Asked by: Christian Wakeford (Labour - Bury South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the oral statement on Security Threat to UK-Based Journalists of 20 February 2023, Official Report columns 49-51, what steps she is taking to help protect the safety of the Jewish community.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
We take any threat to the UK-based Jewish community extremely seriously. As the Security Minister said in this House on 20 February, we are taking significant steps to address the activities of the Iranian regime and its operatives in the UK – whether those activities are threatening the Jewish community or any individuals or organisations in this country. However, the community should be alert but not alarmed.
In April 2022, the then Home Secretary announced continuation of the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant for 2022-23 (for £14 million) which provides protective security measures at various Jewish community sites. In November we circulated protective security messaging to charity Community Security Trust to help keep the Jewish community aware of the threat posed by Iran, and signpost towards the government’s online security advice hubs.
More broadly, we take a proactive approach to countering the most acute forms of state-directed physical threats to individuals in the UK. Working through our police forces – both national and regional – as well as the agencies that support them, we seek to identify those communities and individuals who may be most at risk, and to provide them with the right protective security guidance, and other measures where appropriate.
Asked by: Christian Wakeford (Labour - Bury South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the oral statement on Security Threat to UK-Based Journalists of 20 February 2023, Official Report columns 49-51, what recent discussions (a) she and (b) her Department have had with representatives of the Community Security Trust on potential threats to the Jewish community.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
The Security Minister recently met with representatives of the Community Security Trust on 27 February, for a very useful discussion on certain security issues affecting the Jewish community.
We recognise that the Community Security Trust remains a highly trusted and expert delivery partner of HMG, with considerable experience of providing protective security for the Jewish community.
Asked by: Christian Wakeford (Labour - Bury South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help improve young people’s understanding of buy-now-pay-later schemes.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Education on financial matters helps to ensure that young people are prepared to manage their money well, make sound financial decisions and know where to seek further information when needed.
Finance education forms part of the citizenship National Curriculum, at Key Stages 3 and 4, but can be taught by all schools at all Key Stages. Citizenship covers the functions and uses of money; the importance of personal budgeting; money management; and managing financial risk. At secondary school, pupils are taught information on income and expenditure; credit and debt; insurance, savings and pensions; financial products and services and the need to understand financial risk, including any emerging financial trends. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/national-curriculum.
The current mathematics curriculum at primary level includes financial education and relevant skills, including calculations with money and using percentages, which provides young people with the knowledge and financial skills to make important financial decisions. The secondary mathematics curriculum develops pupils’ understanding and skills in relation to more complex personal finance issues, such as calculating loan repayments, interest rates and compound interest.
The Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) published financial education guidance for primary and secondary schools in England in November 2021, to support school leaders to enhance their financial education provision. The guidance is available at: https://maps.org.uk/2021/11/11/financial-education-guidance-for-primary-and-secondary-schools-in-england/. This guidance includes links to quality assured resources for schools, including content and activities on cryptocurrencies and buy now, pay later schemes. It also sets out the knowledge and skills pupils need to protect their personal data, critically evaluate online content and identify scams.
The Department is working with MaPS on a series of joint financial education webinars during the 2022/23 academic year, to help both primary and secondary schools, to improve pupils’ skills and knowledge and build teachers’ confidence in this area.
Asked by: Christian Wakeford (Labour - Bury South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve young people’s understanding of credit products; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Education on financial matters helps to ensure that young people are prepared to manage their money well, make sound financial decisions and know where to seek further information when needed.
Finance education forms part of the citizenship National Curriculum, at Key Stages 3 and 4, but can be taught by all schools at all Key Stages. Citizenship covers the functions and uses of money; the importance of personal budgeting; money management; and managing financial risk. At secondary school, pupils are taught information on income and expenditure; credit and debt; insurance, savings and pensions; financial products and services and the need to understand financial risk, including any emerging financial trends. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/national-curriculum.
The current mathematics curriculum at primary level includes financial education and relevant skills, including calculations with money and using percentages, which provides young people with the knowledge and financial skills to make important financial decisions. The secondary mathematics curriculum develops pupils’ understanding and skills in relation to more complex personal finance issues, such as calculating loan repayments, interest rates and compound interest.
The Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) published financial education guidance for primary and secondary schools in England in November 2021, to support school leaders to enhance their financial education provision. The guidance is available at: https://maps.org.uk/2021/11/11/financial-education-guidance-for-primary-and-secondary-schools-in-england/. This guidance includes links to quality assured resources for schools, including content and activities on cryptocurrencies and buy now, pay later schemes. It also sets out the knowledge and skills pupils need to protect their personal data, critically evaluate online content and identify scams.
