Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to protect (a) rural and (b) coastal communities at risk of flooding; and what steps he plans to take.

Answered by Robbie Moore - Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government is investing £5.6 billion between 2021 and 2027 to better protect communities across England from flooding and coastal erosion. This includes a record £5.2 billion capital investment programme as well as a £200 million Flood and Coastal Innovation Programme, which will benefit rural and coastal communities.

Approximately 40% of schemes, and 45% of investment, from the £5.2 billion programme will better protect properties in rural communities, supported by interventions such as the £100 million Frequently Flooded Allowance and the £25 million Natural Flood Management Fund. In April 2023, the Government announced the first 53 communities in England to benefit from the £100 million Frequently Flooded Allowance. These communities have been allocated a total of £48 million, better protecting more than 2,300 households and businesses across the country. A second round of schemes benefitting from the Frequently Flooded Allowance will be announced in due course.

In addition, the Government recently announced £75 million of funding to Internal Drainage Boards to help better protect agricultural land and rural communities from flooding.

As part of Flood and Coastal Innovation Programme, Ministers have allocated £36 million over six years to develop a ‘Coastal Transition Accelerator Programme’ to trial opportunities and innovative practical actions in a small number of coastal areas at significant risk of coastal erosion, to transition and adapt to a changing climate.

In addition, Defra has committed to review policy on shoreline management plans by 2026 to ensure they remain fit for the future, and are transparent, continuously reviewed and enable coastal protection authorities to make robust decisions when managing flood and coastal erosion risk for their areas.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help support cockle fishing communities (a) around the Southport Cockle Bed and (b) in other areas.

Answered by Mark Spencer

The Southport Cockle Bed is managed by the North Western Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA). Recognising limited wider fishing opportunities for industry in the North West, the IFCA opened the Penfold cockle fishery this year until 30 April.

Support has been provided to businesses involved in the cockle sector, including introducing improvements to boats, improving health and safety, and increasing the value of cockles through the installation of infrastructure for individual quick freezing through the Defra funded Fisheries and Seafood Scheme.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the sustainability of the cockle fisheries sector.

Answered by Mark Spencer

A public consultation on a draft Cockle Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) will be launched shortly. FMPs are evidence-based plans that take an eco-system based approach to fisheries management and provide sustainable fisheries for current and future generations. Cockles have been prioritised for an FMP in recognition of their vulnerability to over-exploitation, the economic value of the fishery (currently estimated at an annual value of £10.3 million), and the environmental benefits that cockle stocks bring to habitat health and wider biodiversity. The draft FMP will propose goals and actions for cockle fisheries in English waters to improve the stock and provide social and economic benefits to fishing communities.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department is taking steps through the criminal justice system to support small businesses affected by criminal damage.

Answered by Chris Philp - Shadow Home Secretary

The Crime Survey for England and Wales estimates 623k criminal damage offences in the year ending December 2023, which is a decrease of -73.9% since year ending March 2010.

The Government is working to reduce crime against businesses. Police forces across England and Wales made a significant commitment to follow up on any available evidence where there is a reasonable chance it could lead them to catching a perpetrator and solving a crime. This is a substantial and meaningful commitment that we believe will help drive down crime, improve investigations and improve the criminal justice system outcomes to support all victims.

We are taking action to support the retail sector, including small, independent retailers. The Government’s plan – "Fighting retail crime: more action" was launched on 10 April and includes commitments to make it easier for small independent businesses to report crime to the police.

In 2021-22, the Home Office provided £75,000 to the National Business Crime Centre to support the creation of a retail crime hub on their website and to establish it as a ‘one-stop-shop’ for business crime. The crime hub hosts a range of information and crime prevention guidance for businesses, including specific resources for preventing shop theft and prolific offending: Business Support (nbcc.police.uk). The Home Office will be providing further funding to the NBCC to carry out commitments in the Government’s retail crime plan.

We know anti-social behaviour blights neighbourhoods, makes people’s lives a misery and stops businesses and individuals from flourishing. That is why last year the Government launched the Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan to crack down on anti-social behaviour and restore public confidence that these crimes will be quickly and visibly punished.  Under the Plan, which is backed by £160m of funding, we are supporting increased patrols in anti-social behaviour hotspot areas, and making sure offenders are made to repair the damage they cause, in some cases within as little as 48 hours.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department plans to take to increase public awareness of the potential impact of changes in the (a) responsibilities and (b) role of Great British Rail on journey times.

