compiled for July 2020 to June 2021 are provisional and subject to small changes. The risk of suicide cannot be ascertained based on number of deaths due to varying populations for each region. Therefore, we have provided age-standardised suicide rates in table 1 to allow for valid comparisons across regions.

ONS mortality statistics for England and Wales are compiled from information supplied when deaths are certified and registered as part of civil registration. Deaths caused by suicide are investigated by coroners, causing a delay of around five to six months between the date of death and the date of death registration. As such, with the deaths provided in Table 1, many of these will have occurred several months or even years previously. Data for deaths caused by suicide that occurred in 2020 will be available in 2022, when we have more complete death registrations data.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Sir Ian Diamond

Table 1: Number (6) of suicides (7) and age standardised suicide rates by English regions and Wales, deaths registered in 2020 and July 2020 to June 2021 (8)

2020

July 2020 to June 2021p

Area code

Area name

Deaths

Rate per 100,000

Deaths

Rate per 100,000

E12000001

North East

306

13.3

355

15.3

E12000002

North West

643

10.1

736

11.5

E12000003

Yorkshire and The Humber

550

11.5

602

12.7

E12000004

East Midlands

396

9.3

483

11.3

E12000005

West Midlands

546

10.7

594

11.6

E12000006

East

518

9.5

481

8.8

E12000007

London

543

7.0

546

6.9

E12000008

South East

851

10.6

957

11.9

E12000009

South West

559

11.2

608

12.3

W92000004

Wales

285

10.3

330

12.1

Source: Office for National Statistics

Box 1: International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes used to define suicide

ICD-10 codes

Description

Notes

X60-X84

Intentional self-harm

Persons aged 10 years and above

Y10-Y34

Injury/poisoning of undetermined intent

Persons aged 15 years and above

(1) https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/suicidesintheunitedkingdom/latest

(2) Due to operational difficulties, suicides registered in 2020 in Northern Ireland and Scotland were unavailable at the time of analysis, and so this year’s annual release is for England and Wales only. ONS will update the UK figures at a later stage.

(3) https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/quarterlysuicidedeathregistrationsinengland/latest

(4) https://www.nisra.gov.uk/statistics/cause-death/suicide-deaths

(5) https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/statistics/statistics-by-theme/vital-events/deaths/suicides

(6) Figures are for persons aged 10 years and over.

(7) The National Statistics definition of suicide is given in Box 1.

(8) Figure for July 2020 to June 2021 are provisional and subject to small changes.

(9) The area is based on the persons usual residence as provided by the informant upon registration in England and Wales. Figures for English regions and Wales exclude death of non-residents and are based on the latest available postcode boundaries.

(10) Figures are for deaths registered, rather than deaths occurring in each calendar year. Due to the length of time it takes to complete a coroner’s inquest, it can take months or even years for a suicide to be registered. More details can be found in the ‘Suicide Registrations In The UK’ statistical bulletin.

(11) Age-standardised suicide rates per 100,000 population, standardised to the 2013 European Standard Population. Age-standardised rates are used to allow comparison between populations which may contain different proportions of people of different ages.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
8th Jul 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the devolved administrations regarding the removal of COVID-19 restrictions; and what were the outcomes of those discussions.

The UK government has worked closely with the Devolved Administrations throughout the COVID-19 response. While public health is a devolved matter in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, our joint statement last September demonstrates our commitment to seek a coordinated approach where the evidence and the science shows this would save lives or make the response more effective, and work together to protect lives and livelihoods across the UK.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
29th Jun 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will fully end COVID-19 related restrictions in July.

On 12 July, the Government confirmed Step 4 will take place on 19 July.

The Government has announced that we will move to Step 4 of the roadmap on 19 July but that people should remain cautious given the continued risks of the virus. Therefore, while many of the legal restrictions will be lifted, cautious guidance will remain.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
12th May 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address the economic impact of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.

We have provided extensive support for businesses, including through the Trader Support Service and the Movement Assistance Scheme. We have also invested in promoting growth and opportunities in Northern Ireland, including through £500m of funding for the PEACE Plus programme over seven years and through our £400m New Deal for Northern Ireland.

However, we recognise the significant impact that the Protocol has had on businesses in Northern Ireland, despite the extraordinary efforts they have made to adapt to new requirements. Indeed it is hard to see that the way the Protocol is currently operating can be sustainable for long. That is why we are committed to working urgently and in good faith, through the structures of the Withdrawal Agreement, to find pragmatic ways forward on the issues that have been identified. We hope that, in order for those discussions to make the progress we need, there can be a common sense, risk-based, approach from the EU. We continue to consider all our options in meeting our overriding responsibility for sustaining the peace and prosperity of everyone in Northern Ireland.

28th Nov 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to introduce legislation to deliver unfettered access for goods between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, and to remove the Irish Sea border, custom, and sanitary and phytosanitary checks, under the Windsor Framework.

Following the agreement of the Windsor Framework, the Border Target Operating Model sets out that we will begin phasing in checks and controls for Irish goods and non-qualifying goods moving from the island of Ireland to Great Britian from 31 January 2024.

With this approach, the Government fully preserves its longstanding commitments to ensure Northern Ireland’s businesses have full unconditional and unfettered access to their most important market in Great Britain.

Lord Johnson of Lainston
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
8th Dec 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that motorists achieve value for money from fuel retailers, given varying pump prices for fuel within localised areas.

Following the conclusion of their initial review of the road fuel market, the Competition and Markets Authority has launched a Market Study into the supply of road fuel in the UK and is investigating whether the growing gap between the oil price and wholesale price of fuel, including disparities in price at retailers and across urban and rural areas, is justified.

