Asked by: Elliot Colburn (Conservative - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much tax revenue his Department received in reimbursements of car mileage set higher than the Approved Mileage Allowance Payment rate in financial year 2022-23; and what proportion of that revenue represented of the overall income tax take for that year.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The requested information is not available as payments above the Approved Mileage Allowance rate are taxable as earnings and are therefore not separately reportable to HMRC, so cannot be separately identified.
Asked by: Elliot Colburn (Conservative - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to expand the gender clinic pilot schemes.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
NHS England has so far commissioned five new pilot gender identity clinics based in primary care and sexual health services. These services are currently operating in London, Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Merseyside and East of England. Another pilot testing the primary care-based model, will go live in Sussex in September 2023. Following a positive evaluation of one of the pilots, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded a seven-year contract to develop and expand its service.
The intention, if further pilots are evaluated positively, is to award substantive contracts, following due governance processes. Ongoing evaluation will inform NHS decisions on rolling this model of provision out nationally
Asked by: Elliot Colburn (Conservative - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made in allowing (a) civil marriage, (b) civil partnership and (c) same-sex marriage ceremonies at Ministry of Defence sites.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Defence is proud of all our LGBT+ personnel and the significant contributions they make to ensure our security, support our national interests, and safeguard our prosperity. We are committed to creating an inclusive, respectful and welcoming organisation for all personnel from all faiths and beliefs.
In England and Wales, neither Civil Marriage nor Civil Partnerships (for opposite sex or same sex couples) currently occur on the Defence Estates due to security considerations associated with the requirements for ongoing public access to buildings registered for this purpose. Defence will continually work together with other Government Departments to look at how restrictions can be removed to make the policy more inclusive.
As marriage is a devolved issue in Scotland and Northern Ireland, the rules differ. Civil Marriage or Civil Partnerships on Defence Estates are at the discretion of the Heads of Establishment. Civil Partnerships and Civil Marriages do occur on Defence estates outside the UK, such as in Germany and Cyprus and will comply with host countries’ laws or the Sovereign Base Regulations.
In line with the Marriage of Same Sex Couples (Use of Armed Forces’ Chapels) Regulations 2014, same-sex couples have been able to marry in Armed Forces Chapels since 2014. To date, three same-sex couple marriages have taken place in Armed Forces Chapels since June 2014, two in England and one in Cyprus.
Asked by: Elliot Colburn (Conservative - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many same-sex marriages have taken place in military chapels since the Marriage of Same Sex Couples (Use of Armed Forces’ Chapels) Regulations came into force on 3 June 2014.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Defence is proud of all our LGBT+ personnel and the significant contributions they make to ensure our security, support our national interests, and safeguard our prosperity. We are committed to creating an inclusive, respectful and welcoming organisation for all personnel from all faiths and beliefs.
In England and Wales, neither Civil Marriage nor Civil Partnerships (for opposite sex or same sex couples) currently occur on the Defence Estates due to security considerations associated with the requirements for ongoing public access to buildings registered for this purpose. Defence will continually work together with other Government Departments to look at how restrictions can be removed to make the policy more inclusive.
As marriage is a devolved issue in Scotland and Northern Ireland, the rules differ. Civil Marriage or Civil Partnerships on Defence Estates are at the discretion of the Heads of Establishment. Civil Partnerships and Civil Marriages do occur on Defence estates outside the UK, such as in Germany and Cyprus and will comply with host countries’ laws or the Sovereign Base Regulations.
In line with the Marriage of Same Sex Couples (Use of Armed Forces’ Chapels) Regulations 2014, same-sex couples have been able to marry in Armed Forces Chapels since 2014. To date, three same-sex couple marriages have taken place in Armed Forces Chapels since June 2014, two in England and one in Cyprus.
Asked by: Elliot Colburn (Conservative - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the provision of services available for SEND children of school age.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
The department published the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan in March 2023, in which we set out our plans to improve the SEND and AP system. The Plan includes the steps we are taking to strengthen accountability across the system to improve the quality of services for children with SEND and in AP. This includes the new Ofsted and Care Quality Commission Area SEND Inspection Framework, the emphasis on SEND pupils in the Ofsted Education Inspection Framework, and the local and national inclusion dashboards launching later this year, which will give parents the opportunity to monitor the performance of their local SEND and AP system.
