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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether guidance has been provided to Birmingham City Council in relation to advertising the range of council tax reductions that are available to local residents.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

While guidance has not been issued specifically to Birmingham City Council in relation to advertising council tax reductions to local residents, the government recently issued an information letter to councils (here) to remind of the need to make council information including council tax discounts and disregards accessible to residents. Individual councils are response for the administration of council tax; this includes ensuring information on council tax reductions are available to residents

The government in its response to the consultation on modernising council tax administration committed to publish best practice to councils which will set out expectations on communicating council tax support to taxpayers. The government will provide further updates on this in due course.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the number of people that will benefit from Sector-based Work Academy Programmes in Royal Sutton Coldfield over the next 5 years.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Sector Based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) are a successful employment support offer through which participants gain the skills and experience needed to move into work. Nearly 100,000 SWAPs were delivered in 2025/26, an increase of almost 15,000 on the previous year. We are expanding placements further as part of the Youth Guarantee, with an ambitious target of 115,000 SWAP starts in 2026/27.

Specific SWAP opportunities are driven by local labour market need and employer demand. In the Birmingham Local Authority area, which includes Royal Sutton Coldfield, there were over 4,000 SWAP starts last year, supporting recruitment across a broad range of sectors including administration, construction and logistics, among others.

Whilst nationally SWAP participation remains strong, with over 476,000 SWAPs starts across Great Britain up to March 2026, demand for SWAP provision is employer-led and responsive to changing labour market conditions. Therefore, it is difficult to estimate the number of people who will benefit from SWAPs specifically in Royal Sutton Coldfield over the next five years. However, DWP does publish data on the take-up of SWAPs and the movement into employment for individuals who start a SWAP. The number of SWAP starts is published by Local Authority area and by sector on a quarterly basis: Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) Management Information, April 2021 to March 2026 - GOV.UK

Further, evidence published in the Department’s 2025 SWAP Impact Assessment demonstrates the programme delivers positive employment outcomes. The assessment found that, for every 100 people starting a SWAP, around 13 more were in employment after two years compared with a similar group who did not participate. Participants also spent, on average, 90 additional days in employment over a 24‑month period.

DWP and Jobcentre Plus teams continue to work closely with employers across Birmingham and Solihull to maximise opportunities for residents and stand ready to support employers wishing to participate in SWAP provision.

Found: The Conflict, Stability and Security Fund established by William Hague and Andrew Mitchell was a quite

Found: to Policing and to the community in Bradford and Leeds (Leeds, West Yorkshire) Keith Andrew MITCHELL

Found: to Policing and to the community in Bradford and Leeds (Leeds, West Yorkshire) Keith Andrew MITCHELL