Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) on the (a) well-being and (b) development of (i) adopted children and (ii) those with Special Guardianship Orders; and if she will consider making the ASGSF permanent.

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

The impact of the adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF) on both adopted children and those with Special Guardianship Orders is currently being assessed from multiple angles. The National Institute for Health Research is currently conducting a randomised control trial into dyadic developmental psychotherapy, one of the main therapies the ASGSF funds. Moreover, the department now collects data from outcomes measurement tools for ASGSF-funded therapies. As therapy treatment comes to an end, these data will give an overall picture of the impact and adequacy of individual ASGSF-funded therapies.

The Institute of Public Care (IPC) at Oxford Brookes University carried out a three year evaluation from 2018 to 2021 on behalf of the department. The report found that a high proportion, 83%, of parents and guardians participating in the longitudinal survey found the funded support helpful or very helpful overall. The IPC report also found a 'statistically significant (substantial, with large effect size) improvement in parent and guardian estimates of the extent to which the main aim of the funded support had been met by the end of the intervention’. The report also states that parents and guardians scored on average '7 out of 10 in relation to a question about the extent to which positive change(s) for their child and/or family had been sustained six months since the conclusion of adult skills fundASF-funded support.’ The full report can be accessed at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6391c41a8fa8f53ba783e8ad/Evaluation_of_the_Adoption_Support_Fund_2018_to_2022_-_summary_.pdf.

Announcements on funding for the ASGSF from April 2025 will be made shortly. However, ASGSF applications are generally permitted to extend up to 12 months, allowing children and families to receive continuing therapy across financial years. Where applications are agreed, therapy which starts before March 2025 may therefore continue into the next financial year, under previously agreed transitional funding arrangements. Families may access the helpline operated by the department’s ASGSF delivery partner for questions about the ASGSF’s operation.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support families using the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund; and if she will make an announcement on the future of that fund.

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

The impact of the adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF) on both adopted children and those with Special Guardianship Orders is currently being assessed from multiple angles. The National Institute for Health Research is currently conducting a randomised control trial into dyadic developmental psychotherapy, one of the main therapies the ASGSF funds. Moreover, the department now collects data from outcomes measurement tools for ASGSF-funded therapies. As therapy treatment comes to an end, these data will give an overall picture of the impact and adequacy of individual ASGSF-funded therapies.

The Institute of Public Care (IPC) at Oxford Brookes University carried out a three year evaluation from 2018 to 2021 on behalf of the department. The report found that a high proportion, 83%, of parents and guardians participating in the longitudinal survey found the funded support helpful or very helpful overall. The IPC report also found a 'statistically significant (substantial, with large effect size) improvement in parent and guardian estimates of the extent to which the main aim of the funded support had been met by the end of the intervention’. The report also states that parents and guardians scored on average '7 out of 10 in relation to a question about the extent to which positive change(s) for their child and/or family had been sustained six months since the conclusion of adult skills fundASF-funded support.’ The full report can be accessed at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6391c41a8fa8f53ba783e8ad/Evaluation_of_the_Adoption_Support_Fund_2018_to_2022_-_summary_.pdf.

Announcements on funding for the ASGSF from April 2025 will be made shortly. However, ASGSF applications are generally permitted to extend up to 12 months, allowing children and families to receive continuing therapy across financial years. Where applications are agreed, therapy which starts before March 2025 may therefore continue into the next financial year, under previously agreed transitional funding arrangements. Families may access the helpline operated by the department’s ASGSF delivery partner for questions about the ASGSF’s operation.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether any properties in Skipton and Ripon constituency have been identified as very hard to reach by Project Gigabit.

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

We expect most UK premises to be able to access a gigabit-capable connection through commercial rollout or Project Gigabit by 2030. Due to value for money constraints, very hard to reach premises are not within the scope of Project Gigabit.

As Project Gigabit progresses, we are building a more accurate picture of premises likely to be classed as very hard to reach. This is an iterative process with potential very hard to reach premises present across the UK.