The Department looks forward to receiving its final report and the Government will carefully consider, alongside relevant industry partners, any recommendations made in the study.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
8th Dec 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government when the energy support payments they pledged would be made available to all regions of the UK will be paid to people living in Northern Ireland; and what is the reason for the delay in making these payments.

On 19 December the Government announced that all households in Northern Ireland will receive support with their energy bills this winter through a single payment of £600. This is made up of £400 under the Energy Bills Support Scheme and £200 under the Alternative Fuel Payment. This will be delivered through electricity suppliers, with payments starting in January.

For Northern Ireland we have developed and will deliver a separate and bespoke scheme, working with the separate Northern Ireland electricity suppliers, and respecting the very different nature of the energy market in that part of the United Kingdom.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
8th Dec 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government what further steps they will take to boost the (1) security, (2) efficiency, and (3) affordability, of energy supplies during the winter months.

The UK has a secure and diverse energy system. The Government is confident in its plans to protect households and businesses in the full range of scenarios this winter.

The Government has put plans in place to secure supply and National Grid, working alongside energy suppliers and Ofgem, has launched a voluntary service to reward users who reduce their electricity demand at peak times. A similar scheme to reward voluntary demand reduction by the heaviest gas users to support energy security is also available, if required.

Making homes and businesses more energy efficient is part of the Government’s wider long-term commitment, announced as part of the Autumn Statement, to reduce the UK’s final energy consumption from buildings and industry by 15% by 2030 against 2021 levels. The Government is investing £6.6 billion over this parliament on decarbonising heat and energy efficiency measures. The Government has also rolled out a number of energy support schemes across GB and NI to support consumers over the winter with rising energy costs such as the Energy Price Guarantee, Alternative Fuel Payment, Energy Bills Support Scheme. For business the Government has set up Energy Bill Relief Scheme.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
24th May 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to help householders facing increasing energy bills.

On 26 May 2022, the Government announced a £15 billion package of cost of living support. This is in addition to the over £22 billion announced previously for the cost of living now totalling over £37 billion this year. This means almost eight million of the most vulnerable households will get £1,200 of one-off support in total this year, with all domestic electricity customers receiving at least £400.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
31st Mar 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what further steps they will take to support small- and medium-sized businesses with rising costs.

The Government is providing a range of support to help small and medium-sized businesses with rising costs. The Government has cut fuel duty for 12 months, raised the Employment Allowance to £5,000, and is zero-rating VAT on energy-saving materials. This builds on existing support, including business rates relief worth £7 billion over five years.

In addition, the Help to Grow programmes enable small and medium-sized businesses to mitigate the effects of rising costs by improving their productivity. Help to Grow Digital will support up to 100,000 SMEs by providing financial discounts covering half the costs of approved digital technologies, up to a value of £5000, to help them boost their performance. Help to Grow Management, meanwhile, is an intensive national training programme designed to improve leadership and management skills. Delivered by leading business schools across the UK, the programme is 90% subsidised by the Government, with participants contributing £750. It will support up to 30,000 SME business leaders to increase productivity, seize investment opportunities and grow their businesses, developing skills in areas such as financial management, innovation and staff engagement.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
29th Mar 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the causes of the disparity in diesel and petrol prices at filling stations across the country.

The Department’s analysis shows that retail prices of petroleum products such as petrol and diesel are primarily driven by the underlying price in the global market of crude oil and by exchange rates. Departmental analysis shows that changes to the price of crude oil feed through to retail prices over the course of 6-7 weeks.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
22nd Mar 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to protect the rights of P&O Ferries staff who were made redundant on 17 March.

My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has written to the Insolvency Service asking them to urgently undertake a thorough review into the actions of P&O Ferries. This will include any scope to take action against the company’s directors. While I do not wish to prejudge the outcome, and it is important due process is followed, we will not hesitate to take further action if appropriate to do so.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
1st Mar 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to support the hydrogen sector across the UK.

The UK Hydrogen Strategy reaffirms the Government’s aim to have 5GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity in the UK by 2030. In the strategy, the Government lays the foundations for a thriving hydrogen economy by 2030, setting out how the Government will support innovation and stimulate investment to rapidly scale up low carbon hydrogen production and use across the economy this decade.

The Government has announced that it will set up the Industrial Decarbonisation and Hydrogen Revenue Support scheme (IDHRS), which will support both electrolytic (‘green’) and CCUS enabled (‘blue’) low carbon hydrogen production. The Government will be providing up to £140 million to establish the scheme, including up to £100 million to award contracts of up to 250MW of electrolytic hydrogen production capacity in 2023 with further allocation in 2024. This means that 500MW of electrolytic hydrogen production projects will be operational or in construction by 2025. The Government will also announce the revenue envelope for CCUS-enabled hydrogen and industrial carbon capture in 2022, which will allow contracts, from 2023, to be awarded for up to 1GW of CCUS-enabled hydrogen.

In the coming months the Government will launch the £240 million Net Zero Hydrogen Fund, the first £100 million allocation round for electrolytic hydrogen projects and publish a sector roadmap with a focus on investment, in addition to a Sector Development Action Plan.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
1st Mar 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what further steps they will take to support solar energy across the UK.

The Government’s Net Zero Strategy included a commitment to accelerate deployment of low-cost renewable generation, such as solar, across the UK in the 2020s and beyond.