Answered by Huw Merriman

The Government is reforming the railways to ensure they are fit for the 21st century. Central to this is the establishment of Great British Railways (GBR).

The legislation needed to establish Great British Railways is currently undergoing pre-legislative scrutiny and we have published the Government’s response to the legislation consultation.

Once established, GBR will bring infrastructure, operations and strategic finance decisions together, better addressing customers whilst delivering a simpler and better railway.

In advance of legislation to establish GBR, we have reorganised DfT, creating an integrated Rail Services Group, bringing together most of Passenger Services and Rail Infrastructure Group, focussed on the day-to-day operational performance of the railway. This is part of paving the way to an integrated rail body which will put customers at the heart of decision-making.

Ministers regularly speak about rail reform and ahead of the creation of GBR, the Great British Railways Transition Team (GBRTT) has been created to lay the foundations for GBR while also promoting the benefits of rail reform including through the Great British Rail Sale initiative. The second Great British Rail Sale generated around £4.9m in savings for passengers, according to industry estimates, with around 580,000 tickets sold.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring local authorities to undertake local consultations before allocating funding through his Department's active travel schemes.

Answered by Guy Opperman

Local authorities already have a statutory requirement to consult on all highways schemes, including for active travel, in line with existing legislation such as the Equality Act (2010) and Road Traffic Regulation Act (1984). Additionally, Active Travel Fund guidance is clear that all schemes must be developed in consultation with local communities to enable a range of views to be considered and given due regard.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps he is taking to support golf (a) courses and (b) clubs in Southport.

Answered by Gareth Davies - Shadow Financial Secretary (Treasury)

Sport England, receives £323m in Exchequer and Lottery funding each year.

Since 2019 Sport England have invested over £13.7m into projects which facilitate participation in golf. This includes £7.9m of system partner investment to England Golf to grow and develop the sport across the country between 2022 and 2027.

Sport England also provides support for grassroots sport through the newly established Movement Fund, which offers crowdfunding pledges, grants and resources to improve physical activity opportunities for the people and communities who need it the most.

On top of this Active Partnerships are a system partner of Sport England and work in collaboration with local partners to deliver physical activity and sport. Clubs in your constituency may wish to contact the Merseyside Sports Partnership in their capacity as the local Active Partnership for the area, as they may be able to signpost to further funding opportunities.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps he is taking to support coastal communities with tourism industries in summer 2024.

Answered by Gareth Davies - Shadow Financial Secretary (Treasury)

The Government recognises the central role of our coastal communities in the tourism sector.

This is why on Heritage Day in March, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport announced that it will be launching a dedicated fund to support enhancements to our seaside heritage, to help protect and rejuvenate coastal assets which are in need of further support.

At the Autumn Statement 2023, the Government also announced an extension to the 75% business rate relief for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties for 2024-25.

We have also supported coastal communities to level up through dedicated funding under the Coastal Communities Fund, while the Levelling Up Fund has provided around £1 billion to projects in coastal areas. Over £400 million from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund is going to lead local authorities within or serving coastal areas.

Across this Spending Review period, the Government has allocated over £100m to the British Tourist Authority to support VisitBritain and VisitEngland with marketing activity that includes championing visiting Britain’s coastline.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department (a) is taking and (b) plans to take to help (i) facilitate and (ii) increase the voluntary uptake of the shingles vaccine by people aged 66 to 69 in (A) Southport and (B) the UK.

Answered by Maria Caulfield

The current policy offers the shingles vaccine Shingrix to anyone who turned 65 or 70 years old on or after 1 September 2023, and to anyone aged 50 years old and over, which includes those aged 66 to 69 years old, who is at higher risk of serious complications as a result of having a severely weakened immune system, and who has been prioritised for vaccination by the National Health Service.

Healthy 66 to 69 year olds who do not have a severely weakened immune system are not currently eligible to receive the shingles vaccine, although they will become eligible when they turn 70 years old, as they would have done prior to 1 September 2023.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) provides public facing information, including translations into over 20 different languages, including braille, audio, large print, and British Sign Language, to help increase the uptake of the shingles vaccine and information for healthcare professionals.

Decisions regarding eligibility and the design of the current programme roll-out are based on clinical advice, including the independent advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, and follow a similar pattern to the 2013 roll-out of the single dose shingles vaccine. However, the Government recognises the concerns of those currently aged 65 to 69 and is looking at ways to improve our approach. This includes options for working with NHS England and the UKHSA to enhance the way in which eligibility for this immunisation is communicated to the public, but also considers potential wider changes.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle (a) antisocial behaviour and (b) other (i) dangerous and (ii) illicit acts caused by illegal drug cultivation.

