Connor Rand

This government is continuing to work closely with EU partners to identify areas to strengthen cooperation, including the economy, energy, security and resilience.

The government will take a consistent, long-term and strategic approach to managing the UK’s relations with China, rooted in the national interest. It is for the independent Trade Remedies Authority to investigate whether trade remedy measures are needed to protect our industries, and any action taken on Chinese electric vehicles imports has to be the right one for UK industry.

The government is in close contact with the sector about this and wider issues, including the recent announcement of over £2 billion of capital and R&D funding to 2030 for zero emission vehicle manufacturing and their supply chains

The Budget committed over £2 billion to 2030 for zero emission vehicle manufacturing and their supply chains. Government will engage with industry as we take forward these plans, and further details will be set out in due course as part of the Industrial Strategy. In the meantime, investors can continue to apply to the Automotive Transformation Fund and Advanced Propulsion Centre R&D programmes.

The Budget also confirmed £120 million in grants supporting the purchase of new zero-emission vans and wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Eligibility is assessed on a vehicle-by-vehicle basis. Updates on other grants will be provided in due course.

Information provided by employers to HMRC shows that in 2023/24 (the latest year for which full year data is available), 17,200 individuals were in receipt of Statutory Shared Parental Pay. Data for earlier years was published as part of the Shared Parental Leave evaluation. Data collected using HMRC Real Time Information is subject to revision.

This data provides a broad indication of take-up but does not include anyone taking unpaid leave. Information on the sector or industry worked in by the recipient of Shared Parental Pay is not available.

The Government commissioned the Parental Rights Survey as part of the Shared Parental Leave (SPL) evaluation which provides information on the sector parents taking SPL work in. Findings from the evaluation are available here (see figure 4.10 for sector information) - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/shared-parental-leave-spl-evaluation

Information provided by employers to HMRC shows that in 2023/24 (the latest year for which full year data is available), 17,200 individuals were in receipt of Statutory Shared Parental Pay. Data for earlier years was published as part of the Shared Parental Leave evaluation. Data collected using HMRC Real Time Information is subject to revision.

This data provides a broad indication of take-up but does not include anyone taking unpaid leave. Information on the sector or industry worked in by the recipient of Shared Parental Pay is not available.

The Government commissioned the Parental Rights Survey as part of the Shared Parental Leave (SPL) evaluation which provides information on the sector parents taking SPL work in. Findings from the evaluation are available here (see figure 4.10 for sector information) - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/shared-parental-leave-spl-evaluation

Support staff are categorised into posts of teaching assistants, administrative staff, auxiliary staff, technicians and other supporting staff, plus two new posts of school business professional and leadership non-teacher, reported for the first time in 2023/24.

School business professionals include roles such as bursar, business manager, finance officer, office manager, premises manager or ICT network manager.

The full-time equivalent (FTE) of support staff has increased each year since 2019/20, to 510,400 in 2023/24, and has now passed the previous peak of 2015/16. This is an increase of 4,800 (0.9%) since last year. This increase is mainly due to an increase of 2,400 in other support staff.

The FTE of all support staff across state-funded schools in England between 2019/20 and 2023/24 can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/7b0a17e8-b3ff-403e-687f-08dca70c1109.

The FTE of all support staff in Altrincham and Sale West, Stretford and Urmston and Wythenshawe and Sale East between 2019/20 and 2023/24 can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/0b037abc-203b-42ce-5354-08dca71310d3.

School support staff play a vital role in children’s education and development.

The department will value and recognise the professionalism of the entire school workforce and address recruitment and retention challenges by reinstating the School Support Staff Negotiating Body.

The body will be tasked with establishing a national terms and conditions handbook, training and progression routes. This reform will ensure that schools can recruit and retain the staff needed to deliver high quality, inclusive education.

The department publishes statistics on education, health and care (EHC) plans at local authority level. This includes information on children and young people not in school or further education, for example those awaiting provision, in elective home education, in other arrangements, having had notice of their plan to cease, or not in education, employment or training. The number and proportion of children and young people with an EHC plan who were elsewhere than at school in Trafford from 2020 to 2024, which is the last five years of data available, can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/6cdcf6c0-e28a-4a72-68e5-08dca70c1109.

The data collection for EHC plans does not include information on previous special educational needs (SEN) support identification.

Wider data on SEN, including information on the total number of pupils with EHC plans and SEN support at local authority level, is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/special-educational-needs-in-england.

The Government is committed to improving the implementation of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) to help mitigate flood risk and reduce the quantity of water that ends up in our drainage infrastructure. SuDS also provide filtration, amenity and biodiversity benefits.

The current implementation route for SuDS in new developments is via the National Planning Policy Framework, see paragraphs 173 and 175.