The Government is providing ongoing support to large-scale solar projects across Great Britain in the Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme. The fourth CfD auction opened in December 2021 and will aim to deliver up to double the renewable capacity of the last round. Rooftop solar in Great Britain is supported through the Smart Export Guarantee scheme, which requires electricity suppliers to offer a tariff to buy electricity exported to the grid by small low-carbon generators, typically solar panels.

The Government is implementing around £170 million of business rates support in England for green technologies, including solar, to support decarbonising buildings. The Government also supports UK-based innovation in solar through various innovation schemes, including the Energy Entrepreneurs Fund, and is working with the solar industry to support development of the UK solar supply chain.

Energy policy is devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
1st Mar 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what further steps they are taking to alleviate the impact of rising energy prices.

The Government is committed to ensuring that support is provided to help consumers deal with the impact of high wholesale energy costs. The Government is providing a package of support worth £9.1 billion in 2022-23 which includes a £150 Council Tax rebate for bands A-D, £144 million discretionary funding for local authorities and a £200 energy bill reduction which will help over 28 million households.

This is in addition to the support the Government will continue to provide through the Warm Home Discount Scheme, which this winter is providing over 2 million households with a £140 rebate off their energy bill. The Government has announced that it would be increasing to £150 and help an extra 780,000 households next winter. Further, Winter Fuel Payments and Cold Weather Payments help ensure the most vulnerable are better able to heat their homes over the colder months.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
13th Dec 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of gambling advertisements on gambling harm.

His Majesty’s Government recognises that, while millions of people gamble online without experiencing problems, for some it becomes an addiction with serious consequences. It is particularly important to take steps to protect those most at risk of problem gambling.

There are robust rules in place to ensure that gambling advertising is socially responsible and that it cannot be targeted at or strongly appeal to children. Gambling advertising is covered by the UK Advertising Codes which are regulated by the Advertising Standards Authority, and there are also specific Gambling Commission licence conditions which regulate how gambling operators advertise. The UK Advertising Codes were strengthened last year, with new protections for children and vulnerable adults.

Earlier this year, HM Government published a White Paper on gambling which outlined a comprehensive package of reforms to make gambling safer. This included measures to tackle the most aggressive and harmful advertising practices by preventing bonuses being constructed and targeted in harmful ways, giving customers more control over the marketing they receive, and introducing messaging about the risks associated with gambling.

The Gambling Commission has already consulted on improving marketing consents, and we are working closely with it and others to bring the changes into force as quickly as possible.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
31st Mar 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the percentage of the public who have experienced serious gambling-related harm.

As set out in Public Health England’s (PHE) evidence review of gambling-related harms, the most commonly used screening tools - the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) - categorise gambling-related harm as either low-risk, moderate-risk, or problem gambling, with problem gambling defined as gambling with negative consequences and a possible lack of control. PHE’s review found the problem gambling rate for England was estimated as 0.5% in 2018, and has been relatively stable since 2012. The 2016 Combined Health survey reported an overall rate of problem gambling for adults in Great Britain of 0.7%.

To supplement the Health Surveys, the Gambling Commission carries out a quarterly survey by telephone which uses a short-form PGSI screening to define problem gambling status. For the year to December 2021, this estimated a problem gambling rate of 0.3%.

The Gambling Commission’s ‘Young People and Gambling’ report has measured gambling behaviour in children since 2014, including problem gambling using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition Adapted for Juveniles. In 2019, the most recent year for which the survey has been based on complete data, the rate for 11-16 year olds in England, Scotland and Wales was 1.7%.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
24th Nov 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to stop children aged 11 to 16 from becoming gambling addicts.

All gambling operators providing facilities to British customers must comply with the conditions of their Gambling Commission licences, including measures to protect children and vulnerable people. It is an offence to allow children to participate in most forms of commercial gambling and there are strict requirements to verify age. All operators advertising in the UK must also abide by the advertising codes issued by the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) and the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) in which a wide range of provisions are designed to protect children. CAP has consulted on tightening these rules further.

As part of the statutory Relationships, Sex and Health Education curriculum in England, young people are taught about the risks relating to gambling, including the accumulation of debt. To support teachers to deliver these topics safely and with confidence, the Department for Education has also developed a series of training modules, one of which has a specific section on gambling. Other curriculum subjects, such as citizenship, mathematics and computing, can also help develop young people’s financial literacy and highlight the risks associated with gambling.

As part of its broad scope, the Gambling Act Review is looking at the effectiveness of existing measures to ensure the protection of young and vulnerable people from the risks associated with all types of gambling. We are considering the evidence carefully and will publish a white paper outlining conclusions and next steps in due course.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
24th Nov 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what further steps they are taking to overturn the BBC removal of free TV licences for those over 75 years old.

The Government remains deeply disappointed with the BBC's decision to restrict the licence fee concession for people over the age of 75 to only those in receipt of pension credit. We recognise the value of free TV licences for people over the age of 75 and believe they should be funded by the BBC.

The Digital Economy Act 2017 provides that the future of the concession is the responsibility of the BBC, not of the Government. This reform was subject to public discussion and debated extensively during the passage of the Act through Parliament. The BBC must ensure that it supports those affected by its decision, and it must look at how it uses its substantial licence fee income to support older people.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
22nd Oct 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what further (1) steps they will take, and (2) sanctions they will apply, against social media outlets that fail to protect users from offensive content.

The Government is introducing new laws which will require companies to improve user safety online, particularly to tackle illegal content and protect children online. The biggest social media companies will need to set clear standards for content that could cause significant physical or psychological harm to adults and enforce them consistently. This will help ensure adult users are empowered to manage their own online safety.

