Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of trends in (a) recruitment and (b) retention of school support staff in (i) Birmingham and (ii) England in the last five years.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The full-time equivalent (FTE) of support staff has increased each year since the 2019/20 academic year, to 510,400 in 2023/24, and has now passed the previous peak of 2015/16. This is an increase of 4,800 (0.9%) since last year. This increase is mainly due to the addition of 2,400 in other support staff.

Support staff are categorised into posts of teaching assistants, administrative staff, auxiliary staff, technicians and other supporting staff, plus two new posts of school business professional and leadership non-teacher reported for the first time in 2023/24.

School business professionals include roles such as bursar, business manager, finance officer, office manager, premises manager or ICT network manager.

Data relating to the FTE of all support staff can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/7b0a17e8-b3ff-403e-687f-08dca70c1109.

Equivalent data relating to Birmingham’s parliamentary constituencies can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/0fb9acee-35f2-4607-fac3-08dca70cb6e4.

School support staff play a vital role in children’s education and development. The department values and recognises the professionalism of the entire school workforce and will address recruitment and retention challenges by reinstating the School Support Staff Negotiating Body.

This body will be tasked with establishing a national terms and conditions handbook, training and progression routes, ensuring that schools can recruit and retain the staff needed to deliver high quality, inclusive education.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children who were not in school there were in Birmingham who (a) held an Education, Health and Care Plan and (b) had previously been identified in the SEN Support category by their school in each of the last five years.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The department publishes statistics on education, health and care (EHC) plans at local authority level. This data can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans. This includes information on children elsewhere than at school, such as those awaiting provision, in elective home education, in other arrangements, permanently excluded, and having notice to cease of their plan, as well as those Not in Education, Employment of Training (NEET). The number of children with an EHC plan who were elsewhere than at school and who were NEET in Birmingham from 2020 to 2024 can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/fffc2c6e-ef02-4be1-689a-08dca70c1109.

The data collection on children and young people with EHC plans does not include information on previous special educational needs (SEN) support identification.

Wider data on SEN, including information on the total number of pupils with EHC plans and SEN support at local authority level is available on GOV.UK, and can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/special-educational-needs-in-england.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he plans to make a final investment decision on the proposed construction of the Sizewell C nuclear power station.

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

We are committed to Sizewell C. New nuclear will play an important role in the Government’s vision for achieving energy independence, lowering consumers’ bills, and securing thousands of good, skilled jobs.

The Sizewell C project has recently received its Nuclear Site Licence and commenced its Development Consent Order. Work continues at pace to secure a final investment decision.

The Government will continue to update the House as project development continues.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many Sure Start centres closed in Birmingham since May 2010; and what the (a) name and (b) postcode was of each centre.

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

Data on children’s centres is supplied by local authorities via the department’s Get Information about Schools database portal. This portal can be found here: https://www.get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/.

Based on the information supplied by Birmingham local authority, the attached document provides details of the name and postcode of Sure Start children’s centres that closed in Birmingham since May 2010. This is based on information supplied by Birmingham local authority as of 18 July 2024. These figures may be different to previous answers and could change again in the future, since local authorities may update the database at any time.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many NHS sites have closed in Birmingham since May 2010; and what the (a) name and (b) postcode was of each site.

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

The Department does not collect data on the closure of National Health Service sites. The NHS, however, publishes the annual Estates Returns Information Collection, which is a mandatory collection for all NHS trusts and includes detailed information on all operational or temporarily unoccupied sites larger than 500m2 or with 10 or more inpatient beds, including site name and postcode. The collection is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/estates-returns-information-collection

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police stations have closed in Birmingham since May 2010; and what the (a) name and (b) postcode was of each station.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office does not centrally collect data on the number of police station closures and has not collected this data previously.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate his Department has made of the number of open GP practices (a) on the most recent date for which figures are held and (b) in 2010 in Birmingham Northfield constituency.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Data provided by NHS England Digital shows that in May 2014, the earliest year from which data is available, there were 18 open general practices (GPs) in the Birmingham Northfield constituency, and as of May 2024 there are 15 open GPs in the constituency. The data only includes main practices, and does not include branch practices.