For these premises, we continue to explore alternative connectivity options to ensure people living and working in these communities have the connectivity they require to access online services.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to ensure 4G coverage across Skipton and Ripon constituency in the context of (a) the Shared Rural Network and (b) future smart meter network upgrades.

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

Skipton and Ripon has already benefited from the industry-funded part of the Shared Rural Network (SRN) which has now been completed. 4G coverage from all four mobile network operators has increased to 67% up from 60% and up from 87% to 90% from at least one mobile network operator since the programme was agreed in 2020. There are further improvements to come via the government funded element of the SRN which will see us upgrade six Home Office masts that will deliver new 4G coverage across Skipton and Ripon for the first time.

The Data Communications Company is required by licence conditions to assess opportunities to increase the overall level of smart meter Wide Area Network coverage and are examining a number of options to reach homes not currently able to get coverage as part of its Future Connectivity strategy, which includes consideration of a full range of technical solutions.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure households in (a) Skipton and Ripon constituency and (b) northern England can access reliable smart meter signal.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Data Communications Company (DCC) is obligated under its licence conditions to provide Wide Area Network (WAN) coverage to at least 99.25% of premises across Great Britain and 99.5% in the ‘North’ region, which includes the Skipton and Ripon constituency.

The DCC is required by licence conditions to assess opportunities to increase the overall level of smart meter Wide Area Network coverage and is examining several options to reach homes not currently able to get coverage as part of its Future Connectivity strategy, which includes consideration of a full range of technical solutions.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with LINK on its criteria for assessing applications for (a) access to cash services and (b) banking hubs in rural areas.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises that cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those who may be in vulnerable groups or face challenges using alternative payment methods. The Government is committed to maintaining the viability of cash as a payment method for those who choose to use it. The Government also understands the importance of face-to-face banking to communities and high streets across the UK, including those in rural communities, and is committed to championing sufficient access for all as a priority.

In September 2024, The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) introduced regulatory rules for access to cash. Its rules require the reasonable provision of free cash withdrawal and deposit facilities for personal current accounts.

Where a branch closure is announced or a community has submitted a cash access assessment request, LINK, the independent industry coordinating body responsible for making access to cash assessments, assesses a community’s access to cash needs, and will recommend appropriate solutions where it considers that a community requires additional cash services. Any decisions on changes to LINK’s independent assessment criteria are a matter for LINK, the financial services sector, and for the FCA, which oversees the access to cash regime.

Under the framework provided by this regime, the Government is working closely with industry to roll out 350 banking hubs across the UK which will provide individuals up and down the country with critical cash and banking services. The UK banking sector has committed to deliver these hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 220 hubs have been announced so far, and over 135 are already open.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing the criteria used by LINK to asses applications for banking hubs to help meet the needs of rural communities.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises that cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those who may be in vulnerable groups or face challenges using alternative payment methods. The Government is committed to maintaining the viability of cash as a payment method for those who choose to use it. The Government also understands the importance of face-to-face banking to communities and high streets across the UK, including those in rural communities, and is committed to championing sufficient access for all as a priority.

In September 2024, The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) introduced regulatory rules for access to cash. Its rules require the reasonable provision of free cash withdrawal and deposit facilities for personal current accounts.

Where a branch closure is announced or a community has submitted a cash access assessment request, LINK, the independent industry coordinating body responsible for making access to cash assessments, assesses a community’s access to cash needs, and will recommend appropriate solutions where it considers that a community requires additional cash services. Any decisions on changes to LINK’s independent assessment criteria are a matter for LINK, the financial services sector, and for the FCA, which oversees the access to cash regime.

Under the framework provided by this regime, the Government is working closely with industry to roll out 350 banking hubs across the UK which will provide individuals up and down the country with critical cash and banking services. The UK banking sector has committed to deliver these hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 220 hubs have been announced so far, and over 135 are already open.

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Found: Desmond Swayne John Glen Dame Harriett Baldwin Gill Furniss Neil Coyle Rosie Duffield Sir Julian Smith

Found: _NC22 Danny Kruger Sir Julian Smith COMMITTEE STAGE Tuesday 25 March 2025 40 .

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