Answered by Chris Philp - Shadow Home Secretary

Drugs devastate lives, ruin families and damage communities. The Government's ten-year Drugs Strategy demonstrates our commitment to cut off the supply of drugs, reduce their recreational use and make the UK a significantly harder place for organised crime groups to operate in. Through our end-to-end plan to tackle drug supply, we are tackling the supply of drugs at every level from production overseas to cultivation in the UK. Our approach recognises that the organised criminals behind drug cultivation are often involved in a range of wider offences including firearms, money laundering, slavery and human trafficking.

Working with the National Crime Agency, the Regional Organised Crime Unit network and a range of agency partners, police in England and Wales coordinated Operation Mille - the most significant operation of its kind aimed at disrupting organised crime groups by dismantling large-scale cannabis farms – a key source of illicit income for organised crime gangs. Throughout June of 2023, police executed over 1,000 search warrants, arresting hundreds of individuals and seized 20 firearms, over £635,000 in cash and over 180,000 cannabis plants worth around £130 million. Of those arrested, more than 450 were later charged with a range of offences. The Home Office provided police with £1.5m funding in 2023/24 to support Operation Mille.

Last year the Government launched the Anti-social Behaviour Action Plan ensuring the police, local authorities and other relevant agencies have the tools and powers they need to tackle anti-social behaviour. Under the Plan, which is backed by £160m of funding, we are taking a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of anti-social behaviour, including by toughening up the police response to drugs, expanding testing on arrest and banning nitrous oxide.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help improve mental health services in Southport constituency.

Answered by Maria Caulfield

Between 2018/19 and 2023/24, the National Health Service increased spending on mental health services in England by £4.7 billion in cash terms, compared to the target of £3.4 billion set out at the time of the NHS Long Term Plan. All integrated care boards, including Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board, are also on track to meet the Mental Health Investment Standard in 2023/24 by increasing their investment in mental health services, in line with their overall increase in funding for the year.

Almost £16 billion was invested in mental health in 2022/23, enabling over 3.6 million people, including those in the Southport constituency, to be in contact with mental health services, a 10% increase on the previous year.

We have also made positive progress on our ambition to grow the mental health workforce by an extra 27,000 staff between 2019/20 and 2023/24. We delivered three quarters of this, approximately 20,800, by December 2023, with further growth expected to have been achieved once the full year figures for 2023/24 are available.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps the Government is taking to support independent jewellers in Southport constituency.

Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Independent jewellers in Southport and across the country have benefited from the extension of Retail, Hospitality and Leisure relief for 2024-25, a tax cut worth nearly £2.4 billion and a freeze to the small business multiplier for a fourth consecutive year, protecting over a million ratepayers from bill increases.

Government provided an unprecedented package of support for businesses with energy costs through the Energy Bill Relief Scheme and the Energy Bill Discount Scheme. Together these schemes have provided around £7.5 billion to businesses for energy costs.

The industry led Retail Sector Council is developing a strategic approach for retail and continues to invite views on the opportunities and challenges for business set out in the recently published discussion paper Retail: The Great Enabler.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to increase (a) the number of UK nuclear-powered submarines and (b) their capabilities.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence

The Department remains committed to its submarine build programmes. Details can be found within the recently published Defence Nuclear Enterprise Command Paper: Delivering the UK’s Nuclear Deterrent as a National Endeavour (CP1058).

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce the use of animal testing in scientific research.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade

On Monday 19th February, I announced that the government will be publishing a plan to accelerate the development, validation, and uptake of technologies and methods to reduce reliance on the use of animals in science. This summer, this will be led by a cross-government group that will consult stakeholders in industry, academia, and charities.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps her Department is taking to help support the establishment of new business ventures (a) in the North West and (b) Southport constituency.

Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help support coastal habitats.

Answered by Rebecca Pow

Coastal habitats play a crucial role in absorbing carbon dioxide, providing flood defence, supporting fisheries, enhancing water quality, and contributing to biodiversity and well-being.

The Environmental Improvement Plan sets out our focus on enhancing nature in marine and coastal environments, including the steps we are taking to restore and protect marine habitats and marine wildlife.