Asked by: Elliot Colburn (Conservative - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an estimate of the number of parents who are not in employment due to an inability to access to school aged childcare.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
The government is investing £289 million in a new wraparound childcare ‘pathfinder’ scheme to support local authorities to work with primary schools and private providers to set up and deliver wraparound childcare before and after school. This is the first step in the government’s ambition for all parents of primary school children who need it to access childcare in their local area from 8am to 6pm. Successfully meeting this objective will go some way in ensuring that parents have enough childcare to work full time, more hours, and with flexible hours.
The investment will also support local authorities to test flexible options of providing school aged childcare, for example exploring models such as partnerships between schools and working with private, voluntary and independent (PVI) providers, to deliver wraparound childcare that is self-financing and sustainable in the longer term.
The department will work with local authorities, schools, and PVI providers over the next few months to ensure that this programme is designed to meet the needs of parents, and to ensure that the right support is in place for schools and providers. To meet the ambition of the pathfinder, we are working with a small group of local authorities in a co-design process, to build our understanding of the challenges around supply and demand, recruitment and retention, and other operational considerations. This will be a collaborative process to co-design the programme, with additional input from private providers, parents, and others in the sector. We will be looking to support some local authorities to roll out the programme earlier than September 2024, where they are able to. Local authorities who participate in the co-design process may find themselves more able to roll out sooner than they would otherwise be able to.
The department understands that many parents work fewer hours, even when their children are of school age. A key barrier is the availability of wraparound childcare, with only 64% of primary schools currently offering childcare at both ends of the day. The availability of wraparound childcare differs between schools and local authorities. This means that although there is some excellent provision, whether delivered by schools or by PVI providers, not all families are receiving the support they need to enable them to work. In 2021, 40% of non-working mothers with primary age children said that if they could arrange good quality childcare that was convenient, reliable, and affordable, they would prefer to work. Increasing the availability of wraparound childcare for parents will help ensure that working parents do not have to reduce their hours due to their caring responsibilities. Working families can continue to access support with childcare costs through Tax Free Childcare, worth up to £2,000 per year for children aged up to 11, or £4,000 per year for children aged up to 17 with disabilities, and the childcare element for Universal Credit for children up to age 16.
Many schools already work successfully in partnership with PVI providers to deliver wraparound childcare to the school community. Officials are engaging with schools and wraparound childcare providers to understand what support they will require to deliver sustainable wraparound childcare. Officials are also working across government to ensure that the pathfinder scheme complements and supports existing work where schools provide out of hours activities. Senior officials are in regular discussions with representatives from the Local Government Association, local authorities, schools, and PVI providers through the Wraparound Programme Steering Group, helping the department better understand sector-specific challenges.
We recognise that recruitment and retention remain key challenges for schools and private providers. Supporting this workforce continues to be a priority for the department. We are working proactively with the sector and other government departments to build our understanding of the situation and how we might support in this area. That is why this funding is designed to support local authorities to work with schools and private providers to test different approaches and identify what works best for them. The pathfinder will include a robust evaluation to ensure we gather as much evidence and information as possible about the barriers and challenges the sector has in delivering wraparound childcare, and what support and funding the sector needs to deliver provision that is sustainable and accessible to all working parents that need it.
Asked by: Elliot Colburn (Conservative - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to (a) improve the provision of school aged childcare and (b) help provide childcare for parents to return to the workforce.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
The government is investing £289 million in a new wraparound childcare ‘pathfinder’ scheme to support local authorities to work with primary schools and private providers to set up and deliver wraparound childcare before and after school. This is the first step in the government’s ambition for all parents of primary school children who need it to access childcare in their local area from 8am to 6pm. Successfully meeting this objective will go some way in ensuring that parents have enough childcare to work full time, more hours, and with flexible hours.
