Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many primary schools in Royal Sutton Coldfield have access to mental health support teams.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The department is providing access to specialist mental health professionals in every school by expanding Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs). Rollout is delivered with the NHS through Integrated Care Systems, prioritising areas based on need, disadvantage and inequalities.

Six out of seven state-funded secondary schools in the Sutton Coldfield constituency were supported by an MHST in March 2025. We are going to be rolling out the programme to the 25 state-funded primary schools as part of the programme’s ongoing expansion across all schools and colleges in England by 2029/30.

Further data for 2024/25 can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision.

Latest coverage data as at end 2025/26 will be published in due course, projected to be 60% of pupils and learners nationally.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of digital connectivity for businesses in the West Midlands.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government recognises that high quality digital connectivity is essential for businesses in the West Midlands and across the whole of the UK. Our ambition is for all populated areas to have access to higher quality standalone 5G by 2030 and we have a target to deliver nationwide (99%) gigabit broadband coverage by 2032.

The rollout of standalone 5G, is being led by commercial investment from the three Mobile Network Operators (MNOs). All three MNOs have committed to significant investment plans which align with our 2030 ambition, and we continue to work to with the sector to understand what more we can do to stimulate investment in high-quality connectivity and identify (and address) barriers to infrastructure deployment where practical to do so.

Project Gigabit is the Government’s programme to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to UK premises that are not included in suppliers' commercial plans. Delivery across the West Midlands is primarily being taken forward through several Project Gigabit contracts, including those covering Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire, alongside wider cross-regional interventions to reach remaining homes and businesses.

Based on Ofcom’s Connected Nations reporting, as of January 2026, by aggregating the coverage in the 30 local and unitary authorities in the West Midlands region, we find that 93.6% of the landmass of the West Midlands had 4G geographic coverage from all four mobile network operators (MNO), whilst standalone 5G was available outside 93.2% of premises across the region from at least one MNO. This compares to 84% of the UK landmass having 4G geographic coverage from all four MNOs, and standalone 5G being available outside 93% of UK premises from at least one operator.

For gigabit-capable coverage, we estimate that 90.2% of West Midlands premises has access to gigabit-capable broadband, this is above the UK wide average of 88%. Gigabit-capable broadband coverage specifically to businesses stands at 74.4% in the West Midlands compared to a UK wide figure of 71%. Additionally, some businesses use leased-line services to receive a broadband connection, but the Department does not hold data on the extent to which these services are used.

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