Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many women were known to be pregnant while on remand or serving a sentence in HMP Low Newton in each quarter from 31 March 2015 to 30 September 2020, by ethnicity.

Answered by Lucy Frazer - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Pregnancy data is collected locally by individual prisons, to ensure the appropriate support can be provided to women in our care. Currently, there is no central collection of this data. HMP Low Newton are in the process of collating the information requested and, as soon as that is available, I will write to the Honourable Member.

On 31 July we published a summary report of our review of operational policy on pregnancy and women separated from children under 2. This includes an undertaking to extend the range of data we publish in relation to pregnant women in prison, and can be found at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/905559/summary-report-of-review-of-policy-on-mbu.pdf

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of funding for SEND education in Country Durham.

Answered by Vicky Ford - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

We committed to supporting local authorities who have struggled with their high needs budgets. That is why we are putting £730 million into high needs nationally next year (2021-22), which represents a 10% increase; coming on top of the additional £780 million we have provided this year (2020-21), that means the high needs funding block will have increased by over £1.5 billion, or 24% in just 2 years. County Durham will receive £61.2 million this year, and for next year has a provisional allocation of £69.4 million, an £8.2 million increase. Provisional allocations for 2021-22 can be viewed at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-funding-formula-tables-for-schools-and-high-needs-2021-to-2022.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether CQC inspectors visiting care homes will be tested regularly for covid-19.

Answered by Nadine Dorries - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has considered the matter carefully and assessed that Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors do not meet the criteria for regular weekly asymptomatic testing, as they are not required to undertake ‘hands on’ close personal contact with people. They are therefore not required to have a COVID-19 test before entering a provider. If a CQC inspector is displaying symptoms of COVID-19, they will arrange a test via the Government portal. Should they receive a positive result they will no longer be able to go out on inspections and must self-isolate.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many children and young people have been identified as victims of child sexual abuse since the Online Harms White Paper was published in April 2019; and what steps her Department is taking to protect vulnerable children from sexual abuse and exploitation online while the Government produces its full response to the Online Harms White Paper consultation.

Answered by Victoria Atkins - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Online child sexual exploitation and abuse is an abhorrent crime, and the Home Office works closely with technology companies, law enforcement and NGOs to tackle and prevent this crime as a top priority.

In the year from April 2019 to March 2020, the NCA and UK policing identified 793 victims within indecent images of children, compared with 552 in the previous fiscal year. The NCA and policing continue to undertake work to identify children within indecent images as part of their daily activity.

Additionally, in the year from April 2019 to March 2020, the NCA and UK policing made approximately 7,200 arrests and safeguarded and protected around 8,300 children in relation to online child sexual abuse. Many of the children who were safeguarded or protected will have been victims of child sexual abuse.

The Online Harms White Paper set out plans to introduce a statutory duty of care on companies to address a range of harms on their platforms and services, including online child sexual exploitation and abuse. Ahead of legislation coming into force and an independent regulator being operational, Government will publish an interim code of practice on child sexual exploitation and abuse, setting out steps that companies can take now to prevent and tackle this crime. This interim code will be published in the Autumn, alongside the full government response to the Online Harms White Paper consultation.

The Government is committed to tackling online child sexual exploitation and abuse and recognises many parents may feel concerned about the activities and content their children are accessing. Guidance has been published for parents and children outlining resources to help keep children safe from different risks online, including online grooming, and where to go to receive support and advice - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-keeping-children-safe-online/coronavirus-covid-19-support-for-parents-and-carers-to-keep-children-safe-online.

In May, the Government pledged more than £76 million extra funding to support the most vulnerable in society during the pandemic. The funding has been made available for charities to support survivors of abuse, including child sexual abuse.

Recognising the impact of the current situation upon harms such as child sexual abuse the Prime Minister hosted the government’s first Hidden Harms virtual summit in May. It was attended by over 70 representatives from across government, the NHS, law enforcement, charities and frontline services, as well as survivors of hidden harms. The summit was an opportunity to share emerging best practice at the local and national level and identify areas to go further over the coming months.