The investment will also support local authorities to test flexible options of providing school aged childcare, for example exploring models such as partnerships between schools and working with private, voluntary and independent (PVI) providers, to deliver wraparound childcare that is self-financing and sustainable in the longer term.
The department will work with local authorities, schools, and PVI providers over the next few months to ensure that this programme is designed to meet the needs of parents, and to ensure that the right support is in place for schools and providers. To meet the ambition of the pathfinder, we are working with a small group of local authorities in a co-design process, to build our understanding of the challenges around supply and demand, recruitment and retention, and other operational considerations. This will be a collaborative process to co-design the programme, with additional input from private providers, parents, and others in the sector. We will be looking to support some local authorities to roll out the programme earlier than September 2024, where they are able to. Local authorities who participate in the co-design process may find themselves more able to roll out sooner than they would otherwise be able to.
The department understands that many parents work fewer hours, even when their children are of school age. A key barrier is the availability of wraparound childcare, with only 64% of primary schools currently offering childcare at both ends of the day. The availability of wraparound childcare differs between schools and local authorities. This means that although there is some excellent provision, whether delivered by schools or by PVI providers, not all families are receiving the support they need to enable them to work. In 2021, 40% of non-working mothers with primary age children said that if they could arrange good quality childcare that was convenient, reliable, and affordable, they would prefer to work. Increasing the availability of wraparound childcare for parents will help ensure that working parents do not have to reduce their hours due to their caring responsibilities. Working families can continue to access support with childcare costs through Tax Free Childcare, worth up to £2,000 per year for children aged up to 11, or £4,000 per year for children aged up to 17 with disabilities, and the childcare element for Universal Credit for children up to age 16.
Many schools already work successfully in partnership with PVI providers to deliver wraparound childcare to the school community. Officials are engaging with schools and wraparound childcare providers to understand what support they will require to deliver sustainable wraparound childcare. Officials are also working across government to ensure that the pathfinder scheme complements and supports existing work where schools provide out of hours activities. Senior officials are in regular discussions with representatives from the Local Government Association, local authorities, schools, and PVI providers through the Wraparound Programme Steering Group, helping the department better understand sector-specific challenges.
We recognise that recruitment and retention remain key challenges for schools and private providers. Supporting this workforce continues to be a priority for the department. We are working proactively with the sector and other government departments to build our understanding of the situation and how we might support in this area. That is why this funding is designed to support local authorities to work with schools and private providers to test different approaches and identify what works best for them. The pathfinder will include a robust evaluation to ensure we gather as much evidence and information as possible about the barriers and challenges the sector has in delivering wraparound childcare, and what support and funding the sector needs to deliver provision that is sustainable and accessible to all working parents that need it.
Asked by: Elliot Colburn (Conservative - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with representatives of childcare providers on school aged childcare.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
The government is investing £289 million in a new wraparound childcare ‘pathfinder’ scheme to support local authorities to work with primary schools and private providers to set up and deliver wraparound childcare before and after school. This is the first step in the government’s ambition for all parents of primary school children who need it to access childcare in their local area from 8am to 6pm. Successfully meeting this objective will go some way in ensuring that parents have enough childcare to work full time, more hours, and with flexible hours.
The investment will also support local authorities to test flexible options of providing school aged childcare, for example exploring models such as partnerships between schools and working with private, voluntary and independent (PVI) providers, to deliver wraparound childcare that is self-financing and sustainable in the longer term.
The department will work with local authorities, schools, and PVI providers over the next few months to ensure that this programme is designed to meet the needs of parents, and to ensure that the right support is in place for schools and providers. To meet the ambition of the pathfinder, we are working with a small group of local authorities in a co-design process, to build our understanding of the challenges around supply and demand, recruitment and retention, and other operational considerations. This will be a collaborative process to co-design the programme, with additional input from private providers, parents, and others in the sector. We will be looking to support some local authorities to roll out the programme earlier than September 2024, where they are able to. Local authorities who participate in the co-design process may find themselves more able to roll out sooner than they would otherwise be able to.
