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Written Question
Broadband: Repairs and Maintenance
Monday 16th December 2024

Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to help support people in areas where (a) there is damage to broadband cables and (b) other repairs are required to access to broadband services.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Department works with Ofcom and communication providers to ensure broadband services are resilient and reliable. All communication providers have statutory obligations to maintain their networks and services. Ofcom has the power to investigate, rectify, and penalise providers for breaches. Consumers can report faults or delays on Ofcom’s website. Additionally, customers of the 10 providers who have signed up to Ofcom’s automatic compensation scheme can be compensated as a result of a delayed repair following loss of service.


Written Question
Broadband: Repairs and Maintenance
Monday 16th December 2024

Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to speed up the pace of repairs to damaged broadband cables in rural areas.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Department works with Ofcom and communication providers to ensure broadband services are resilient and reliable. All communication providers have statutory obligations to maintain their networks and services. Ofcom has the power to investigate, rectify, and penalise providers for breaches. Consumers can report faults or delays on Ofcom’s website. Additionally, customers of the 10 providers who have signed up to Ofcom’s automatic compensation scheme can be compensated as a result of a delayed repair following loss of service.


Written Question
Mathematics: Qualifications
Friday 13th December 2024

Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of encouraging the Joint Council for Qualifications to include the Level 3 Core Maths qualification within the A level and Level 3 results documents to ensure their profile is aligned with similar sized qualifications.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

High and rising school standards, including in mathematics, are at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best life chances. Our Core Maths suite of qualifications is designed to prepare students for the mathematical demands of university study, employment and life by strengthening and building on students’ existing skills with a focus on using and applying mathematics. In the 2024/2025 academic year, a Core Maths premium of £900 per year per student was introduced into the 16-19 funding formula to support students’ participation in programmes with core mathematics qualifications. Guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/16-to-19-funding-core-maths-premium/16-to-19-funding-core-maths-premium#eligible.

The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE, an expert in education policy. The review will seek to deliver an excellent foundation in reading, writing and maths and will look at ensuring all young people aged 16-19 have access to rigorous, high value qualifications and training.

Results data is published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) annually. Departmental officials have discussed with JCQ what data they might report for summer 2025 and beyond. While JCQ regularly review what and how they publish their data, they are an independent organisation, and this is a matter for them to consider.

The department funds the Advanced Mathematics Support Programme (AMSP), to promote the value of, and discuss positive encouragement for, level 3 mathematics and Core Maths in particular. The AMSP monitors engagement with the programme and provides support to increase the uptake of Core Maths.


Written Question
Mathematics: Qualifications
Friday 13th December 2024

Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to (a) increase awareness and (b) raise the status with (i) universities and (ii) employers of the Level 3 Core Maths qualification.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

High and rising school standards, including in mathematics, are at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best life chances. Our Core Maths suite of qualifications is designed to prepare students for the mathematical demands of university study, employment and life by strengthening and building on students’ existing skills with a focus on using and applying mathematics. In the 2024/2025 academic year, a Core Maths premium of £900 per year per student was introduced into the 16-19 funding formula to support students’ participation in programmes with core mathematics qualifications. Guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/16-to-19-funding-core-maths-premium/16-to-19-funding-core-maths-premium#eligible.

The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE, an expert in education policy. The review will seek to deliver an excellent foundation in reading, writing and maths and will look at ensuring all young people aged 16-19 have access to rigorous, high value qualifications and training.

Results data is published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) annually. Departmental officials have discussed with JCQ what data they might report for summer 2025 and beyond. While JCQ regularly review what and how they publish their data, they are an independent organisation, and this is a matter for them to consider.

The department funds the Advanced Mathematics Support Programme (AMSP), to promote the value of, and discuss positive encouragement for, level 3 mathematics and Core Maths in particular. The AMSP monitors engagement with the programme and provides support to increase the uptake of Core Maths.


Written Question
Child Maintenance Service: Pilot Schemes
Thursday 12th December 2024

Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if her Department will publish an evaluation of the pilot scheme on the use of single-named caseworkers by the Child Maintenance Service.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Child Maintenance Service takes the support of survivors of domestic abuse very seriously. In response to recommendation 4 of Dr Callan’s independent review, the Single Caseworker Team pilot was set up on 23rd January 2024 to deal with complex domestic abuse cases. After the successful completion of the pilot, the team has become a permanent part of the operational structure since 18 November 2024.