Home Office Ministers have met with the Internet Watch Foundation, children’s charities, the tech industry and other parties to understand the online threat to children during the pandemic. They also wrote to industry partners to ensure that countering online child sexual exploitation and abuse remains a priority during the pandemic.

The Government is continuing to engage with technology companies around the Voluntary Principles to Counter Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, a framework of principles launched by the Five Country Ministerial partners in March. In collaboration with UK, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand and United States governments, our partners in the technology industry have developed a new campaign to help keep children safe online during COVID-19. This launched on 17 April, with parents and carers directed to online safety resources on GOV.UK, and children directed to Childline.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the use of supply teachers in schools.

Answered by Nick Gibb - Minister of State (Education)

The information requested is not held centrally.

The Department collects information on teacher numbers from the School Workforce Census but does not hold live information on the use of supply teachers. The Census data can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-school-workforce.

As schools begin to reopen for all pupils from the beginning of the autumn term, we anticipate the demand for supply teachers to return to normal and supply teachers will continue to make a vital contribution in our schools.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government has taken to improve online access for disadvantaged pupils in the event of online teaching resuming during the covid-19 outbreak in the 2020-21 academic year.

Answered by Nick Gibb - Minister of State (Education)

The Department has already delivered over 220,000 laptops and tablets to children who would not otherwise have access, as part of over £100 million invested to support remote education and access to online social care.

The Department is now supplementing this support by making an initial 150,000 additional devices available in the event that face to face schooling becomes disrupted as a result of local COVID-19 restrictions. This scheme will enable schools to support disadvantaged children in Year 3 to Year 11 who do not have their own devices. Schools will also be able to order devices for disadvantaged children across all year groups who are shielding as a result of official advice, all year groups who attend hospital schools and those completing their Key Stage 4 at a further education college.

As well as laptops and tablets, the Department has provided over 50,000 4G wireless routers to support disadvantaged children with internet connectivity. These routers come with free data for the autumn term and will allow local authorities and academy trusts to support children who may have their education and care disrupted because of official COVID-19 restrictions or disruption to face to face contact. In partnership with BT, the Department has also launched a service to provide children and young people free access to BT wifi hotspots.

The Department is also working with the major telecommunications companies to improve internet connectivity for disadvantaged and vulnerable families who rely on a mobile internet connection. We are piloting an approach where mobile network operators are providing temporary access to free additional data offering families more flexibility to access the resources that they need the most.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, by what date he will publish the Social Care Taskforce plan for supporting the social care sector through coronavirus.

Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The recommendations from the Social Care Sector COVID-19 Taskforce will shape our approach to COVID-19 in the adult social care sector and, in particular, the plans we put in place for winter which we will set out in the Adult Social Care Winter Plan. The Taskforce concluded at the end of August and will publish its recommendations in September on the advice on what measures need to be in place across all parts of the care sector in England to respond to COVID-19 and winter.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to extend the visas of (a) podiatrists and (b) other allied health professionals due to the covid-19 outbreak; and if she will make a statement.

Answered by Kevin Foster - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government is extending the visas for a range of healthcare professionals, working for the NHS and independent health and care providers, where their current visa expires between 31 March and 1 October.

Eligible occupations, agreed with the Department for Health and Social Care, include podiatrists. Guidance on who is eligible for this automatic extension offer can already be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-uk-visa-applicants-and-temporary-uk-residents#if-youre-working-for-the-nhs.

This offer also applies to their eligible family members. This 12-month extension offer is free and those benefitting will not have to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

What plans he has to train healthcare professionals in communicating the (a) safety and (b) effectiveness of covid-19 vaccines.

Answered by Nadhim Zahawi - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

We offer our thanks to all healthcare professionals for their exceptional work on the front line administering vaccines to those who are most vulnerable.

Safety is absolutely paramount in any vaccination programme. Public Health England have produced comprehensive training and information materials for COVID-19 vaccinators. These include information about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, as well as key messages for healthcare professionals to convey to those being vaccinated.

All vaccinating staff involved in the deployment programme must complete training that includes modules on the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. Communicating about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine is also a component of the process for gaining informed consent.

