Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to expand Fracture Liaison Services in England.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
More than 500,000 fragility fractures occur every year, and up to 40% of fracture patients will suffer another fracture. I am pleased to reiterate the Government’s commitment to expanding access to Fracture Liaison Services.
The Department is working closely with NHS England to develop plans to ensure better quality and access to these important preventive services. This includes exploring ways to best support systems, as Fracture Liaison Services are commissioned by integrated care boards, which make decisions according to local need.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 29 October to Question 11052 on Free Schools, if she will list the 44 projects.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
I refer the hon. Member for North West Norfolk to the answer of 29 October 2024 to Question 11051.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when the independent appeals process for the Horizon Shortfall Scheme will start accepting applications.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
In September, the Government announced that it would establish an HSS appeals process to provide individuals with a chance to have their claims reassessed through a DBT-run process. We are working with representative groups and the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board to make sure that that the process is fit for purpose and that claims can be assessed and resolved quickly. We will announce further details as soon as we can.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Solicitor General, with reference to paragraph 7.16 of the Ministerial Code, how many ministers have consulted the law officers on legal proceedings in a personal capacity since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
Paragraph 7.16 of the Ministerial Code (3.17 of the Ministerial Code updated on 6 November 2024) obliges Ministers involved in legal proceedings in a personal capacity to consult the Law Officers in good time and before legal proceedings are initiated.
The Law Officers do not disclose whether ministers have consulted them on legal proceedings in a personal capacity.
This is due to the long-standing convention, observed by successive Governments, that the fact of, and substance of advice from, the Law Officers of the Crown is not disclosed outside government. The purpose of this convention is to enable the Government to obtain frank and full legal advice in confidence. This is set out in paragraph 21.27 of Erskine May, is known as the Law Officers’ Convention, and it applies to your question.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a new provisional registration status for overseas-qualified dentists whose qualifications are not automatically recognised by General Dental Council.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is determined to rebuild National Health Service dentistry, and strengthening the workforce is key to our ambitions. Dentists that meet our high standards should be able to enter the workforce efficiently, and we are exploring the best ways to achieve this, including whether there is merit to the introduction of a provisional registration status for overseas-qualified dentists.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help reduce the time taken to process applications to the dental performers list.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In May 2023, changes were made to the Performers List Regulations for England to accelerate the process for domestic and overseas dentists joining the Dental Performers List to be able to practise in the National Health Service. Further changes came into force in September 2023.
The Government is determined to rebuild NHS dentistry, and strengthening the workforce is key to our ambitions. Dentists that meet our high standards should be able to enter the workforce efficiently, and we are exploring the best ways to achieve this.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the temporary freeze on alcohol duty.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Alcohol duties collectively raise over £12bn a year, helping to fund vital public services and addressing the harms caused to society and public health by excessive or irresponsible drinking.
Alcohol duty is currently frozen until 1 February 2025.
As with all taxes, the Government keeps alcohol duty under review as part of its Budget process.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Written Statement of 22 October 2024 on Mainstream Free Schools, HCWS150, what the 44 centrally delivered, mainstream projects are on which her Department will engage with local authorities and trusts.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government wants to ensure children thrive in education, whatever type of school they are in, including free schools. Capacity varies from place to place, so the department will continue to open new schools where they are needed.
Departmental officials are working with local authorities, academy trusts and other partners to take work forward on the review of mainstream free school projects over the autumn and have written to them, setting out next steps in relation to individual projects. The department will publicly communicate the outcomes of the review in due course.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Written Statement of 22 October 2024, HCWS150 on Mainstream Free Schools, what her policy is on opening free schools approved under the last Government.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government wants to ensure children thrive in education, whatever type of school they are in, including free schools. Capacity varies from place to place, so the department will continue to open new schools where they are needed.
Departmental officials are working with local authorities, academy trusts and other partners to take work forward on the review of mainstream free school projects over the autumn and have written to them, setting out next steps in relation to individual projects. The department will publicly communicate the outcomes of the review in due course.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 9 October 2024 to Question 6213 on Special Educational Needs, whether she plans to introduce national standards for speech and language services.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The government’s ambition is that all children and young people receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.
The department is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs, restoring parents’ trust that their child will get the support they need. Whilst the department recognises the urgency and need to drive improvements, we are conscious that there are no quick fixes and want to take a considered approach to deliver sustainable education reform, including in relation to the introduction of nation standards for speech and language services.
Supporting children’s early language development is one of the department’s key priorities. The department is funding continued support for the 11,100 schools registered for the Nuffield Early Language Intervention programme during the 2024/25 academic year. In partnership with NHS England, the department is funding the Early Language and Support For Every Child (ELSEC) to trial new ways of working to earlier identify and support children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) in early years and primary schools, utilising therapy support assistants.
In further partnership with NHS England and the Department for Health and Social Care, this department is funding the Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) programme. PINS will build teacher and staff capacity to identify and meet the needs of neurodiverse children, including those with SLCN, through whole school interventions.
Finally, the department is funding evidence reviews from Newcastle University and University College London to highlight what the best available evidence suggests are the most effective tools and approaches to identify and support children and young people, age 0 to 25, with different types of needs including SLCN.