Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to support Ukrainian nationals living in the UK whose right to (a) work and (b) rent expires before the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme comes into effect; and if her Department will issue guidance to (i) employers and (ii) landlords on ensuring that refugees with less than a year remaining on their permission are not denied the opportunity to (A) work and (B) rent property in the UK on this basis.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

To provide future certainty, Ukrainians who have been provided with sanctuary in the UK under the Ukraine schemes will be able to apply for further permission to remain in the UK through a bespoke Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme due to open in early 2025. The new route will provide an additional 18 months’ permission.

The scheme will provide the same rights and entitlements as the existing Ukraine Schemes, to access work, benefits, healthcare and education. Further details on eligibility and application processes will be available before the scheme opens.

We continue to work closely with relevant stakeholders to communicate these changes to landlords and employers, to support the stability of Ukrainian guests in these areas.

The Employer’s guide to right to work checks and the Landlord's guide to right to rent checks have been updated to reflect employment and renting of Ukrainian nationals. Updates have included advising of schemes which are now closed, and changes made to the Homes for Ukraine scheme which means some visa holders, who applied to the scheme after the 19 February 2024, will have 18 months permission to remain in the UK.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the impact of removing the abatement law on teacher's pensions on (a) retaining teachers and (b) allowing retired teachers to return to the profession.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The department reviewed the abatement provisions as part of scheme reforms introduced in 2015 and removed abatement applying to any service accrued under the career average scheme that was introduced.

The abatement provision applies to pension accrued in the final salary section of the scheme only. The final salary section is closed to any further accrual, and all active members have now transitioned to the career average scheme.

Retired teachers are able to return to the profession and accrue further pension.

There are no plans to review the abatement provisions again.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of making the LGA's voluntary shared database on taxi driver licenses mandatory.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

On 27 April 2023, the remainder of the Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (Safeguarding and Road Safety) Act 2022 was commenced, and the Department designated the use of a database, which previously operated on a voluntary basis supported by the Local Government Assocation, for the purposes of this Act. The Act mandates the use of a national database in England to record every decision to refuse, revoke or suspend a taxi or private hire vehicle driver licence due to safeguarding, road safety or discrimination concerns.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of making water companies statutory consultees in planning applications.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government encourage water companies and other infrastructure providers to work proactively with local planning authorities to identify where supporting infrastructure will be required to meet the demands of new development.

On 23 October, the government announced an independent commission to review the water sector regulatory system and make recommendations to reform the water sector regulatory framework in England and Wales. The review is expected to report next year, and we will carefully consider its findings.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the performance trajectory of CrossCountry Trains following the implementation of its reduced timetable.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Rail Minister met with CrossCountry in August. It is subject to a Remedial Plan that runs until March 2025. CrossCountry reinstated its full timetable from 10 November.

Officials meet CrossCountry regularly to discuss operational issues including progress with the Remedial Plan. CrossCountry will continue to be very closely monitored against the contractual benchmarks that are set out in its National Rail Contract.

Found: Current membership Alberto Costa (Conservative; South Leicestershire) (Chair) Paula Barker (Labour; Liverpool

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Alberto Costa (Chair); Paula Barker; Mark Ferguson; Sir Francis

Found: Kirith Entwistle Marie Goldman Paulette Hamilton Joy Morrissey Chris Philp Jo Platt Alberto Costa

Found: 2024 Members present1 Nick Smith , in the Chair Mr Alex Barros -Curtis Bob Blackman Alberto Costa

Found: parental - responsibility- measures Pupils: Absenteeism 7 July 2023 | UIN 190346 Asked by: Alberto Costa