The Government is committed to protecting free speech online, including the right to express controversial opinions that some may consider offensive. Companies and Ofcom will have duties that ensure freedom of expression is protected.

Ofcom will have a suite of enforcement powers to use against companies who fail to fulfil their duties, including substantial fines. There is also a deferred power to bring in new criminal offences for senior managers who fail to ensure their company provides full information to Ofcom. We are looking at how we can bring these sanctions into force faster.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
5th Jul 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure the Queen's Platinum Jubilee is celebrated across the UK.

Her Majesty’s Government is delighted to be working with Buckingham Palace to develop UK-wide opportunities to celebrate Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

We are working closely with the Devolved Administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to ensure that individuals, communities and organisations across the UK are able to come together to mark the occasion.

A UK-wide Bank Holiday was announced on 12 November 2020 to enable communities across the UK to share in the celebrations together.

Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
15th Apr 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had about creating a monument in memory of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

We will consider any proposals for longer-term tributes, and in consultation with the Royal Household, in due course. No discussions have taken place to date.

Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
8th Dec 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Netflix about the inclusion of a disclaimer to explain to viewers of The Crown that the series is fictional.

The Secretary of State wrote to Netflix and outlined that while The Crown is a beautifully produced and acted drama, the company should be very clear it is a work of fiction. He also welcomed Netflix's continued commitment and investment in the UK.

Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
27th Oct 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to stop older people from being targeted by scam telephone calls.

The Government recognises that nuisance and scam calls can be particularly stressful and damaging for the most vulnerable in society. The Government has taken a range of actions to reduce the number of nuisance calls including banning cold calls from pension providers unless the consumer has explicitly agreed to be contacted. We have been working with National Trading Standards to supply call blocking devices to some of the most vulnerable in society.

The Government has been running the Take Five fraud awareness campaign designed to urge the public and businesses to take time to consider whether a situation they find themselves in is genuine. The campaign equips the public to more confidently challenge fraudulent approaches – be they face-to-face, on the telephone or online. Specific advice on phone scams and phishing can be found at www.takefive-stopfraud.org.uk.

With regards to fraud more generally, the government has recently launched a gov.uk page that contains easy-to-follow steps to spot potential frauds and to avoid them. It also signposts advice and support to those who may unfortunately have fallen victim. This page can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-fraud-and-cyber-crime

Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
13th Dec 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what further steps they are taking to tackle anti-Semitism in universities.

​​This government takes antisemitism extremely seriously. The department is deeply concerned about the growth in antisemitic incidents on campus since the 7 October terrorist attacks against Israel. That is why, on 22 November, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced in his Autumn Statement an additional £7 million over 3 years to tackle antisemitism in education.

​My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, wrote to all schools, colleges and universities on 11 October, urging them to respond swiftly to hate-related incidents and actively reassure Jewish students that they can study without fear of harassment or intimidation. The department wrote again to Vice Chancellors on 16 November, further emphasising the use of disciplinary measures and the importance of police engagement, as well as the suspension of student visas where the student is a foreign national. This was one of the key actions set out in the five-point plan for tackling antisemitism in higher education, which was published on 5 November 2023.

Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
18th Jul 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what further measures they will take to ensure practical, vocational training is available in each region of England.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

The government’s skills reforms in England provide a ladder of opportunity that enables young people and adults to get good jobs and progress in their careers wherever they live in England. We are building a skills system that is employer focused, high-quality and fit for the future. It is also flexible enough to lead to more people completing high-quality courses that meet employers’ needs.

£3.8 billion has been invested in the skills agenda over this Parliament. The department is using this to expand and strengthen higher and further education, ensuring skills training is aligned to the needs of employers to enable communities to thrive. With this investment, we are putting employers at the heart of our skills system. This is why we are working with industry to shape our training offers, creating more routes into skilled employment in key economic sectors.

Apprenticeships provide people of all backgrounds across the country with the opportunity to earn and learn the skills needed to start, or progress in, an exciting career. We are increasing investment in apprenticeships to £2.7 billion by 2024/25, and employers have developed over 670 high-quality apprenticeships, to support all sectors to develop the skilled workforces they need. To support small and medium enterprises across the country, we continue to pay 95% of their apprenticeship training costs and have recently removed the limit on the number of apprentices they can recruit, making it easier for them to grow their businesses with the skilled apprentices they need.

First introduced in 2020, T Levels are boosting access to high-quality technical education for young people after their GCSEs. Developed with employers so that the content meets the needs of industry, T Levels offer students a mixture of classroom learning and ‘on-the-job’ experience during an industry placement of at least 45 days. T Levels are being introduced in a phased approach, with 16 T Levels currently available and over 160 providers across the country delivering.

The Free Courses for Jobs offer, which was launched in April 2021, allows eligible adults to access over 400 level 3 qualifications, A level equivalent, for free. Eligible adults include adults without a full level 3, adults earning under the National Living Wage annually (£20,319 from April 2023) or unemployed adults, regardless of their prior qualification level.

Skills Bootcamps are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills, with an offer of a job interview with an employer on completion. Skills Bootcamps are available in a variety of skill areas including digital, technical, construction, logistics (HGV driving), and skills that support the green economy. We are scaling up Skills Bootcamps delivery to 64,000 starts by the 2024/25 financial year through national procurement and grant funding to 25 Mayoral Combined Authorities and local areas.

