Asked by: Jo White (Labour - Bassetlaw)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will outline the timeline for the review of the Green Book.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The review of the Green Book will report back at the conclusion of the Spending Review in June.
Asked by: Jo White (Labour - Bassetlaw)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether any (a) devolved and (b) delegated responsibility agreements with devolved authorities prohibit them from setting up individual learning accounts within the Adults Skills Fund.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government has devolved approximately 60% of the Adult Skills Fund to the nine Mayoral Strategic Authorities of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, North East, South Yorkshire, Tees Valley, West Midlands, West of England, and West Yorkshire, and delegated to the Greater London Authority.
Devolved authorities are responsible for ensuring learners have access to the training they require to progress in life. It is therefore at the discretion of devolved authorities on what training or funding their learners have access to.
Asked by: Jo White (Labour - Bassetlaw)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of reforming the Small Holdings and Allotments Act 1926.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We recognise the importance of allotments and the immense contribution they make to the health, wellbeing and spirit of communities. We have not made an assessment of the potential merits of reforming the Small Holdings and Allotments Act.
Asked by: Jo White (Labour - Bassetlaw)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing the timescales Parish Councils have to increase allotment spaces.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Small Holdings and Allotments Act 1908 requires local authorities including parish councils to provide enough allotments if they deem there is sufficient demand from the local population. They must also consider local representations submitted under this Act requesting the provision of allotments. There are currently no plans to prescribe a timeframe for local authorities to respond to these requests.
Asked by: Jo White (Labour - Bassetlaw)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many work visas have been issued in each of the last ten years, broken down by country.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Home Office publishes data on entry clearance visas in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on visas granted, by year, visa route, and nationality are published in table Vis_D02 of the Entry clearance visas detailed dataset. Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. The latest data cover the period up to the end of September 2024.
Asked by: Jo White (Labour - Bassetlaw)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many financial penalties her Department has applied to Serco for underperformance on its Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts in each of the last five years.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office applies Service Credits as per the contracts performance management framework, but disclosure of this information is commercially sensitive.
Asked by: Jo White (Labour - Bassetlaw)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on Serco’s compliance with Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts requirements for each of the last five years.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office holds detailed information on the compliance of its contractors with the requirements set out in Schedule 2 of the Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts (AASC). The Home Office monitors Serco’s performance through a robust performance management framework. Performance data is published periodically and includes performance against key contractual obligations and key performance indicators.
Asked by: Jo White (Labour - Bassetlaw)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing temporary blue badges to people recovering from operations.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Blue Badge scheme is primarily about helping people with a long-term disability, that affects their capacity to access the goods and services they need to use. Anyone may be entitled to a badge if they meet the eligibility criteria.
The Department has issued local authorities with advice on how they could use existing powers to provide locally determined parking concessions within their areas. For example, some local authorities grant parking concessions to assist their elderly residents. The same powers could be used to help those with temporary disabilities.
Asked by: Jo White (Labour - Bassetlaw)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to paragraph 3.71 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October 2024, HC 295, what support will be provided for fusion energy research in financial year 2025-26.
Answered by Kerry McCarthy - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
On 16th January 2025, the Government announced £410 million investment to accelerate development of fusion energy and kickstart economic growth as part of its Plan for Change. The funding will support the rapid development of the UK fusion energy sector over 2025 to 2026 with investment in the skills needed for scientists, engineers, welders and programme managers to enter the cutting-edge industry. Fusion already supports thousands of jobs in the UK, with thousands more to follow as the technology advances.
Asked by: Jo White (Labour - Bassetlaw)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress she has made on introducing tooth brushing lessons in primary schools.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department is working with the Department of Health and Social Care to help promote and deliver supervised toothbrushing programmes for 3 to 5-year-olds in the most deprived communities.
The department recognises that prevention is better than cure. For this reason, we will be targeting the areas of highest need to have the greatest impact on young children’s oral health.
Further information on the implementation timetable will be confirmed in due course.
Currently all state-funded schools in England are required to teach about good oral hygiene as part of the statutory health education set out within relationships, sex and health education statutory guidance. Independent schools are required to cover health education as part of their responsibility to provide personal, social, health and economic education.