Asked by: Alistair Strathern (Labour - Hitchin)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of providing subsidies to patients with severe eye prescription glasses.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom
National Health Service optical vouchers to help with the cost of glasses or contact lenses are available for eligible groups, including children and people on income-related benefits, and through the NHS low-income scheme. There are ten optical vouchers ranging from £42.40 to £233.56, depending on the strength of the optical lenses. Help is also available through the NHS complex lens voucher, for any individuals prescribed complex lenses, provided they meet the clinical criteria. The cost of glasses will be set by individual optical practices, and because prices can vary, we would always advise that individuals shop around.
Asked by: Alistair Strathern (Labour - Hitchin)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the impact of the new Early Years Funding programme on the viability of providers where the Government’s payments do not match the nurseries current fees.
Answered by David Johnston
There were 15,100 childcare places in 2023 than the previous year, with 12,900 paid staff added to the same period according to 2023’s Childcare and Early Years Provider Survey.
To support providers to expand their provision further, the department is investing over £400 million of additional funding to uplift the hourly rate for the entitlements next year. This investment consists of £67 million new funding to reflect the latest National Living Wage increase, an additional £57 million to support providers in respect of teachers’ pay and pensions, and the £288 million for the existing entitlements in 2024/25 announced in the Spring Budget in March 2023. It also builds on the £204 million of additional investment to increase funding rates this year.
The department will also be providing over £4.1 billion by the 2027/28 financial year to fund 30 hours of free childcare per week (38 weeks per year) for working parents with children aged 9 months and above in England, from the term after they reach the relevant age (£1.7 billion in 2024/25, £3.3 billion in 2025/26, £4.1 billion in 2026/27, and £4.1 billion in 2027/28). Additionally, hundreds of thousands of children aged 3 and 4 are registered for a 30-hour place, saving eligible working parents up to £6,900 per child per year, helping even more working parents and making a real difference to the lives of those families.
Providers are expanding placements across the country and the department is supporting providers to deliver each stage of the entitlement expansion rollout through increases to the rate of pay, the department’s national recruitment campaign and establishing more qualification routes into the sector.
Asked by: Alistair Strathern (Labour - Hitchin)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the steps they are taking to support the new Early Years Funding programme to ensure nurseries are viable.
Answered by David Johnston
There were 15,100 childcare places in 2023 than the previous year, with 12,900 paid staff added to the same period according to 2023’s Childcare and Early Years Provider Survey.
To support providers to expand their provision further, the department is investing over £400 million of additional funding to uplift the hourly rate for the entitlements next year. This investment consists of £67 million new funding to reflect the latest National Living Wage increase, an additional £57 million to support providers in respect of teachers’ pay and pensions, and the £288 million for the existing entitlements in 2024/25 announced in the Spring Budget in March 2023. It also builds on the £204 million of additional investment to increase funding rates this year.
The department will also be providing over £4.1 billion by the 2027/28 financial year to fund 30 hours of free childcare per week (38 weeks per year) for working parents with children aged 9 months and above in England, from the term after they reach the relevant age (£1.7 billion in 2024/25, £3.3 billion in 2025/26, £4.1 billion in 2026/27, and £4.1 billion in 2027/28). Additionally, hundreds of thousands of children aged 3 and 4 are registered for a 30-hour place, saving eligible working parents up to £6,900 per child per year, helping even more working parents and making a real difference to the lives of those families.
Providers are expanding placements across the country and the department is supporting providers to deliver each stage of the entitlement expansion rollout through increases to the rate of pay, the department’s national recruitment campaign and establishing more qualification routes into the sector.
Asked by: Alistair Strathern (Labour - Hitchin)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what discussions he has had with local authorities on ensuring that residents do not live on estates without completed works of estate adoption.
Answered by Lee Rowley
Respecting the established framework of devolution of powers and responsibilities to local government it is mainly for developers and local planning authorities to agree appropriate managing and funding arrangements for developments with common areas or shared services. The Government is also closely examining the findings of the Competition and Market Authority report that was published on 26 February.