GPs close for a variety of reasons, including mergers or retirement, so this does not necessarily indicate a reduction in the quality of care. When a GP does close, patients are informed of the closure and advised to register at another local practice of their choice, within their area.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to Birmingham City Council's consultation entitled Libraries Consultation 2024, published on 4 April 2024, what role officials in her Department had in the development of the options presented in that consultation.

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

DCMS officials have met with Birmingham City Council officers to ensure that they are aware of their responsibilities to provide a ‘comprehensive and efficient’ library service across the area as required by the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964, and to advise on superintendence processes.

However, the development of options for future library service provision in Birmingham is the responsibility of the Council.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's publication entitled Birmingham City Council: Commissioner appointment letters, published on 5 October 2023, what (a) process and (b) criteria her Department applied to (i) shortlist and (ii) select those Commissioners.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The previous government introduced a recruitment process to identify potential candidates for future commissioner appointments and other improvement roles.

A recruitment consultant was hired to help create a high calibre, diverse pool of candidates with interest and availability confirmed in advance of any need.

The exercise to identify potential commissioners and other improvement roles was public, and applicants were able to apply online through a dedicated website. I refer my Hon Friend to the written statement made on 1 December 2021 (HCWS435) which referenced the open recruitment process.

Candidates were drawn from the recruitment pool and elsewhere, reflecting the experience and expertise considered necessary. Decisions on appointment were taken, following due diligence and conflict of interest checks, by the former Secretary of State under section 15 (6) of the Local Government Act 1999.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many speech and language therapists there were in (a) Birmingham and (b) the West Midlands in each of the last five years.

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

The table below shows the number of full-time equivalent speech and language therapists working in National Health Service trusts and other core organisations, in the Birmingham and Solihull integrated care system and the West Midlands as a whole, in March of each of the last six years:

Source: the Hospital and Community Health Services workforce statistics for England, published by NHS England on a monthly basis.

These staff provide services in a range of settings, including in education. However, therapists will also be directly employed by other providers, including schools, independent provision, and third sector and charitable organisations, for which data is not held centrally.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will resume funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

As the Foreign Secretary announced on 19 July, UNRWA is absolutely central to humanitarian efforts on Gaza. It also plays a critical role in the wider region in providing essential services, including healthcare and education, to Palestinian refugees. The UK is committed to supporting UNRWA's lifesaving work, and will resume funding, releasing £21 million new funding for its work in Gaza and the region.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to his Department's consultation entitled Retention payments in the construction industry, published on 24 October 2017, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing the policies proposed in that consultation.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Small businesses are essential to our economic success.

This Government is committed to take action on late payments to ensure small businesses and the self-employed are paid on time. The practice of cash retentions can create problems for contractors in the construction supply chain, due to late and non-payment. Any policy solution must be a sustainable one that works for the industry.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many parents or young people have taken Birmingham City Council to appeal at a tribunal against an Education, Care and Health Plan decision in each of the last five years; and what (a) number and (b) proportion of those appeals were (i) determined in favour of the appellants, (ii) determined in favour of the local authority, (iii) withdrawn, (iv) conceded before the hearing, and (v) still awaiting a hearing.

Answered by Heidi Alexander - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Information about appeals to the First-tier Tribunal for Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) is published at: www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics.

The table below sets out the number of appeals to the SEND Tribunal against decisions made by Birmingham City Council for the academic years 2019 to 2022 (the latest period for which data are available); and the numbers of those appeals that were (i) determined in favour of the appellants, (ii) determined in favour of the local authority, (iii) withdrawn, (iv) conceded before the hearing, and (v) still awaiting a hearing.