These include delivering the UK Marine Strategy, which sets our ambition for Good Environmental Status (GES) across our seas. To help achieve GES we have created a series of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to protect and restore our marine biodiversity. We are focused on strengthening the protection of this extensive network of 178 sites covering 40% of English waters, which represents the range of species and habitats found in our seas.

To complement the MPA network, the first three Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) in English waters came into force on 5 July 2023. HPMAs will provide the highest levels of protection in our seas, allowing nature to fully recover to a more natural state and helping the wider ecosystem, including coastal habitats, to thrive.

We actively invest in coastal habitat restoration, allocating significant funding to protect and enhance these vital ecosystems. For example, last year Defra announced a £640,000 funding commitment which is supporting vital restoration and creation of blue carbon habitats in the UK. The Environment Agency’s Restoring Meadow, Marsh and Reef (ReMeMaRe) initiative aims to reverse centuries of coastal habitat decline by restoring seagrass meadows, saltmarsh and native oyster reefs to bring benefits to people and nature.

In February we awarded £25 million funding to 40 schemes around England for improving flood resilience through a new natural flood management programme.

The Government’s £80 million Green Recovery Challenge Fund has supported a range of nature recovery projects across England, some which have included saltmarsh and seagrass restoration. Defra is also funding coastal and marine restoration projects under its flagship £37 million Marine Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment R&D programme.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of procuring (CTOL) F-35A aircraft.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Wentworth and Dearne (John Healey) on 16 June 2023 to Question 188192.

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she is taking steps to help support (a) local action groups and (b) Southport Access For Everyone in Southport constituency to advocate for local authorities to increase access to public infrastructure for people with (i) limited mobility and (ii) disabilities.

Answered by Stuart Andrew - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps her Department is taking to support the (a) digital technology and (b) creative industries in (a) the North West and (b) Southport constituency.

Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress his Department has made on ending the use of seaside hotels for housing asylum seekers.

Answered by Tom Pursglove

The Home Office has been clear that the use of hotels is a temporary and short-term measure to ensure we meet our statutory obligation to accommodate destitute asylum seekers. We have made significant progress in returning 150 hotels to communities across the UK as of the beginning of May.

Our statutory accommodation needs are kept under continuous review, and we will write to MPs and local authorities as further decisions on hotels are made.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to increase digital learning opportunities across (a) schools and (b) colleges.

Answered by Damian Hinds

Ensuring that all children, regardless of their background, have the world class computing and digital knowledge and skills that they need for the future is a key priority of this government.

To help meet the demand for people with computing and digital qualifications and competencies, the department introduced computing as a statutory English National Curriculum subject in 2014, from Key Stages 1 to 4 inclusive. Through computing, pupils become digitally literate so that they are able to use, express themselves and develop their ideas through information and communication technology at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world.

The computer science GCSE and A level were also introduced in 2013, through which students are taught to understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science. In addition, there are high quality vocational and technical digital qualifications available that are counted in the Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5 performance tables, which provide alternative pathways towards digital careers. Information on the Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5 performance tables can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/key-stage-4-qualifications-discount-codes-and-point-scores and https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/16-to-19-qualifications-discount-codes-and-point-scores, respectively.

The department has invested over £100 million in the National Centre for Computing Education (NCCE) to improve the teaching of computing and drive up participation in computer science at GCSE and A level. The NCCE provides high quality continuing professional development and resources to teachers of all Key Stages and engages with schools and colleges across England to improve their computing provision. This includes facilitating industry-led events for pupils on careers in computing and digital.

The department is also investing to fix the basics by improvinge broadband access and connectivity and sett standards for technology infrastructure to help create an environment where all schools and trusts can use technology effectively. The department is working with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and commercial providers to accelerate gigabit capable broadband rollout to schools and investing up to £200 million to upgrade schools that fall below Wi-Fi connectivity standards in Education Investment Areas.

The government recognises that digital skills are important for adults of all ages, and the department is committed to improving their level of digital skills to support active participation in society.

From August 2020, the department introduced a digital entitlement for adults with no or low digital skills to undertake specified digital qualifications free of charge. The new entitlement mirrors the existing legal entitlements for English and maths and puts essential digital skills on an equal footing in the adult education system, as the third essential skill adults need for work, life and further learning.

The department introduced new Essential Digital Skills qualifications (EDSQs) at entry level and Level 1 from August 2020, which are funded under the digital entitlement. EDSQs are based on the national standards for essential digital skills and are designed to meet the diverse needs of adults with no or low digital skills byreflecting different learning needs, motivations and starting points.

