Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 7694 on Private Education: VAT, whether providers offering Higher-Level studies at Level 6 will be subject to VAT.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
On 29 July, the Government announced that, as of 1 January 2025, all education services and vocational training provided by a private school in the UK for a charge will be subject to VAT at the standard rate of 20 per cent.
The Government has no plans to make changes to the VAT treatment of Higher Education.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will have discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of reforming the electoral system used to elect Members of Parliament.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 5974 on 14 October 2024.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what data her Department holds on the number of parents who (a) applied for a Reciprocal Enforcement Maintenance Order in the last 12 months and (b) are awaiting the outcome of an application for such an order.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The information provided relates to England and Wales. The most recent published figure for applications received by the Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders Unit on behalf of the Lord Chancellor is for the calendar year 2023 and is shown in the attached table 6.1. The figure for REMO applications in 2024 will be published in June 2025. Data on those awaiting the outcome of an application is not held centrally.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether providers of higher-level qualifications funded through the Dance and Drama Awards scheme will be subject to VAT.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
On 29 July, the Government announced that, as of 1 January 2025, all education services and vocational training provided by a private school in the UK for a charge will be subject to VAT at the standard rate of 20 per cent.
As announced in July this change will apply to private schools providing full-time education for pupils of school age or to institutions providing full-time education for 16-19 year olds for a fee, where that institution is principally concerned with providing education suitable to that age range.
The draft legislation was published in July and can be found here:
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans she has for the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund beyond March 2025; and whether she has had recent discussions with the Minister for Women and Equalities on that fund.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
This Government is committed to ensuring that all victims of rape and sexual abuse have the information and support they need. On 1 October 2024, I wrote to recipients of the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund to confirm that HM Treasury have announced departmental budgets for financial year 2025/26 will be set out through a Budget on 30 October 2024. I understand the need to prioritise confirmation of their budgets as early as possible. My office is in the process of arranging a meeting with the Minister for Women and Equalities and I look forward to meeting with her in due course.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will review the rules on beaver (a) protection and (b) management.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only.
The Government has no plans to review the rules on beaver protection. Beavers are a protected species under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017. Protection makes it an offence to deliberately capture, kill, disturb, or injure beavers, or to damage or destroy their breeding sites or resting places. Protection means a licence is required for certain beaver management actions.
Defra will continue to work with Natural England to develop our approach to beaver reintroductions and management in England. Beaver management should follow the 5-step management approach published on GOV.UK. Licensed projects are responsible for managing animals they have released and are also expected to follow the Code for Reintroductions and other Conservation Translocations in England. Landowners and managers who may be affected by beaver activity can find further guidance on beaver management, including when a licence might be needed, on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether land allocated to (a) National Landscapes and (b) National Parks will be taken into consideration for housing requirements (i) generally and (ii) in Chichester District.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
National planning policy makes clear that land designated as National Landscapes and National Parks should be taken into account by local authorities when establishing a housing requirement for their area. Local authorities are expected to evidence and justify their approach through local plan consultation and examination.
In our consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system, we made clear that land safeguarded by existing environmental designations, including National Parks and National Landscapes, will maintain its current protections.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will pause the defunding of applied general qualifications scheduled for 2025 and 2026.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
In July 2024, my Right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education announced a short pause to the defunding of qualifications to enable a review of post-16 qualification reforms at level 3 and below. This was followed by a Written Ministerial Statement by my noble Friend, the Minister for Skills, on 25 July. This statement is available here: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2024-07-25/hlws20.
The department is now working to review the defunding due to take place in 2025 and it will set out the position before Christmas.
The department has not announced any defunding for 2026.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of transit sites for Travellers in West Sussex.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Planning Policy for Traveller Sites makes clear that it is the responsibility of local planning authorities to produce an assessment of need for traveller sites. This includes permanent and transit site accommodation needs. In February 2019, local authorities were reminded of their duties to assess the need for transit sites, in addition to permanent sites, through a Written Ministerial Statement.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support is available for teachers who are unable to work as a result of workplace injury.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
Workplace absences that are the result of a workplace injury would usually be subject to normal sick pay arrangements.
The department has no jurisdiction over arrangements for dealing with workplace injuries or matters relating to sick pay, as these are covered by the Conditions of Service for School Teachers in England and Wales, 2000, which is known as the Burgundy Book. This is a national, non-statutory agreement between trade unions and teacher employers. This government was not party to its development and cannot influence its content. Sick leave or sick pay entitlements are therefore currently the responsibility of employers, which, in a school setting, is normally the local authority or Academy Trust. Schools, like all employers, are also subject to any relevant employment legislation.