Appellants would include appeals made by parents and young persons.

1- Appeal data is only available for 3 years due to record retention policy.

2- Appeals registered and appeals concluded will not tally due to spanning over academic years.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department’s transparency data, entitled Local authority applications to open a special free school: waves 3 and 4, updated on 16 May 2024, what the expected opening date is of the Frankley Hill School in Birmingham.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The school, which is planned to be a 400 place, co-educational school for pupils aged 4 to 19 with Autistic Spectrum Disorders, was approved into the pre-opening stage in March 2024. Departmental officials are working closely with the local authority and the trust to agree an opening date.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she expects a third independent report into Birmingham City Council’s SEND service to be published in 2024.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The department aims to publish the report within the coming months, in line with existing practice.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed alignment of the Retail Prices Index methodology with the Consumer Prices Index, including owner occupier housing costs from February 2030 on (a) wage-setting and (b) private sector pension benefit uprating.

Answered by Tulip Siddiq - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The alignment of the methods and data sources of the Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers’ housing costs into the Retail Price Index (RPI) reflects the flaws in RPI which can either overstate or understates price changes. The Bank of England will assess if these changes significantly impact certain index-linked gilt holders.

The Government recognises the widespread use of RPI and that there are potential impacts from the reform. Whilst there is legislation around the minimum indexation requirements for defined benefit schemes, scheme rules will determine how any pensioners' benefits are increased each year.

The independent Office for Budget Responsibility will publish a revised 5-year wage-growth forecast in their next Economic and Fiscal Outlook, considering all relevant factors.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Ministerial Statement published on 5 February 2024, HCWS241, on Local Government Finance Update, whether her Department carried out impact analyses on allowing Birmingham City Council flexibility to increase council tax bills by an additional 5 per cent.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

In line with the practice of successive administrations, detailed minutes of ministerial meetings - even those that are declared publicly - are not normally disclosed.

The first formal report from Birmingham City Council Commissioners, which was submitted to the former Secretary of State on 26 April this year, will be published on gov.uk as soon as practicable. That report was submitted six months after the start of the intervention, in line with the expectations placed on Commissioners on their appointment. I have met the Leader of Birmingham City Council and I am due to meet with the Commissioners this week. I would be happy to meet with all MPs whose constituencies are within the area of the Council.

The department and former Ministers were notified of the decision by the then Section 151 Officer at Birmingham City Council to issue a Section 114 report on 5 September 2023, the day it was made and published by the Council. The Council has provided the Department with their estimate of the equal pay liability, including as part of their request for additional financial support in February 2024. That estimate is £867 million. In line with the Public Sector Equality Duty, an equalities analysis was carried out in relation to requests from councils for additional flexibility to increase council tax for 2024/25.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's publication entitled Birmingham City Council: Statutory intervention update letter from Commissioners, published on 22 February 2024, whether those commissioners have submitted further updates to her Department subsequent to that letter.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

In line with the practice of successive administrations, detailed minutes of ministerial meetings - even those that are declared publicly - are not normally disclosed.

The first formal report from Birmingham City Council Commissioners, which was submitted to the former Secretary of State on 26 April this year, will be published on gov.uk as soon as practicable. That report was submitted six months after the start of the intervention, in line with the expectations placed on Commissioners on their appointment. I have met the Leader of Birmingham City Council and I am due to meet with the Commissioners this week. I would be happy to meet with all MPs whose constituencies are within the area of the Council.

The department and former Ministers were notified of the decision by the then Section 151 Officer at Birmingham City Council to issue a Section 114 report on 5 September 2023, the day it was made and published by the Council. The Council has provided the Department with their estimate of the equal pay liability, including as part of their request for additional financial support in February 2024. That estimate is £867 million. In line with the Public Sector Equality Duty, an equalities analysis was carried out in relation to requests from councils for additional flexibility to increase council tax for 2024/25.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the notice issued by Birmingham City Council on 05 September 2023 under Section 114(3) of the Local Government Finance Act 1988, on what date (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department were first informed that this notice would be issued.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

In line with the practice of successive administrations, detailed minutes of ministerial meetings - even those that are declared publicly - are not normally disclosed.