To further enhance the essential digital skills offer for adults, from August 2023 the department introduced new digital Functional Skills qualifications (FSQs), which replaced FSQs in Information and Communication Technology. Digital FSQs have standardised content and assessment and provide a benchmark of digital skills for employers. These are based on subject content for digital FSQs that the department published in October 2021.

In addition to formal qualifications, the department also funds community learning and other non-regulated learning, such as building confidence in essential digital skills, through the Adult Education Budget. Many Local Authorities and other further education providers are already delivering these courses that help equip adults with the essential digital skills they need for work, life and further learning.

Of course, people may look to progress beyond essential digital skills, through a desire to retrain or upskill. Through the department’s wider skills reforms, which is backed by an additional £3.8 billion in further education and skills over the lifetime of this Parliament, it has continued to ensure learners, whatever their age, can train, retrain and upskill towards better jobs, better wellbeing and better options for the future.

The department has introduced three Digital T Levels, which include Digital Business Services, Digital Production, Design and Development, and Digital Support Services. They are the gold-standard Level 3 technical qualification that are designed with employers to meet industry standards and with a significant industry placement built in to give that all-important experience of work within the digital sector. Digital skills are increasingly important across all occupations and as a result, every T Level has the digital skills necessary for employment embedded into its curriculum.

Additionally, employers have designed over 30 high-quality digital apprenticeships to support them to develop the skilled workforces they need, including Level 3 Information Communications Technician, Level 3 IT Solutions Technician and Level 3 Digital Support Technician. The department is increasing investment in the apprenticeships system in England to £2.7 billion in the 2024/25 financial year to support employers in delivering high-quality apprenticeships.

Employers and learners can also make use of the department’s Skills Bootcamp offer, which provides free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills with an offer of a job interview upon completion. Skills bootcamps in digital form our largest sector and are available in each English region and online with courses ranging from software development to AI and Machine Learning.

More information about digital skills and other government-funded training opportunities can be found at the following link: https://www.skillsforcareers.education.gov.uk/pages/skills-for-life.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to help improve ambulance waiting times in (a) the North West and (b) Southport constituency.

Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

Our Delivery plan for recovering urgent and emergency care services sets out the range of measures being taken to achieve our ambition of reducing average Category 2 ambulance response times to 30 minutes across 2024/25, including in the North West and Southport. A summary of the progress made and the actions being taken in 2024/25 is set out in Urgent and emergency care recovery plan Year 2: Building on learning from 2023/24, which is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/urgent-and-emergency-care-recovery-plan-year-2-building-on-learning-from-2023-24/

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the European Intervention Initiative in protecting European security interests.

Answered by Leo Docherty

We support the European Intervention Initiative. We believe that it complements existing NATO and EU structures and initiatives. It has proven to be a useful forum for open discussion between European nations on global security challenges and demonstrates that Europe is able to co-operate in new ways on defence outside existing EU structures.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to help increase access to (a) mental health services and (b) employment opportunities for Veterans in Southport constituency.

Answered by Johnny Mercer

This Government is committed to making sure that our veterans and their families have equitable access and opportunity to a full range of career options after leaving military service, and to health, including mental health support whenever it is needed.

Op COURAGE is the NHS England veterans’ mental health and wellbeing service, funded by over £21m per year. Op COURAGE works with several charities and local organisations to provide help with wider health and wellbeing needs.

Earlier this year we launched a campaign with NHS England and the Royal College of GPs to boost the uptake of Op COURAGE, and to encourage GP practices to become veteran friendly accredited.

Veterans employment is at an all-time high, with 89% with six months of leaving service, of those engaging with Career Transition Partnership support.

Op PROSPER backed by £2.1 million in government funding will offer tailored support to veterans and their families entering into employment or taking the next step in their careers wherever they may be based in the UK, at any point in their lives after leaving service.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of trends in the number of police officers operating visibly in communities on the number of drug-related offences recorded in the last five years.

Answered by Chris Philp - Shadow Home Secretary

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to support victims of (a) domestic abuse and (b) coercive control post-separation.

Answered by Laura Farris

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what guidance his Department has issued to local authorities on the construction of homes on (a) flood plains and (b) arable farmland.

Answered by Lee Rowley

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to help promote community cohesion in (a) towns and (b) cities.

Answered by Lee Rowley

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to increase value for money in procurement.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department plans to take to promote (a) vocational training and (b) apprenticeships in the (i) digital and (ii) manufacturing industries in (A) the North West and (B) Southport constituency.