We believe that stronger SuDS outcomes can be achieved through either improving the current planning led approach using powers now available or commencing Schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. It is also important to ensure that appropriate adoption and maintenance arrangements are in place.

To help inform thinking, the Government asked a question on flooding in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) consultation that concluded in September 2024.

The Government takes national security extremely seriously. The Department of Transport (DfT) works closely with the transport sector and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and other government departments, including the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), to understand and respond to risks associated with all connected vehicles, including electric vehicles.

The UK has also led the development of international requirements for all car manufacturers to tackle any possible cyber risk in their designs, and we will continue to work with international partners to safeguard national security risks.

We are committed to tackling poverty and reducing mass dependence on emergency food parcels.

Our Ministerial Taskforce, jointly chaired Work and Pensions and Education Secretaries, has started urgent work on an ambitious Child Poverty Strategy and will explore all available levers to drive forward actions across government to reduce child poverty, tackle its root causes and give every child the best start in life. The Strategy will be published in Spring 2025.

We have already spoken to food poverty experts at a roundtable hosted by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on 30^th July, to understand the priorities in this area.

Alongside the Child Poverty Taskforce, our initial steps to support families and children include free breakfast clubs in every primary school, so children don’t go hungry, protecting renters from arbitrary eviction and banning exploitative zero hours contracts. Good work will be the foundation of our approach and the New Deal for Working People will ensure the minimum wage is a genuine living wage, and reformed employment support will mean that many more people will benefit from the dignity and purpose of employment.

The Department does not hold the information requested.

The Department does not hold the information requested.

The Government is committed to creating the healthiest generation of children ever, as set out in our Child Health Action Plan. The Healthy Start scheme was introduced in 2006 to encourage a healthy diet for pregnant women, babies, and young children under four years old from very low-income households. It can be used to buy, or can be put towards the cost of, fruit, vegetables, pulses, milk, and infant formula. Healthy Start beneficiaries have access to free Healthy Start Vitamins for pregnant women and children aged under four years old.

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA) delivers the scheme on behalf of the Department. The NHS BSA is committed to increasing uptake of the Healthy Start scheme to ensure as many children as possible have a healthy start in life.

The NHS BSA promotes the Healthy Start scheme through its digital channels and has created free tools to help stakeholders promote the scheme locally. The NHS BSA has also reached out to stakeholders to see how it can support them in promoting the scheme.

The Government is committed to creating the healthiest generation of children ever, as set out in our Child Health Action Plan. The Healthy Start scheme was introduced in 2006 to encourage a healthy diet for pregnant women, babies, and young children under four years old from very low-income households. It can be used to buy, or can be put towards the cost of, fruit, vegetables, pulses, milk, and infant formula. Healthy Start beneficiaries have access to free Healthy Start Vitamins for pregnant women and children aged under four years old.

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA) delivers the scheme on behalf of the Department. The NHS BSA is committed to increasing uptake of the Healthy Start scheme to ensure as many children as possible have a healthy start in life.

The NHS BSA promotes the Healthy Start scheme through its digital channels and has created free tools to help stakeholders promote the scheme locally. The NHS BSA has also reached out to stakeholders to see how it can support them in promoting the scheme.

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA) runs the Healthy Start scheme on behalf of the Department. The Department of Health and Social Care is working closely with the NHS BSA and the Department for Work and Pensions, to enable the NHS BSA to receive the personal data for those potentially eligible citizens from the Department for Work and Pensions, as soon as possible. The NHS BSA will use this data to reach out to those eligible, who are not currently in receipt of Healthy Start, to encourage them to apply for the Healthy Start scheme.

The UK has a clear interest in peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and has restated its importance alongside G7 partners. We consider the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue, without the threat or use of force or coercion. We do not support any unilateral attempts to change the status quo. This includes increased Chinese assertiveness towards Taiwan. We support Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organisations as a member where statehood is not a prerequisite, and as an observer or guest where it is.

The UK-Singapore Cyber Dialogue held on 13 June 2023 in London was followed by a second iteration in Singapore from 12-13 June 2024. The Dialogues strengthen our close ties on cyber collaboration and align our approaches in cyber governance and tackling cyber threats.

The UK's longstanding position on Taiwan has not changed. We do not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan but a strong, unofficial relationship with deep and growing ties in a range of areas, underpinned by shared democratic values.

Electronic travel authorisations (ETAs) were expanded to all eligible non-European nationalities on 27 November, and will be a requirement for travel to the UK from 8 January. ETAs have been introduced to strengthen the UK’s border security and help prevent the arrival of those who present a threat to the UK.

The application is quick and light-touch, and many applications are decided within minutes. Individuals who already have a UK immigration status, including a British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) visa, will not need to obtain an ETA to travel to the UK.