High-quality careers information, advice and guidance is key to helping people to make informed decisions about their future, including being able to find out about and consider the different options available to them for employment in all sectors. The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) is supporting schools and colleges to embed best practice in the delivery of careers information, advice and guidance. This allows young people to be aware of the full range of training and careers available to them and to have access to a broad range of employers and workplaces.

We plan to invest £300 million of capital funding to establish 21 Institutes of Technology (IoTs) across the country providing access to industry standard facilities which focus on the needs of employers and learners in their specific geographical areas. IoTs are employer-led provider organisations working in collaboration with colleges and universities, which deliver higher technical training, with the focus on level 4-5 skills.

Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
29th Nov 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage children back into classroom education following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

Being in school is crucial to pupils’ attainment, wellbeing, and wider life chances. The department is focusing on supporting the recovery of children and young people from the disruption of COVID-19 through an ambitious multi-year programme and has made available almost £5 billion for education recovery. This investment includes up to £1.5 billion for tutoring, nearly £2 billion of direct funding to schools so they can deliver evidence-based interventions based on pupil needs, £400 million on teacher training opportunities, and over £800 million for additional hours in 16-19 education.

In addition, the department has brought together an Attendance Action Alliance of lead professionals from key frontline services that support families. Members from education, health, justice, the third sector, and parent organisations have collectively committed to use their roles and organisations to undertake activities to improve attendance.

The department has also published new ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ guidance, which makes clear the importance of addressing the barriers to attendance through strong multi-agency working at school, multi-academy trust and local authority level. This guidance intends to ensure greater consistency in the attendance support offered to pupils and families, regardless of where they live, and emphasises the importance of providing attendance support in an earlier and more targeted way to respond to pupils’ individual needs.

To support this, the department has established an automated, more timely flow of attendance data from participating schools’ management information systems. Over 75% of state-funded schools have agreed to voluntarily share this data, which allows participating schools, their trust, and their local authority to see daily attendance for their pupils in order to identify those who need support earlier. This data is also being published fortnightly at a local authority, regional and national level to enable comparisons and early identification and response to emerging attendance trends.

Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
31st Mar 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what further steps will be taken to ensure that teachers are trained to identify dyslexia and dyspraxia.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response will outline the information for England only.

The department is committed to ensuring that all pupils can reach their potential and receive excellent support from their teachers. Published on 28 March 2022, the Schools White Paper sets the foundations to support the aims and ambitions of the SEND Review.

The department’s reformed initial teacher training (ITT) core content framework and the new Early Career Framework (ECF), both developed with sector experts, will equip teachers with a clear understanding of the needs of children with SEND.

All teachers are teachers of SEND. ITT courses must be designed so that trainee teachers can demonstrate that they meet the Teachers’ Standards at the appropriate level. This includes the requirement that all teachers must have a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND.

Consideration of SEND underpins both the ITT core content framework and ECF. The ECF is designed to support all pupils to succeed and seeks to widen access for all.

Once teachers qualify and are employed in schools, headteachers use their professional judgement to identify any further training. This includes specific specialisms for and relevant to individual staff, the school, and its pupils.

The department has funded the creation of a suite of condition specific videos to provide helpful pointers, techniques, and advice on inclusive teaching strategies for newly qualified teachers. The videos cover dyslexia and dyspraxia amongst a range of specific learning needs.

Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
22nd Mar 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that adequate provisions are made to protect Ukrainian (1) orphans, and (2) unaccompanied children, who come to the UK.

The department is committed to supporting those fleeing from Ukraine.

It is generally in the best interests of a child to be reunited with family members when possible. The Ukrainian government has also been clear that children should not be taken into care without their agreement.

The department takes the welfare of all unaccompanied children extremely seriously and is committed to ensuring they are properly safeguarded. Statutory duties placed on the local authority in respect of unaccompanied children will apply to any unaccompanied or orphaned Ukrainian children arriving in the UK.

In England, section 17 of the Children Act 1989 imposes a general duty on local authorities to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in need in their area, and to accommodate them if they meet the relevant criteria.

Generally, once a child has been accommodated by a local authority continuously for more than 24 hours, they become a looked after child and should be safeguarded. Their welfare should be promoted in the same way as any other looked after child, taking account of their particular needs.

Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
22nd Mar 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure there are adequate specialist teachers to support children with Special Educational Needs.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response will outline the information for England only. We have the same high ambitions for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) as we do for every child, and we know that they benefit from excellent teaching that allows them to fulfil their potential. The Schools White Paper, published Monday 28 March, sets the foundations to support the aims and ambitions of the SEND Review. We want to make our system even better for all children, especially those in need of extra support.

Our reformed Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework (ITT CCF) and the new Early Career Framework (ECF), both developed with sector experts, will equip teachers with a clear understanding of the needs of children with SEND.

All teachers are teachers of SEND. ITT courses must be designed so that trainee teachers can demonstrate that they meet the Teachers’ Standards at the appropriate level, which includes the requirement that all teachers must have a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND.

Consideration of SEND underpins both the ITT CCF and ECF, which were both produced with the support of sector experts. The ECF is designed to support all pupils to succeed and seeks to widen access for all.

Furthermore, as part of the SEND and Alternative Provision Green Paper, we will consult on introducing a leadership level SENCO National Professional Qualification to replace the National Award in SEN Coordination (NASENCO) as the mandatory qualification for SENCOs. We have set out further detail in the SEND Review.

This will better align SENCO qualifications with our reformed teacher development system and ensure that these professionals are fully supported to meet the needs of children and young people with SEND.

It is a legal requirement for qualified teachers of classes of pupils with sensory impairments to hold the relevant mandatory qualification, known as MQSI. The department’s aim is to ensure a steady supply of teachers for children with visual, hearing, and multi-sensory impairment, in both specialist and mainstream education providers.

Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
24th Nov 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many vulnerable children are in (1) council, or (2) social care, facilities in England.

The department collects data on the number of children looked after in local authority care in England. Local authorities have a legal duty to provide appropriate accommodation for all children that are looked after. This data is collected on the annual SSD903 'children looked after by local authorities in England' statistical return, and the latest figures relate to the collection year ending 31 March 2021.

These figures on the number of children looked after by their placement type were published on the 18 November 2021 in Table A5 of the annual statistical release at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoptions. This is the first release of data covering the time period of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
22nd Oct 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what further steps they intend to take to ensure that lifelong learning is available to all, including those with special educational needs.

We are committed to supporting everyone, whatever their age and background, including those with a special education need or disability, to attain the skills that will be needed in the economy of the future.

In the first three quarters of the 2020/21 academic year (August to April), 16.2% of all adult learners declared a learning difficulty or disability, which demonstrates our commitment to those learners with additional needs.


Our Skills for Jobs white paper published in January 2021, is focused on giving people the skills they need, in a way that suits them, so they can get great jobs in sectors the economy needs and boost this country’s productivity. Through our reforms we are ensuring people have opportunities to study, by delivering my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee, to upskill and reskill at different points in their life.

Starting this year, the government is investing £2.5 billion (£3 billion when including Barnett funding for devolved administrations) in the National Skills Fund. This is a significant investment and has the potential to deliver new opportunities to generations of adults who may have been previously left behind.

Since 1 April this year, the government is supporting any adult who does not have A level equivalent or higher qualifications, to access over 400 fully funded level 3 courses, with Free Courses for Jobs.

This offer is a long-term commitment, backed by £95 million from the National Skills Fund in year one. Removing the barrier of funding training for millions of adults gives more people the chance to get ahead in work, no matter their age or background.

Complementing this support for adults, Skills Bootcamps offer free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and fast-track to an interview with a local employer. We expect the Skills Bootcamps to represent the diversity of the local population and we encourage people from under-represented groups to take advantage of these fantastic opportunities.

Through our lifelong loan entitlement, introduced from 2025, we will make it easier for adults and young people to study more flexibly. This will allow them to space out their studies across their lifetimes, transfer credits between colleges and universities, and enable more part-time study.

More specifically, students with special educational needs and disabilities are an important part of our vision for, and motivation behind, a flexible skills system. We believe that more flexible provision can be of particular benefit to these students and plan to use the upcoming consultation on the lifelong loan entitlement to build our evidence base on how to support all people to access or benefit from this offer.

We are also continuing to invest in education and skills training for adults through the Adult Education Budget (AEB) by providing £1.34 billion in the 2021/22 financial year. The AEB fully funds or co-funds skills provision for eligible adults aged 19 and above from pre-entry to level 3, to support adults to gain the skills they need for work, an apprenticeship or further learning.

The AEB also provides funds to providers to help adults overcome barriers to learning. This includes learner support for those with financial hardship and learning support to meet the additional needs of learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
14th Jul 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to stop fake positive COVID-19 test results being used to require school pupils to self-isolate.

It is important that everyone using lateral flow devices (LFD) uses them in the correct way to ensure we can control and slow the spread of COVID-19. On their return to school or college from 8 March, pupils and students were tested three times at an on-site asymptomatic testing site. This gave pupils and students the opportunity to get used to swabbing in a supervised environment.

In line with the latest public health advice, it is important to continue regular testing and reporting in order to detect cases of COVID-19. Around one in three people with COVID-19 experience no symptoms and rapid testing with lateral flow tests helps to identify positive cases that would otherwise be missed. Antigen LFD tests have a very high specificity, possibly as high as 99.97%, which means three false positives in every 10,000 LFDs. Despite this, due to the lower prevalence, the probability of a false positive from an LFD becomes higher. We are mitigating this by asking people to confirm a positive antigen LFD test with a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.

From Step 4 of the roadmap, nurseries, schools and colleges will not routinely be required to undertake contact tracing for children and young people. Instead, pupils and students who test positive will be subject to the normal test and trace process, which will identify close contacts. This will be limited to close contacts. Unless they test positive, children and those who are double vaccinated will not be required to isolate from 16 August, if they are identified as a close contact, and instead will be advised to take a PCR test. Further guidance will be provided shortly. Self-isolation continues for those who have tested positive for COVID-19 and for those with symptoms.

5th Jul 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what additional measures they intend to take to ensure life-long learning is available for those with severe learning difficulties.

The government believes that students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) must get the support that they need to benefit from the Lifetime Skills Guarantee (LSG).

Preparing all young people with SEND for adulthood is a key part of the SEND system and should begin from the earliest point. Colleges have a duty to use their best endeavours to secure the special educational provision that the young person needs, regardless of whether students have an education, health and care plan.

We believe that our measures in the Skills for Jobs Bill will support those with SEND. The cross-government SEND review, which is currently underway, will consider how children and young people with SEND can be supported effectively. We will continue to work closely with the SEND sector and system leaders at pace over the coming months, to ensure we are in a strong position to publish proposals for public consultation as soon as possible.