Written Question
Higher Education: VAT
Tuesday 10th December 2024

Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 22 November 2024 to Question 14160 on Higher Education: VAT, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of enabling groups of universities to share VAT-exempt costs at contract level without creating a separate legal entity.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The requirement for groups using the cost sharing exemption to create a separate legal entity is in place to ensure that use of the exemption aligns with normal VAT principles that apply to all taxpayers. The Government keeps all taxes under review as part of the policy making process, but there are currently no plans to change this.


Written Question
Mathematics: Higher Education
Tuesday 10th December 2024

Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for (a) her policies and (b) the labour market of changes in the level of the provision of maths in universities.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

English universities are independent, autonomous institutions and are therefore free to choose which courses they run. Quality is assessed by the Office for Students, the regulator of higher education (HE) providers in England.

The factor that makes the biggest difference to a young person’s education in schools and colleges is high quality teaching, but there are shortages of qualified teachers across the country. This is why the department is committed to recruiting an additional 6,500 expert teachers across schools, both mainstream and specialist, and colleges, over the course of this parliament.

Our measures will include getting more teachers into key subjects, such as mathematics, supporting areas that face recruitment challenges or shortages of qualified teachers, and tackling retention issues.

The department has recently announced the Initial Teacher Training financial incentives package for the 2025/26 recruitment cycle, which is worth up to £233 million, and represents a £37 million increase on the last cycle. This includes a range of measures, including bursaries worth £29,000 tax-free and scholarships worth £31,000 tax-free, to encourage talented trainees to key subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing.

The department is also supporting the retention of teachers within the profession, alongside additional recruitment. As of 14 October, eligible early career teachers in priority science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and technical subjects can claim targeted retention incentive payments worth up to £6,000 after tax, with payments made available to college teachers in key STEM and technical subjects for the first time.

The government recognises that our universities make a vital contribution to our economy, society and to industry and innovation. We recognise the need to put our world-leading HE sector on a secure footing to ensure that all students have confidence that they will receive the world-class HE experience they deserve.


Written Question
Mathematics: Higher Education
Tuesday 10th December 2024

Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of maths provision in universities as part of the plan to recruit 6,500 new teachers.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

English universities are independent, autonomous institutions and are therefore free to choose which courses they run. Quality is assessed by the Office for Students, the regulator of higher education (HE) providers in England.

The factor that makes the biggest difference to a young person’s education in schools and colleges is high quality teaching, but there are shortages of qualified teachers across the country. This is why the department is committed to recruiting an additional 6,500 expert teachers across schools, both mainstream and specialist, and colleges, over the course of this parliament.

Our measures will include getting more teachers into key subjects, such as mathematics, supporting areas that face recruitment challenges or shortages of qualified teachers, and tackling retention issues.

The department has recently announced the Initial Teacher Training financial incentives package for the 2025/26 recruitment cycle, which is worth up to £233 million, and represents a £37 million increase on the last cycle. This includes a range of measures, including bursaries worth £29,000 tax-free and scholarships worth £31,000 tax-free, to encourage talented trainees to key subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing.

The department is also supporting the retention of teachers within the profession, alongside additional recruitment. As of 14 October, eligible early career teachers in priority science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and technical subjects can claim targeted retention incentive payments worth up to £6,000 after tax, with payments made available to college teachers in key STEM and technical subjects for the first time.

The government recognises that our universities make a vital contribution to our economy, society and to industry and innovation. We recognise the need to put our world-leading HE sector on a secure footing to ensure that all students have confidence that they will receive the world-class HE experience they deserve.


Written Question
Infected Blood Compensation Scheme
Tuesday 10th December 2024

Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Establishing the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme in Regulations, published on 23 August 2024, what his planned timetable is to publish the second set of regulations to provide for the payment of compensation to affected persons; and whether a target date has been set for when compensation payments will begin.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Subject to Parliamentary approval, the Government is aiming for the second set of Regulations to be in place by 31 March 2025 to support our intention that people who are affected can start receiving payment next year.


Written Question
NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
Monday 9th December 2024

Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to meet regularly with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care Board; and whether he plans to issue guidance to the Board on the the construction of a town hub in Northstowe.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department currently has no plans to meet regularly with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care Board, and is not taking any steps to issue guidance to the ICB on the construction of a town hub in Northstowe.