Asked by: Amanda Hack (Labour - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that children born prematurely are not disadvantaged in education.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government is determined to break down barriers to opportunity and ensure the best start in life for every child, including those who are born prematurely.
The early years foundation stage (EYFS) framework sets the standards and requirements that all early years providers must follow. The EYFS is clear that every child is unique and that they develop and learn at different rates. It also describes the importance of responding to children’s individual interests and needs. Being born prematurely is not classified as a special educational need or a disability, however, when a premature child does need special educational needs and disability support, schools and early years settings are encouraged to identify and support them early as possible.
The investment announced at Budget to rebuild school buildings, alongside funding for children’s social care, breakfast clubs and early years, reflects the government’s commitment to putting education back at the forefront of national life.
Asked by: Amanda Hack (Labour - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what information his Department holds on whether customers who are required to transition from Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) landline phones to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) landline phones are being offered equivalent phone-only deals.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government engages regularly with communications providers to ensure that the industry-led switch-off of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) proceeds safely and with minimum inconvenience for end users. For many users, the upgrade will only involve unplugging their existing landline phone from the wall and plugging it into the back of their broadband router.
As part of the migration to VoIP, current landline-only consumers do not need to purchase a general broadband connection if they do not want one. Most users can retain the same telephone devices after the migration, but in scenarios where this is not possible, they will receive a replacement device for free. Existing contracts will not increase in price when customers are migrated to VoIP.
The Department does not hold data on the number of landline-only VoIP products but is working with stakeholders to identify those that require additional support during their PSTN migration, including consumers who are dependent on their landline.
Asked by: Amanda Hack (Labour - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to ensure those switching from public switched telephone network landline phones to Voice over Internet Protocol landline phones are not sold unnecessary services.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government engages regularly with communications providers to ensure that the industry-led switch-off of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) proceeds safely and with minimum inconvenience for end users. For many users, the upgrade will only involve unplugging their existing landline phone from the wall and plugging it into the back of their broadband router.
As part of the migration to VoIP, current landline-only consumers do not need to purchase a general broadband connection if they do not want one. Most users can retain the same telephone devices after the migration, but in scenarios where this is not possible, they will receive a replacement device for free. Existing contracts will not increase in price when customers are migrated to VoIP.
The Department does not hold data on the number of landline-only VoIP products but is working with stakeholders to identify those that require additional support during their PSTN migration, including consumers who are dependent on their landline.
Asked by: Amanda Hack (Labour - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department holds data on phone-only Voice over Internet Protocol products available for consumers.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government engages regularly with communications providers to ensure that the industry-led switch-off of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) proceeds safely and with minimum inconvenience for end users. For many users, the upgrade will only involve unplugging their existing landline phone from the wall and plugging it into the back of their broadband router.
As part of the migration to VoIP, current landline-only consumers do not need to purchase a general broadband connection if they do not want one. Most users can retain the same telephone devices after the migration, but in scenarios where this is not possible, they will receive a replacement device for free. Existing contracts will not increase in price when customers are migrated to VoIP.
The Department does not hold data on the number of landline-only VoIP products but is working with stakeholders to identify those that require additional support during their PSTN migration, including consumers who are dependent on their landline.
Asked by: Amanda Hack (Labour - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what data her Department holds on average response times to queries from users of the Child Maintenance Service since 2019.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) are committed to delivering the best possible service to all customers. Customers can contact the CMS in a number of different ways.
This could be via the telephone, by post or through the CMS online service. Depending on what the query is and how it was made, response times can vary.
Whilst the DWP does not collate data on average response times for all queries across different CMS channels, we are working to improve the efficiency of our customer interactions. We will continue to review, evaluate, and enhance our service lines to meet demand and deliver a quality customer service.
Asked by: Amanda Hack (Labour - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, What recent steps her Department has taken to ensure consistency in local authorities' taxi license-issuing regimes.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport issues guidance to licensing authorities in England to help them regulate the sector. One of the aims of the guidance is to improve consistency in the licensing standards required by licensing authorities. Statutory guidance was issued in 2020 on measures that should be taken to protect children and vulnerable adults, and by extension all passengers, when using these services. Last year the Department issued updated best practice guidance which made recommendations to promote regulation that enables the provision of safe, accessible, available, and affordable services that meet the wide range of passenger needs by a thriving sector.