The department understands that many parents work fewer hours, even when their children are of school age. A key barrier is the availability of wraparound childcare, with only 64% of primary schools currently offering childcare at both ends of the day. The availability of wraparound childcare differs between schools and local authorities. This means that although there is some excellent provision, whether delivered by schools or by PVI providers, not all families are receiving the support they need to enable them to work. In 2021, 40% of non-working mothers with primary age children said that if they could arrange good quality childcare that was convenient, reliable, and affordable, they would prefer to work. Increasing the availability of wraparound childcare for parents will help ensure that working parents do not have to reduce their hours due to their caring responsibilities. Working families can continue to access support with childcare costs through Tax Free Childcare, worth up to £2,000 per year for children aged up to 11, or £4,000 per year for children aged up to 17 with disabilities, and the childcare element for Universal Credit for children up to age 16.
Many schools already work successfully in partnership with PVI providers to deliver wraparound childcare to the school community. Officials are engaging with schools and wraparound childcare providers to understand what support they will require to deliver sustainable wraparound childcare. Officials are also working across government to ensure that the pathfinder scheme complements and supports existing work where schools provide out of hours activities. Senior officials are in regular discussions with representatives from the Local Government Association, local authorities, schools, and PVI providers through the Wraparound Programme Steering Group, helping the department better understand sector-specific challenges.
We recognise that recruitment and retention remain key challenges for schools and private providers. Supporting this workforce continues to be a priority for the department. We are working proactively with the sector and other government departments to build our understanding of the situation and how we might support in this area. That is why this funding is designed to support local authorities to work with schools and private providers to test different approaches and identify what works best for them. The pathfinder will include a robust evaluation to ensure we gather as much evidence and information as possible about the barriers and challenges the sector has in delivering wraparound childcare, and what support and funding the sector needs to deliver provision that is sustainable and accessible to all working parents that need it.
Asked by: Elliot Colburn (Conservative - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to commence the trailblazer programme for wraparound childcare providers.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
The government is investing £289 million in a new wraparound childcare ‘pathfinder’ scheme to support local authorities to work with primary schools and private providers to set up and deliver wraparound childcare before and after school. This is the first step in the government’s ambition for all parents of primary school children who need it to access childcare in their local area from 8am to 6pm. Successfully meeting this objective will go some way in ensuring that parents have enough childcare to work full time, more hours, and with flexible hours.
The investment will also support local authorities to test flexible options of providing school aged childcare, for example exploring models such as partnerships between schools and working with private, voluntary and independent (PVI) providers, to deliver wraparound childcare that is self-financing and sustainable in the longer term.
The department will work with local authorities, schools, and PVI providers over the next few months to ensure that this programme is designed to meet the needs of parents, and to ensure that the right support is in place for schools and providers. To meet the ambition of the pathfinder, we are working with a small group of local authorities in a co-design process, to build our understanding of the challenges around supply and demand, recruitment and retention, and other operational considerations. This will be a collaborative process to co-design the programme, with additional input from private providers, parents, and others in the sector. We will be looking to support some local authorities to roll out the programme earlier than September 2024, where they are able to. Local authorities who participate in the co-design process may find themselves more able to roll out sooner than they would otherwise be able to.
The department understands that many parents work fewer hours, even when their children are of school age. A key barrier is the availability of wraparound childcare, with only 64% of primary schools currently offering childcare at both ends of the day. The availability of wraparound childcare differs between schools and local authorities. This means that although there is some excellent provision, whether delivered by schools or by PVI providers, not all families are receiving the support they need to enable them to work. In 2021, 40% of non-working mothers with primary age children said that if they could arrange good quality childcare that was convenient, reliable, and affordable, they would prefer to work. Increasing the availability of wraparound childcare for parents will help ensure that working parents do not have to reduce their hours due to their caring responsibilities. Working families can continue to access support with childcare costs through Tax Free Childcare, worth up to £2,000 per year for children aged up to 11, or £4,000 per year for children aged up to 17 with disabilities, and the childcare element for Universal Credit for children up to age 16.