Answered by Luke Hall

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the (a) suitability of and (b) need for a review of Provider Access Legislation for students with SEND to assist them with acquiring employment.

Answered by David Johnston

Since January 2023, schools have been required to comply with strengthened provider access legislation, offering at least six opportunities for pupils to meet providers of technical education or apprenticeships. These encounters offer insights into the courses and qualifications that different providers offer, supporting pupils to make more informed decisions about their next step.

All pupils should have the same opportunities for meaningful provider encounters. The overwhelming majority of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with high levels of needs, can access fulfilling jobs and careers with the right preparation and support. Schools should involve parents/carers, the Special Educational Needs Coordinator and other relevant staff to identify any barriers and support needed, and tailor each provider encounter appropriately.

Where future pathways are limited for learners due to the nature of their specific learning needs and/or physical ability, for example where they are highly likely to proceed into adult social care, it is recognised that it may be necessary for additional flexibility in how these encounters are delivered.

The Careers and Enterprise Company (CEC) supports schools, colleges and specialist institutions to meet the requirements of the provider access legislation. The CEC has produced tailored resources for provider access legislation in SEND settings, sharing good practice in developing and delivering tailored encounters within SEND provision. The resources can be found at the following link: https://resources.careersandenterprise.co.uk/resources/provider-access-legislation-pal-send-settings.

Data published by the CEC provides encouraging early evidence that specialist settings are offering more meaningful encounters for their pupils. For example, in the 2022/23 academic year, 69% of schools reported that most young people had been provided with meaningful encounters with Independent Training Providers (up 9% percentage points in 2021/22). This was higher in special schools and alternative provision (90%), an increase of 22% percentage points from the previous year.

2023/24 is the first full academic year that the strengthened legislation has been in place. The department will continue to monitor and review the support in place, the level of compliance, and the impact on young people.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to allocate new (a) funding and (b) resources to support children with special educational needs and disabilities in schools.

Answered by David Johnston

High needs funding for children and young people with complex special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is over £10.5 billion in 2024/25, which is an increase of over 60% from the 2019/20 allocations. Of this, Sefton Council is due to receive a high needs funding allocation of £47.8 million in 2024/25, which is a cumulative increase of 32% per head over the three years from 2021/22. This funding will help local authorities and schools, both mainstream and special schools, with the increasing costs of supporting children and young people with SEND.

In addition, on 22 May the department published 2024/25 allocations of the Teachers’ Pay Additional Grant, which helps schools with the costs of the 2023 teachers’ pay award, and the 2024 Teachers’ Pension Employer Contribution Grant, which helps schools with the increased employer contribution rate from April 2024. This funding totals £1.9 billion in 2024/25 and is to support schools with the costs of their teachers, and therefore contributes to the resources that are available for schools’ pupils with SEND.

In March 2024, the department also published just under £850 million of High Needs Provision Capital Allocations (HNPCA) for 2023/24 and 2024/25. This funding is allocated to local authorities to support them deliver new places and improve existing provision for children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision (AP).

This funding forms part of the department’s transformational investment of £2.6 billion in new high needs provision between 2022 and 2025 which, when combined with the department’s ongoing delivery of new special and AP free schools, is creating over 60,000 new specialist places across the country.

In total, Sefton Council has been allocated just over £9.7 million through HNPCA between 2022 and 2025.

This funding can be used to deliver new places in mainstream and special schools, as well as other specialist settings, and to improve the suitability and accessibility of existing buildings.

In addition to local authority allocations, 201 special free schools are either open or planned to open in future years. Once at capacity, these schools will provide over 21,000 places for pupils with special educational needs. Over 10,000 of these places have already been delivered.

This includes 56 special free schools being delivered as part of the £2.6 billion of high needs capital funding received in the 2021 Spending Review, plus additional funding announced at the 2024 Spring Budget.

Found: Glenrothes ) Paul Holmes MP (Conservative, Eastleigh ) Gareth Johnson MP (Conservative, Dartford ) Damien

Found: Central ) David Jones MP (Conservative, Clwyd West ) John McDonnell MP (Labour, Hayes and Harlington ) Damien

Found: Central ) David Jones MP (Conservative, Clwyd West ) John McDonnell MP (Labour, Hayes and Harlington ) Damien

Found: Jenkinson, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury, Assistant Government Whip (to 26/10/22)- - 4,479 4,479 Damien