The first formal report from Birmingham City Council Commissioners, which was submitted to the former Secretary of State on 26 April this year, will be published on gov.uk as soon as practicable. That report was submitted six months after the start of the intervention, in line with the expectations placed on Commissioners on their appointment. I have met the Leader of Birmingham City Council and I am due to meet with the Commissioners this week. I would be happy to meet with all MPs whose constituencies are within the area of the Council.

The department and former Ministers were notified of the decision by the then Section 151 Officer at Birmingham City Council to issue a Section 114 report on 5 September 2023, the day it was made and published by the Council. The Council has provided the Department with their estimate of the equal pay liability, including as part of their request for additional financial support in February 2024. That estimate is £867 million. In line with the Public Sector Equality Duty, an equalities analysis was carried out in relation to requests from councils for additional flexibility to increase council tax for 2024/25.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's publication entitled DLUHC: ministerial meetings, July to September 2023, published on 14 December 2023, if she will publish the minutes of the meetings held on 14 September 2023 with (a) Birmingham City Council and (b) Max Caller.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

In line with the practice of successive administrations, detailed minutes of ministerial meetings - even those that are declared publicly - are not normally disclosed.

The first formal report from Birmingham City Council Commissioners, which was submitted to the former Secretary of State on 26 April this year, will be published on gov.uk as soon as practicable. That report was submitted six months after the start of the intervention, in line with the expectations placed on Commissioners on their appointment. I have met the Leader of Birmingham City Council and I am due to meet with the Commissioners this week. I would be happy to meet with all MPs whose constituencies are within the area of the Council.

The department and former Ministers were notified of the decision by the then Section 151 Officer at Birmingham City Council to issue a Section 114 report on 5 September 2023, the day it was made and published by the Council. The Council has provided the Department with their estimate of the equal pay liability, including as part of their request for additional financial support in February 2024. That estimate is £867 million. In line with the Public Sector Equality Duty, an equalities analysis was carried out in relation to requests from councils for additional flexibility to increase council tax for 2024/25.

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 a recent estimate of the value of the equal pay liability at Birmingham City Council.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

In line with the practice of successive administrations, detailed minutes of ministerial meetings - even those that are declared publicly - are not normally disclosed.

The first formal report from Birmingham City Council Commissioners, which was submitted to the former Secretary of State on 26 April this year, will be published on gov.uk as soon as practicable. That report was submitted six months after the start of the intervention, in line with the expectations placed on Commissioners on their appointment. I have met the Leader of Birmingham City Council and I am due to meet with the Commissioners this week. I would be happy to meet with all MPs whose constituencies are within the area of the Council.

The department and former Ministers were notified of the decision by the then Section 151 Officer at Birmingham City Council to issue a Section 114 report on 5 September 2023, the day it was made and published by the Council. The Council has provided the Department with their estimate of the equal pay liability, including as part of their request for additional financial support in February 2024. That estimate is £867 million. In line with the Public Sector Equality Duty, an equalities analysis was carried out in relation to requests from councils for additional flexibility to increase council tax for 2024/25.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the independent report entitled Birmingham City Council: Statutory intervention update letter from Commissioners of 9 January 2024, published on 22 February 2024, whether her Department responded to the separate letter on the Birmingham Highways PFI contract; and if she will place a copy of that letter in the House of Commons Library.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Department for Transport officials sent a letter to Birmingham City Council’s chief executive to acknowledge receipt of the letter in question and to offer a meeting to discuss the PFI contract. The letter from DfT officials will be deposited in the House of Commons Library.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of undertaking a review of the jailing of the Cammell Laird workers who took strike action in 1984.