Simultaneously, the Government is making estate management companies more accountable to existing homeowners for how their money is spent. The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill will make sure that existing homeowners who pay estate management charges have the right to challenge their reasonableness and to go to the tribunal to appoint a substitute manager to manage the provision of services. On freehold estates reform more generally, we understand the strength of feeling on this issue and we are considering it further.
Asked by: Alistair Strathern (Labour - Hitchin)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the additional funding provided to the police in the Spring Budget 2024, HC 560, published on 6 March 2024, will have a consequential impact on the police allocation formula.
Answered by Chris Philp - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Government has announced an additional £234m will be invested in police productivity over the next four years.
This funding will be used to pilot or roll out cutting-edge technology such as live facial recognition, automation and the use of drones as first responders. It will also set up a Centre for Police Productivity to support police forces’ use of data and deliver this technology, maximising productivity and the use of AI.
Funding will be distributed to specific programmes and we are working with policing partners to allocate this funding. This funding will help all forces to free-up police officer time and improve performance.
Asked by: Alistair Strathern (Labour - Hitchin)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) reviews of Sentences of Imprisonment for Public Protection for people sentenced for rape and (b) a ban on such Sentences on victims of rape.
Answered by Gareth Bacon
The sentence of Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) was abolished in 2012. For those still serving the sentence, it is for the independent Parole Board to determine whether to release an IPP prisoner by considering the evidence presented and applying the statutory release test.
On 16 October 2023 the Lord Chancellor announced to the Parliament reforms to ensure that convicted rapists (and those convicted of the most serious sexual offences) must serve 100% of their custodial term in prison. These reforms will be legislated for in the Sentencing Bill. Since 2010, offenders convicted of rape are serving longer in prison, with sentences rising almost 3 years, from approximately 6.5 years in 2010 to approximately 9.5 years now – an over 40% increase.
Asked by: Alistair Strathern (Labour - Hitchin)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the average timeframe for local authorities to enter into section 38 agreements from when they are first proposed.
Answered by Guy Opperman
The Department does not hold information on this matter. Local highway authorities do not have to inform the Department when they enter into agreements of this sort.
Asked by: Alistair Strathern (Labour - Hitchin)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she is taking steps to support the accelerated roll out of the Ampthill post office banking hub.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade
Cash Access UK is responsible for rolling out banking hubs. It usually takes around 12 months for a Banking Hub to be set up by Cash Access UK. Steps include finding a suitable property, negotiating with landlords and signing leases and obtaining any necessary planning approval from the local authority.
Ampthill was recommended to receive a Banking Hub by LINK. Cash Access UK has found a suitable location for the Banking Hub in Ampthill and are now working to get the premises ready. It is currently due to open in Q2 this year. Works are due to start on site this month, subject to lease signing.
Asked by: Alistair Strathern (Labour - Hitchin)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many farms in Mid Bedfordshire have accepted an offer of agreement for the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme.
Answered by Mark Spencer
The Sustainable Farming Incentive has a rolling application window and as of 07 March the RPA has received 44 applications of which 33 agreements have been offered and 26 accepted for the Mid Bedfordshire Constituency.
Asked by: Alistair Strathern (Labour - Hitchin)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has had discussions with (a) Central Bedfordshire Council and (b) Bedford Borough Council on the adequacy of provision for the expanded childcare offer in (i) April and (ii) September 2024.
Answered by David Johnston
Under Section 6 of the Childcare Act 2006, local authorities are responsible for ensuring that the provision of childcare is sufficient to meet the requirements of parents in their area. Part B of the ‘Early education and childcare’ statutory guidance highlights that local authorities are required to report annually to elected council members on how they are meeting their duty to secure sufficient childcare, and to make this report available and accessible to parents. The full guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-education-and-childcare--2/early-education-and-childcare-applies-from-1-april-2024.
The department has regular contact with each local authority in England, including Central Bedfordshire Council and Bedford Borough Council, about their sufficiency of childcare and any issues they are facing regarding their readiness to deliver the expanded childcare offer in both April and September 2024.
Where local authorities report sufficiency challenges, the department discusses what action the local authority is taking to address those issues and, where needed, supports the local authority with any specific requirements through the department’s childcare sufficiency support contract.