The Department is working with MaPS on a series of joint financial education webinars during the 2022/23 academic year, to help both primary and secondary schools, to improve pupils’ skills and knowledge and build teachers’ confidence in this area.
Asked by: Christian Wakeford (Labour - Bury South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the disparities in (a) access to and (b) quality of financial education in primary schools.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Financial education is taught within the compulsory mathematics curriculum at primary level, which provides young people with the knowledge to make important financial decisions. There is a strong emphasis on the essential arithmetic that pupils should be taught. This is vital, as a strong grasp of arithmetic will underpin pupils’ ability to manage budgets and money, including, for example, using percentages. The mathematics curriculum also includes specific content on financial education, such as calculations with money.
Primary schools can also teach financial education through citizenship. Although this is not part of the national curriculum until Key Stage 3, the Department has published a non-statutory citizenship curriculum for Key Stages 1 and 2, to support schools in ensuring that pupils are taught how to look after their money and realise that future wants and needs may be met through saving. There also is a wide range of resources available for schools, including the Money and Pension Service’s (MaPS) financial education guidance for primary and secondary schools in England, which can be found here: https://maps.org.uk/2021/11/11/financial-education-guidance-for-primary-and-secondary-schools-in-england/.
The Department does not monitor financial education in primary schools, but it continues to work with MaPS and HM Treasury to consider the evidence and explore opportunities to promote the importance of financial education to schools. To this end, the Department is currently working with MaPS on a series of joint financial education webinars during this academic year, to promote the importance of financial education to school leaders of primary and secondary schools, and to build teachers’ confidence in this area.
Asked by: Christian Wakeford (Labour - Bury South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of adding financial education to the primary school national curriculum.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Financial education is taught within the compulsory mathematics curriculum at primary level, which provides young people with the knowledge to make important financial decisions. There is a strong emphasis on the essential arithmetic that pupils should be taught. This is vital, as a strong grasp of arithmetic will underpin pupils’ ability to manage budgets and money, including, for example, using percentages. The mathematics curriculum also includes specific content on financial education, such as calculations with money.
Primary schools can also teach financial education through citizenship. Although this is not part of the national curriculum until Key Stage 3, the Department has published a non-statutory citizenship curriculum for Key Stages 1 and 2, to support schools in ensuring that pupils are taught how to look after their money and realise that future wants and needs may be met through saving. There also is a wide range of resources available for schools, including the Money and Pension Service’s (MaPS) financial education guidance for primary and secondary schools in England, which can be found here: https://maps.org.uk/2021/11/11/financial-education-guidance-for-primary-and-secondary-schools-in-england/.
The Department does not monitor financial education in primary schools, but it continues to work with MaPS and HM Treasury to consider the evidence and explore opportunities to promote the importance of financial education to schools. To this end, the Department is currently working with MaPS on a series of joint financial education webinars during this academic year, to promote the importance of financial education to school leaders of primary and secondary schools, and to build teachers’ confidence in this area.
Asked by: Christian Wakeford (Labour - Bury South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Animals in Science Regulation Unit Annual reports 2019 to 2021, published on 26 October 2022, for what reasons incidents of non-compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, for which the remedy was not solely inspector advice, increased between 2018 and 2021.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The 2018 Animal in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) annual report explains that several non-compliance cases were detected in 2018, but investigations were not completed until 2019. Available at (p26): www.gov.uk/government/publications/animals-in-science-regulation-unit-annual-report-2018. These completed investigations were then reported in the 2019 ASRU annual report.
The Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) has published its compliance framework which identifies and investigates potential incidents of non-compliance and decides on appropriate and proportionate measures to minimise the risk of recurrence. Available at: www.gov.uk/guidance/animal-testing-and-research-compliance-with-aspa.
Asked by: Christian Wakeford (Labour - Bury South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of enforcement action taken in response to the breaches of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 that are set out in the Animals in Science Regulation Unit’s annual reports for 2019-2021.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office take any allegations regarding non-compliance with the law, the Code of Practice or licence conditions very seriously.
The Compliance Policy, found here: (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/animal-testing-and-research-compliance-with-aspa) explains how the Regulator identifies and investigates potential incidents of non-compliance and decides on appropriate and proportionate measures aimed to minimise the risk of recurrence.
Asked by: Christian Wakeford (Labour - Bury South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) financial and (b) other steps her Department is taking to help tackle NHS workforce shortages in Bury South constituency.
Answered by Will Quince
The Department has commissioned NHS England to develop a long-term workforce plan. The plan will consider the number of staff and the roles required and will set out the actions and reforms needed to improve workforce supply and retention, including in Bury South.
Asked by: Christian Wakeford (Labour - Bury South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of social care capacity in Bury South constituency.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No specific assessment has been made. Local authorities have a responsibility under the Care Act 2014 to ensure that the care needs of the local population are met.