Answered by Heidi Alexander - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

I can confirm that my department will consider and explore options for carrying out a review into these events. If the member wishes to write with more information I will provide him with a further update once this matter has been considered.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average funding per pupil was in mainstream schools in (a) Birmingham Northfield constituency, (b) Birmingham, (c) the West Midlands and (d) England in each of the last five years.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The tables below provide average per-pupil funding from 2020/21 to 2024/25.

For Birmingham, the West Midlands and England, the figures represent the funding provided through the schools block of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG). All of the figures in table one exclude growth funding but include premises and additional funding from grants.

The DSG is allocated at local authority level, and as such the equivalent figures are not available for Birmingham Northfield constituency. The constituency level data for Birmingham Northfield is therefore instead calculated based on the notional schools national funding formula (NFF) allocations for all mainstream schools in the constituency. The figures in table two are not comparable to those in table one, not only because DSG funding cannot be aggregated down to constituency level, but also because the context of the funding figures are not the same. The figures in table two do not include the money that schools in the Birmingham Northfield constituency have received through additional grants, such as the Schools Supplementary Grant (SSG) and the Mainstream Schools Additional Grant (MSAG), therefore making the constituency-level funding appear to rise slower than that of the others presented.

Table one

Table two

* The allocations that schools within a constituency actually receive are determined by the local funding formula in their area.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 22 July 2024 to Question 216 on Birmingham City Council: Insolvency, whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department were informed that the decision would be made on 5 September 2023 prior to that notification being issued.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Both officials and former Ministers in the Department were notified of the decision of Birmingham City Council to issue a Section 114 report after the report had been issued by the Council’s Section 151 officer.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to (a) reinstate the Children's Hospice Grant for 2025-26 and (b) up-rate that funding in line with inflation.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

In 2024/25, NHS England provided £25 million in funding for children and young people’s hospices. This was distributed via integrated care boards, in line with National Health Service devolution. We are currently considering the future of this important funding stream beyond 2024/25.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many apprenticeships have started in Birmingham Northfield constituency in each of the last five years.

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

Apprenticeship starts by parliamentary constituency are published in the Apprenticeships Statistics publication. Figures for Birmingham Northfield constituency can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/2abb827d-653c-4a6f-5350-08dca71310d3.

Note: Figures are based on parliamentary constituency boundaries as at July 2024.

Further information on apprenticeship starts can be found in the Apprenticeships Statistics publication, which can be accessed at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many referrals have been accepted by Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in Birmingham in each of the last five years.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The following table shows the number of referrals to Birmingham mental health services for those aged 17 years old and under, those referrals who received first contact, and those referrals who received first contact within six months of the referral date, over each of the last five years:

Source: data taken from the Mental Health Services Dataset, published by NHS England.

Notes:

1. in some instances, it may not be expected that a first contact would be recorded, for example those received by triage teams may be closed without a contact, with a new referral being opened once triaged instead; and
2. a cyber incident between August 2022 and March 2023 impacted several providers submitting Mental Health Services data, therefore some individual providers may not be able to submit complete data.

Finally, as of March 2024 the number of referrals still waiting for first contact, having waited at least six months and regardless of when the referral started, is 15,181.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people have been waiting over six months to access CAMHS support in Birmingham.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The following table shows the number of referrals to Birmingham mental health services for those aged 17 years old and under, those referrals who received first contact, and those referrals who received first contact within six months of the referral date, over each of the last five years:

Source: data taken from the Mental Health Services Dataset, published by NHS England.

Notes:

1. in some instances, it may not be expected that a first contact would be recorded, for example those received by triage teams may be closed without a contact, with a new referral being opened once triaged instead; and
2. a cyber incident between August 2022 and March 2023 impacted several providers submitting Mental Health Services data, therefore some individual providers may not be able to submit complete data.

Finally, as of March 2024 the number of referrals still waiting for first contact, having waited at least six months and regardless of when the referral started, is 15,181.