Many schools already work successfully in partnership with PVI providers to deliver wraparound childcare to the school community. Officials are engaging with schools and wraparound childcare providers to understand what support they will require to deliver sustainable wraparound childcare. Officials are also working across government to ensure that the pathfinder scheme complements and supports existing work where schools provide out of hours activities. Senior officials are in regular discussions with representatives from the Local Government Association, local authorities, schools, and PVI providers through the Wraparound Programme Steering Group, helping the department better understand sector-specific challenges.
We recognise that recruitment and retention remain key challenges for schools and private providers. Supporting this workforce continues to be a priority for the department. We are working proactively with the sector and other government departments to build our understanding of the situation and how we might support in this area. That is why this funding is designed to support local authorities to work with schools and private providers to test different approaches and identify what works best for them. The pathfinder will include a robust evaluation to ensure we gather as much evidence and information as possible about the barriers and challenges the sector has in delivering wraparound childcare, and what support and funding the sector needs to deliver provision that is sustainable and accessible to all working parents that need it.
Asked by: Elliot Colburn (Conservative - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help school aged childcare providers (a) attract and (b) retain a skilled and qualified workforce.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
The government is investing £289 million in a new wraparound childcare ‘pathfinder’ scheme to support local authorities to work with primary schools and private providers to set up and deliver wraparound childcare before and after school. This is the first step in the government’s ambition for all parents of primary school children who need it to access childcare in their local area from 8am to 6pm. Successfully meeting this objective will go some way in ensuring that parents have enough childcare to work full time, more hours, and with flexible hours.
The investment will also support local authorities to test flexible options of providing school aged childcare, for example exploring models such as partnerships between schools and working with private, voluntary and independent (PVI) providers, to deliver wraparound childcare that is self-financing and sustainable in the longer term.
The department will work with local authorities, schools, and PVI providers over the next few months to ensure that this programme is designed to meet the needs of parents, and to ensure that the right support is in place for schools and providers. To meet the ambition of the pathfinder, we are working with a small group of local authorities in a co-design process, to build our understanding of the challenges around supply and demand, recruitment and retention, and other operational considerations. This will be a collaborative process to co-design the programme, with additional input from private providers, parents, and others in the sector. We will be looking to support some local authorities to roll out the programme earlier than September 2024, where they are able to. Local authorities who participate in the co-design process may find themselves more able to roll out sooner than they would otherwise be able to.
The department understands that many parents work fewer hours, even when their children are of school age. A key barrier is the availability of wraparound childcare, with only 64% of primary schools currently offering childcare at both ends of the day. The availability of wraparound childcare differs between schools and local authorities. This means that although there is some excellent provision, whether delivered by schools or by PVI providers, not all families are receiving the support they need to enable them to work. In 2021, 40% of non-working mothers with primary age children said that if they could arrange good quality childcare that was convenient, reliable, and affordable, they would prefer to work. Increasing the availability of wraparound childcare for parents will help ensure that working parents do not have to reduce their hours due to their caring responsibilities. Working families can continue to access support with childcare costs through Tax Free Childcare, worth up to £2,000 per year for children aged up to 11, or £4,000 per year for children aged up to 17 with disabilities, and the childcare element for Universal Credit for children up to age 16.
Many schools already work successfully in partnership with PVI providers to deliver wraparound childcare to the school community. Officials are engaging with schools and wraparound childcare providers to understand what support they will require to deliver sustainable wraparound childcare. Officials are also working across government to ensure that the pathfinder scheme complements and supports existing work where schools provide out of hours activities. Senior officials are in regular discussions with representatives from the Local Government Association, local authorities, schools, and PVI providers through the Wraparound Programme Steering Group, helping the department better understand sector-specific challenges.
We recognise that recruitment and retention remain key challenges for schools and private providers. Supporting this workforce continues to be a priority for the department. We are working proactively with the sector and other government departments to build our understanding of the situation and how we might support in this area. That is why this funding is designed to support local authorities to work with schools and private providers to test different approaches and identify what works best for them. The pathfinder will include a robust evaluation to ensure we gather as much evidence and information as possible about the barriers and challenges the sector has in delivering wraparound childcare, and what support and funding the sector needs to deliver provision that is sustainable and accessible to all working parents that need it.