The adult education budget supports the delivery of flexible tailored provision for eligible adults aged 19 and above from pre-entry to level 3 qualifications. The provision is either fully or co-funded, depending on the learner’s age, prior attainment, and circumstances, and helps learners to gain the skills they need for work, an apprenticeship or further learning. Under the LSG, the government is now supporting any adult (aged 19 and above) who does not have A levels or equivalent qualifications, to access around 400 fully funded level 3 courses, with free courses for jobs. Complementing this, skills bootcamps offer free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and fast-track to an interview with a local employer. Both offers are funded through the National Skills Fund. We will be launching a consultation on the fund in due course to ensure that we use this investment to help adults, including those with protected characteristics, to gain the valuable skills they need to improve their job prospects.

Finally, the Lifelong Loan Entitlement (LLE), will be introduced from 2025, providing individuals with a loan entitlement to the equivalent of four years of post-18 education to use over their lifetime. We believe students with SEND must get the support that they need to benefit from the LLE. The government has not yet determined what form this support will take, and plan to use our consultation this year to build our evidence base on how people with protected characteristics might access or benefit from the LLE offer. We do not want to prejudge the information we receive and outcome of the consultation.

24th Jun 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to assist children who have not returned to school during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since 8 March, school attendance has been mandatory for all pupils and the usual rules on school attendance apply again. It is vital for all pupils to attend school to minimise the longer term impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on their education, wellbeing, and wider development.

The Department understands that some pupils, parents, and households may be reluctant or anxious about attending school. Schools are encouraged to discuss any concerns with parents and explain the measures they are putting in place to reduce any risks. Schools should work closely with other professionals, where appropriate, to support school attendance. Some local councils also have teams that help parents improve their child’s attendance at school.

When any child is withdrawn from a school, schools are obliged to make the reason for withdrawal known to the local authority. When the reason is for elective home education, all local authorities have procedures in place to identify whether the education received is suitable to the child’s needs, age, and ability.

Local authorities have powers to intervene when they cannot establish if a suitable education is being provided. In April 2019, the Department published revised guidance for local authorities and parents on the oversight of home education. The guidance has been substantially strengthened to set out the steps that a local authority can take when they believe the education provided by parents is unsuitable, including when there are safeguarding concerns. Local authorities may also provide support and guidance to families who are home educating should resources allow and families wish to receive it.

12th May 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that people with a learning disability can access educational provision as adults.

Education is a devolved matter, and as such, this response outlines our support for adults with learning disabilities in England.

Adult skills are key in supporting the economy and tackling disadvantage, and so we are continuing to invest in education and skills training for adults through the Adult Education Budget (AEB), worth £1.34 billion in the 2020/21 financial year. The AEB fully funds or co-funds skills provision for eligible adults aged 19 and above from pre-entry to level 3, to support adults to gain the skills they need for work, an apprenticeship or further learning and training up to level 2 for unemployed people aged 19 and over.

The AEB funds colleges and providers to help adult learners to overcome barriers which prevent them from taking part in learning. This includes Learner Support to support learners with a specific financial hardship and learning support to meet the additional needs of learners with learning difficulties or disabilities.

Learning support funding helps colleges and training providers to meet the additional needs of learners with learning difficulties or disabilities and to meet the costs of reasonable adjustments as set out in the Equality Act 2010.

Learning support can cover a range of needs, including an assessment for dyslexia, funding to pay for specialist equipment or helpers and arranging signers or note-takers.

18th Jul 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what additional measures they are taking to protect consumers from inflated supermarket food prices; and what further assistance they will give to farmers to ensure food security.

Tackling inflation is this Government’s number one priority, with a plan to more than halve inflation this year, and we are monitoring all key agricultural commodities so that we can work with the food industry to address the challenges they face.

Defra is taking action to maintain an efficient food supply chain by mitigating against any potential burdens or frictions which could otherwise drive up consumer food prices. We continue to use regular engagement to work with retailers and producers to explore the range of measures they can take to ensure the availability of affordable food, for example, by maintaining value ranges, price matching and price freezing measures.

Furthermore, on 16 May 2023, the Prime Minister and Defra Secretary met representatives from across the whole UK supply chain, from farm to fork, for a Summit on how the Government and industry can work together to support a thriving UK food industry.

With regard to support for farmers, we are backing British farmers with £2.4 billion of investment per year. We recently updated our new schemes based on farmer feedback to make them easier to apply for, and to support tenant and upland farmers in particular. We recently increased payment rates for upland farmers.

We are committed to ensuring payment rates mean as many farmers as possible can benefit from our offers. The Sustainable Farming Incentive focuses on supporting farmers to undertake activities to grow food while improving the environment and animal health and welfare. The Landscape Recovery scheme allows landowners and managers to take a more large-scale, long-term approach to producing environmental and climate goods on their land. We have expanded and enhanced the existing Countryside Stewardship scheme. This has been simplified and improved this year to include wildlife, upland wood pasture and lowland peat offers, more efficient administration and fairer controls. Through Countryside Stewardship Plus we will pay farmers extra for taking coordinated action, working with neighbouring farms and landowners to support climate and nature aims.

We are providing tailored business advice to all farmers, we have cut red tape and brought in a fairer enforcement regime. We have helped the sector access the seasonal labour they need, and we are looking closely at the Shropshire Review we commissioned to go further. We are reviewing supply chain fairness sector by sector and unlocking the opportunities of genetic technologies.

Lord Benyon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
31st Mar 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what further steps they will take to support farmers with increased fertiliser and fuel costs.

We are very aware of the significant turbulence in international commodity markets following Russian’s invasion of Ukraine and are closely monitoring the market situation.

Agricultural commodity prices have always been strongly correlated to the price of energy. Farmers face the challenge of rising inputs costs, particularly fertiliser costs, due to the sharp increase in the price of gas. The solution will require us to pioneer new technologies to manufacture more organic based fertiliser products, and to rediscover traditional, more established techniques such as using nitrogen fixing legumes and clovers as an alternative to fertiliser.

