Liz Jarvis

All schools must have a behaviour policy with measures to prevent all forms of bullying. Schools are free to develop their own anti-bullying strategies to suit their specific needs and are held to account by Ofsted.

​The department has published advice to support schools with addressing incidences of bullying. The guidance is clear that schools should make appropriate provision for a bullied child's social, emotional and mental health needs. It is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/625ee64cd3bf7f6004339db8/Preventing_and_tackling_bullying_advice.pdf.

The department also published a practical tool to help schools, which can be found on the Educate Against Hate website. It is available here: https://educateagainsthate.com/resources/respectful-school-communities-self-review-signposting-tool-2/.

We know that children experiencing bullying are more susceptible to mental health challenges. The government will work to ensure the right support is available to every young person that needs it, including providing access to specialist mental health professionals in every school. The government will also be putting in place new Young Futures Hubs, including access to mental health support workers, and will recruit an additional 8,500 new mental health staff to treat children and adults.

The department has launched a mental health leads resource hub to help schools select the most effective evidence-based support options, including a range of resources that focus on supporting the wellbeing of those who have experienced bullying. This is available on the Mentally Healthy Schools website, available here: https://www.mentallyhealthyschools.org.uk/whole-school-or-college-resources/.

Statutory guidance on ‘Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions’ recommends the use of individual healthcare plans as good practice. Individual healthcare plans can help schools support pupils with medical conditions, providing clarity about what needs to be done, when and by whom, to ensure that children have full access to education. The school, healthcare professionals and parents should agree, based on evidence, when a healthcare plan would be appropriate.

The department will keep the statutory guidance under review as we take forward our commitment to delivering an inclusive mainstream system.

I refer the hon. Member for Eastleigh to the answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 7369.

The government does not set or recommend pay in further education (FE), including in sixth form colleges. The pay and conditions of FE staff remains the responsibility of individual colleges and providers who are free to implement pay arrangements in line with their local needs.

The department recognises the vital role that sixth form college teachers play, as well as other FE Colleges, in developing the skills needed to drive the government’s missions to improve opportunity and economic growth. That is why the department is investing around £600 million across the 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years. This includes extending retention payments of up to £6,000 after tax to eligible early career FE teachers in key subject areas, including in sixth form colleges. The department also continues to support recruitment and retention with teacher training bursaries worth up to £30,000 tax-free in certain key subject areas, and with support for industry professionals to enter the teaching workforce through the Taking Teaching Further programme.

My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, has announced a Budget on 30 October to be followed by a multi-year spending review in the spring of next year. Decisions about future post-16 funding and capital programmes will be subject to the outcomes of these fiscal events.

Ministers are currently working through priorities and options for future reform.

This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only.

The Government will introduce the most ambitious programme for animal welfare in a generation. As outlined in our manifesto, we will bring an end to the use of snare traps. We are considering the most effective way to deliver this commitment and will be setting out next steps in due course.

The Government is aware of the concerns that surround greyhound racing. However, we also recognise that the sport is already attempting to address many of these issues. The Government is monitoring the sport’s progress and should further measures and protections be required we will, of course, consider options which are targeted, effective, and proportionate.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is to reduce car practical driving test waiting times, whilst upholding road safety standards.

As of 2 September 2024, there were 552,863 car practical driving tests booked, and 94,169 driving tests available within the 24-week booking window.

Measures in place to reduce waiting times for customers at driving test centres, include the recruitment of driving examiners, conducting tests outside of regular hours, including at weekends and on public holidays, and buying back annual leave from driving examiners.

The DVSA also continues to deploy examiners from areas with lower waiting times into those centres with longer waiting times. This is in addition to the DVSA recruiting additional examiners across the country into areas where waiting times are highest.

Decisions on whether new medicines should be routinely funded by the National Health Service in England are taken by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), on the basis of an evaluation of a treatment’s costs and benefits. The NICE’s methods are internationally respected, and have been developed through extensive work with industry, academics, and the public, to ensure they appropriately capture the costs and benefits, and best reflect social values. These are very difficult decisions to make, and it is important that they are made independently, and on the basis of the available evidence.

We understand that despite the NICE instigating an exceptional pause in the process to allow for commercial negotiations to take place with the companies, Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca, a deal to enable patient access to this treatment on the NHS in England has not been reached.

We know that the NICE’s announcement has come as a blow to many women and their families. The NICE and NHS England have already sought to apply as much flexibility as they can in their considerations of Enhertu for HER2 LOW breast cancer, and have made it clear to the companies that their pricing of the drug remains the main obstacle to access.

Within 16 weeks of the publication of final guidance, companies can also request a rapid review to consider new patient access scheme proposals, with the aim of establishing a pricing agreement that would improve cost-effectiveness and enable patient access to high-cost medicines. The Government wants to see a deal reached to make Enhertu available. The NICE and NHS England remain open to considering an improved offer from the companies through the rapid review process, and we strongly encourage the companies to come back to the table.

The creative industries play a key role in driving economic growth, and the Government is committed to supporting them.

Orchestra Tax Relief (OTR) provides tax relief at a rate of 50% on production costs. To qualify for the relief, a concert must be performed by a group of at least 12 instrumentalists. The voice is not considered to be an instrument. However, orchestra concerts with a vocal element are not excluded from the relief. Concerts with a vocal element may be eligible provided that the instrumentalists are the primary focus.

These rules help ensure OTR fulfils its objective of supporting and incentivising orchestra concerts specifically. The Government keeps the tax system under review and any changes will be announced at a fiscal event.

The Home Secretary wrote to the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to commission a review of the financial requirements in the Family Immigration Rules and the MAC have accepted the commission. The letter to the MAC and their reply can be found here: Response letter from Professor Brian Bell to the Home Secretary, 10 September 2024 (accessible) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

The Government is committed to securing better environmental outcomes alongside meeting development needs. We are considering how best to reform environmental assessment processes with that objective in mind, including whether to utilise powers in the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act to introduce Environmental Outcomes Reports. Those powers make specific reference to chalk streams in the context of the environmental outcomes to be taken into account.

Councils are responsible for their own financial management.

This Government recognises the vital work that local councils do for their communities. The department works closely with local government and other government departments to understand specific demand and cost pressures facing councils. We stand ready to speak to any council that is experiencing financial difficulties.

This Government will get councils back on their feet by providing multi-year funding settlements, ending competitive bidding for pots of money and reforming the local audit system.