Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an estimate of how many people with acquired brain injury are experiencing (a) homelessness and (b) rough sleeping.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
According to the 2020 Rough Sleeping Questionnaire, 7% of respondents reported an acquired brain injury, with 82% reporting a mental health vulnerability and 83% of respondents reporting at least one physical health condition. More Rough Sleeping questionnaire information on the health and support needs of rough sleepers can be accessed here: Rough Sleeping Questionnaire: initial findings Chapter 3.5.
MHCLG does not collect information about how many households with acquired brain injury are experiencing homelessness. There is information relating to support needs of households presenting as homeless available here: Tables on homelessness - GOV.UK Tab A3.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to Home Office case reference MPAM/1253692/25, what steps is taking to expedite the resolution of a technical error on her Department's systems which is preventing the processing of skilled workers visas.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The issue raised relates to an individual case and the enrolment of data to the Home Office. It does not relate to a systemic issue with our I.T systems.
We are taking steps to resolve the issues surrounding the individual case and will respond with further details directly to the Honourable Member.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the (a) adequacy of adoption by (i) professional and (ii) grass roots sports organisations and (b) effectiveness of the UK-wide Concussion Guidelines for Grassroots Sport, updated in November 2024.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
National guidelines for concussion in grassroots sport were developed by international experts on concussion and acquired brain injury to better identify, manage and prevent the issue. We continue to encourage National Governing Bodies to adapt the guidance to their own sport where appropriate.
The concussion guidelines’ impact is in the process of being evaluated by the Department for Health and Social Care, with DCMS involvement, and the evaluation is expected to be published in 2025.
The Government will continue to discuss athlete safety with relevant stakeholders and the sports sector in the coming months to ensure that everyone can take part in sport as safely as possible.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an estimate of the cost to the public purse of social security benefits for people unable to work because of an acquired brain injury.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department does not hold the information requested.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the publication entitled Explanatory note on the National Insurance Contribution compensation 2025 to 2026, published 18 December 2024, for what reason the allocation was not calculated using published local authority payroll data.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government has announced an additional £515 million of support for local government, including Mayoral Combined Authorities and Fire and Rescue Authorities, specifically to manage the impact of changes to employer NICs announced at the Autumn Budget.
Additional funding made available to compensate local government as a whole for the impact of changes to employer NICs has been determined based on a national assessment of the costs for directly employed staff across the public sector.
We propose to allocate the £515 million between local authorities in England based on their shares of total relevant net current expenditure. We have published a methodology note, explaining the data this funding is based upon, to assist councils with their financial planning.
The government will confirm final positions on methodology and approach to allocations as soon as possible now that the consultation on the provisional settlement has closed. We are continuing to engage with local government on their queries regarding the allocation of this additional funding.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2024 to Question 4279 on Housing: Bricks, what steps she plans to take to increase rates of swift brick installation in new build properties.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The revised National Planning Policy Framework we published on 12 December 2024 expects developments to provide net gains for biodiversity, including through incorporating features which support priority or threatened species such as swifts, bats and hedgehogs.
The National Model Design Code and Natural England’s Green Infrastructure Framework set out how development can incorporate a range of nature friendly features including swift bricks.
We will continue to consider what action may be appropriate to drive up rates of swift brick installation in new build properties.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when her Department plans to publish a decision on which apprenticeships will be impacted by cuts to Level 7 apprenticeship funding.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government is committed to spreading opportunities and economic growth supported by a strong skills system.
This government has an extremely challenging fiscal inheritance. There are tough choices that need to be taken on how funding should be prioritised in order to generate opportunities for young people that enable them to make a start in good, fulfilling careers. The department will therefore be asking more employers to step forward and fund a significant number of level 7 apprenticeships themselves outside of the levy-funded growth and skills offer.
The department is taking advice from Skills England, who engaged with employers on funding for level 7 apprenticeships over the autumn, and the department expects to make a final decision on affected apprenticeships shortly.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when her Department will publish a breakdown of planned spending on homelessness (a) support and (b) prevention for 2025-26.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government announced funding allocations for homelessness and rough sleeping on gov.uk in December 2024.
This includes funding for sector support to strengthen the capacity of the voluntary sector, the Homelessness Prevention Grant, the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme and the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant, which consolidated the previous Rough Sleeping Initiative and Accommodation for Ex Offenders grants.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the (a) Rough Sleeping Initiative, (b) Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme and (c) Night Shelter Transformation Fund will continue in 2025-26.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government announced funding allocations for homelessness and rough sleeping on gov.uk in December 2024.
This includes funding for sector support to strengthen the capacity of the voluntary sector, the Homelessness Prevention Grant, the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme and the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant, which consolidated the previous Rough Sleeping Initiative and Accommodation for Ex Offenders grants.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it is her Department’s policy to notify successful applicants that they have been issued with an eVisa.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
All applicants issued with an eVisa as evidence of their immigration status receive a written notification, either via email or post, once their immigration application has been successful, and their immigration permission granted. This notification confirms that the person has been issued an eVisa as evidence of their immigration status. It also includes information on what an eVisa is, and how to access and use it.
Immigration status holders who are not making an application but who take action to create a UKVI account to access their existing eVisa receive a notification via email once they complete the UKVI account creation process, confirming they can access their eVisa.