Asked by: Amanda Hack (Labour - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent data her Department holds on the number of complaints made per month about the Child Maintenance Service.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The number of complaints made to DWP regarding the Child Maintenance Service is published within table 11 of the Child Maintenance Service Official Statistics: Child Maintenance Service statistics - GOV.UK. Data is presented on a quarterly basis.
Table 1: Number of complaints received by the Child Maintenance Service
Quarter | Complaints received |
Jan to Mar 2015 | 625 |
Apr to Jun 2015 | 625 |
Jul to Sep 2015 | 760 |
Oct to Dec 2015 | 715 |
Jan to Mar 2016 | 645 |
Apr to Jun 2016 | 635 |
Jul to Sep 2016 | 710 |
Oct to Dec 2016 | 695 |
Jan to Mar 2017 | 840 |
Apr to Jun 2017 | 760 |
Jul to Sep 2017 | 645 |
Oct to Dec 2017 | 745 |
Jan to Mar 2018 | 990 |
Apr to Jun 2018 | 1,400 |
Jul to Sep 2018 | 1,595 |
Oct to Dec 2018 | 1,810 |
Jan to Mar 2019 | 2,430 |
Apr to Jun 2019 | 2,485 |
Jul to Sep 2019 | 2,830 |
Oct to Dec 2019 | 2,410 |
Jan to Mar 2020 | 2,590 |
Apr to Jun 2020 | 1,360 |
Jul to Sep 2020 | 1,430 |
Oct to Dec 2020 | 1,865 |
Jan to Mar 2021 | 1,815 |
Apr to Jun 2021 | 1,710 |
Jul to Sep 2021 | 1,545 |
Oct to Dec 2021 | 1,505 |
Jan to Mar 2022 | 1,570 |
Apr to Jun 2022 | 1,455 |
Jul to Sep 2022 | 1,450 |
Oct to Dec 2022 | 1,380 |
Jan to Mar 2023 | 1,420 |
Apr to Jun 2023 | 1,285 |
Jul to Sep 2023 | 1,385 |
Oct to Dec 2023 | 1,260 |
Jan to Mar 2024 | 1,435 |
Apr to Jun 2024 | 975 |
Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 5
Asked by: Amanda Hack (Labour - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps her Department has taken to protect retail staff from (a) intimidation and (b) assault.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
Shoplifting has increased at an unacceptable level in recent yeara, with more and more offenders using violence and abuse against shopworkers to do this. We will not stand for it.
This Government will introduce a new offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores. We will also end the effective immunity, introduced by the previous Government, granted to low level shoplifting of goods under £200. These will be introduced in the first session Crime and Policing Bill.
The police made operational commitments in its October 2023 Retail Crime Action Plan, Retail Crime Action Plan (nbcc.police.uk) including a commitment for police across England and Wales to prioritise attendance where violence has been used towards shop staff.
Reporting crime to the police is the first crucial step in ensuring an appropriate police response. The Home Office is providing funding to the National Business Crime Centre to make it easier for retailers to report crime. We are also encouraging closer local partnerships between police and retailers, for example through Business Crime Reduction Partnerships, to help local police respond effectively to crimes reported.
Asked by: Amanda Hack (Labour - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps her Department has taken to reduce the wait time to report assaults on retail staff by telephone in Leicestershire.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
Shoplifting has increased at an unacceptable level in recent yeara, with more and more offenders using violence and abuse against shopworkers to do this. We will not stand for it.
This Government will introduce a new offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores. We will also end the effective immunity, introduced by the previous Government, granted to low level shoplifting of goods under £200. These will be introduced in the first session Crime and Policing Bill.
The police made operational commitments in its October 2023 Retail Crime Action Plan, Retail Crime Action Plan (nbcc.police.uk) including a commitment for police across England and Wales to prioritise attendance where violence has been used towards shop staff.
Reporting crime to the police is the first crucial step in ensuring an appropriate police response. The Home Office is providing funding to the National Business Crime Centre to make it easier for retailers to report crime. We are also encouraging closer local partnerships between police and retailers, for example through Business Crime Reduction Partnerships, to help local police respond effectively to crimes reported.
Asked by: Amanda Hack (Labour - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps his Department has taken to introduce a licensing scheme under the Health and Care Act 2022 for people administering botox and lip fillers.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is currently considering what steps may need to be taken in relation to the safety of the non-surgical cosmetics sector. The Government will set out its position at the earliest opportunity.