The Government has recently announced steps to assist farmers with the availability of fertilisers for the coming growing season to help address uncertainty amongst growers and keep costs down for farmers. These include delays to changes to the use of urea; revised and improved statutory guidance on the use of slurry; and the publication of further details of the Sustainable Farming Incentive. The Government has announced that it will pay farmers to help with the costs of sowing nitrogen fixing plants and green manures to reduce dependence on manufactured fertilisers, and that farmers will be further supported through new slurry storage grants.

We recognise that fertiliser pressures on the livestock and arable sectors may differ, particularly over the farming seasons. On the 31 March, Minister Prentis hosted the first meeting of the Fertiliser Roundtable with key industry bodies to discuss potential mitigations to the challenges which global supply pressures are causing. Ministers will continue to meet with key industry bodies for further fertiliser round-table sessions in the coming months, to help identify and mitigate potential risks

Further support in the form of guidance from fertiliser suppliers and agricultural organisations such as National Farmers Union can be found from various public sources. Defra is aware that AHDB have published many helpful public pieces of guidance, advice and webinar recordings on mitigating high fertiliser prices. They can be found on the AHDB website.

We are also seeing high costs for red diesel and we are working with the industry to identify where mitigations are available. We continue to keep the market situation under review through UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group, which monitors UK agricultural markets including price, supply, inputs, trade and recent developments. We are increasing our engagement with industry to supplement our analysis with real time intelligence.

Lord Benyon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
29th Mar 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support farmers that face rising prices for fertiliser products.

Agricultural commodities are closely correlated to global gas prices. Farmers are facing increased input costs, including fuel and fertiliser prices. We continue to monitor the situation, including through the UK Agricultural Market Monitoring Group. Defra is in regular contact with key industry figures including the National Farmers Union, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board and key sector representatives.

The Government announced on the 30 March a number of actions to address current fertiliser issues. These included changes to statutory guidance to the Environment Agency on how they should implement the "Farming Rules for Water" to provide clarity to farmers on how they can use slurry and other manures during autumn and winter to meet agronomic needs; increased grants funding to help farmers and growers boost research and development; and a delay to changes to the use of urea by at least a year. When the urea restrictions are introduced, they will be related to the use of ammonia inhibitors rather than a complete ban.

We recognise that fertiliser pressures on the livestock and arable sectors may differ, particularly over the farming seasons. On the 31, Minister Prentis hosted the first meeting of the Fertiliser Roundtable with key industry bodies to discuss potential mitigations to the challenges which global supply pressures are causing. Ministers will continue to meet with key industry bodies for further fertiliser round-table sessions in the coming months, to help identify and mitigate potential risks.

Lord Benyon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
20th Oct 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the impact of the shortage of lorry drivers on food prices.

The Government monitors consumer food prices using the Consumer Prices Index (including Housing Costs) CPIH. The latest published statistics show annual food and drink inflation as 0.8 per cent in the year to September 2021, up from 0.3 per cent in the year to August 2021. The CPIH month-on-month food and drink inflation rate was -0.2 per cent between August 2021 and September 2021, down from 1.1 per cent between July 2021 and August 2021. The month-on-month rate is generally more variable than the annual rate.

This small increase in the annual rate will have been driven by a number of factors. Our research shows that the main drivers of consumer food prices are domestic farmgate prices; domestic manufacturing costs; domestic labour costs, import prices and currency exchange rates. Transport and distribution costs are a relatively small factor in influencing consumer food prices, so the shortage of lorry drivers and any consequential increase in the pay of lorry drivers alone, would not be expected to significantly increase food prices.

Most food sectors are accustomed to fluctuations in supply chain costs from these factors and food retailers also compete on price so these increases in supply chain costs do not necessarily translate into consumer price rises.

Lord Benyon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
24th Jun 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what further steps they are taking to discourage plastic packaging.

Our 2018 Resources and Waste Strategy for England sets out our ambitions of doubling resource productivity and eliminating avoidable waste by 2050. To help us achieve this we are working with the devolved administrations to jointly reform the packaging producer responsibility regulations and introduce a UK-wide extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme for packaging.

Our second consultation on Packaging EPR closed on the 4 June. This will see packaging producers paying for the management of the packaging that they place on the market, including at end of life. This will ensure producers think carefully about the necessity of any packaging they use. Producer’s fees would also be varied to account for certain criteria, including recyclability, so that producers who use easily recyclable packaging will pay less than those who use packaging that is not. Producers will also be required to achieve ambitious recycling targets for packaging obligated under the scheme. This will include plastic packaging. In addition, the consultation sought views on the introduction of obligations to encourage the use of re-useable and re-fillable packaging

Aside from Packaging EPR, we have seen progress in the reduction in the use of single-use carrier bags. Their use by the main supermarket retailers in England has reduced by 95% since the introduction of the 5p charge. To drive further progress we have increased this charge to 10p and extended to all retailers on 21 May 2021.

The Government is also working with retailers and Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to encourage efforts to reduce waste and to explore the introduction of plastic-free supermarket initiatives in which fresh food is sold loose, giving consumers the choice.

The UK Plastics Pact is jointly founded between WRAP and the Ellen McArthur Foundation and is supported by the Government. The Pact brings together organisations from across the plastics supply chain with four key targets for 2025 that aim to reduce the amount of plastic waste generated. Our proposed reforms will support The Pact in achieving these targets.