Mentions:
1: This is my fault, but I missed out Mary Kelly Foy. I beg the House’s pardon and that of the hon. - Link

Mentions:
1: )Stuart AndrewVicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab)Sir Alan CampbellMary - Link

Mentions:
1: Friend the Member for City of Durham (Mary Kelly Foy) in saying that whenever this Bill comes to the - Link

Mentions:
1: )Stuart AndrewVicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab)Sir Alan CampbellMary - Link

Mentions:
1: Somerset) (Con)Stuart AndrewVicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab)Mark TamiMary - Link

Mentions:
1: Sarah Champion), for Swansea West (Geraint Davies), for Newport West (Ruth Jones), for City of Durham (Mary - Link

Mentions:
1: )Stuart AndrewVicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab)Sir Alan CampbellMary - Link

Mentions:
1: Somerset) (Con) Stuart AndrewVicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab)Mark TamiMary - Link

Mentions:
1: (Con)Stuart AndrewVicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab)Chris ElmoreMary - Link

Mentions:
1: Friend the Member for City of Durham (Mary Kelly Foy), who spoke about the urgent issue of vaccine distribution - Link

Mentions:
1: Friends the Members for Easington (Grahame Morris) and for City of Durham (Mary Kelly Foy) about treating - Link

Mentions:
1: Somerset) (Con)Stuart AndrewVicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab)Mark TamiMary - Link

Mentions:
1: (Con)Stuart AndrewVicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab)Chris ElmoreMary - Link

Mentions:
1: (Con)Stuart AndrewVicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab)Chris ElmoreMary - Link

Mentions:
1: (Con) Stuart AndrewVicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab)Chris ElmoreMary - Link

Mentions:
1: Friend the Member for City of Durham (Mary Kelly Foy) put it very well when she said that we must learn - Link

Mentions:
1: (Con)Stuart AndrewVicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab)Chris ElmoreMary - Link

Mentions:
1: (Con)Stuart AndrewVicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab)Chris ElmoreMary - Link

Mentions:
1: (Con)Stuart AndrewVicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab)Chris ElmoreMary - Link

Mentions:
1: Member for City of Durham (Mary Kelly Foy) for securing this important debate this evening. - Link

Mentions:
1: (Con)Stuart AndrewVicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab)Chris ElmoreMary - Link

Mentions:
1: (Con)Stuart AndrewVicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab)Chris ElmoreMary - Link

Mentions:
1: Friend the Member for City of Durham (Mary Kelly Foy) on securing this debate and on her introductory - Link
2: Members for City of Durham (Mary Kelly Foy) and for Blaydon. - Link
3: Member for City of Durham (Mary Kelly Foy) on what I think may be the first debate she has led in the - Link
4: Friend the Member for City of Durham (Mary Kelly Foy) for securing the debate, which I understand is - Link
5: Member for City of Durham (Mary Kelly Foy) for securing this important debate. As the hon. - Link

Mentions:
1: Member for City of Durham (Mary Kelly Foy) said, it is a shocking case in any situation. - Link

Mentions:
1: (Con)Stuart AndrewVicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab)Chris ElmoreMary - Link

Mentions:
1: Member for City of Durham (Mary Kelly Foy) said earlier, we must all fight back against extremist politics - Link

Mentions:
1: Friend the Member for City of Durham (Mary Kelly Foy). - Link

Mentions:
1: I call Mary Kelly Foy. - Link
2: Member for City of Durham (Mary Kelly Foy). - Link

Mentions:
1: )], for Manchester, Withington (Jeff Smith), for Newport East (Jessica Morden), for City of Durham (Mary - Link

Mentions:
1: Member for City of Durham (Mary Kelly Foy) referred. - Link
2: Member for City of Durham (Mary Kelly Foy) said about the unfortunate deletion of the obligation to do - Link
3: Friend the Member for City of Durham (Mary Kelly Foy), who shows that there are still a few reds left - Link
4: Member for City of Durham (Mary Kelly Foy) for her challenges, and I will come to them during my contribution - Link

Mentions:
1: >Stuart AndrewJulian Knight (Solihull)Stuart AndrewIan Lavery (Wansbeck)Mary - Link

Mentions:
1: John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)Stuart AndrewIan Lavery (Wansbeck)Mary - Link

Mentions:
1: John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)Stuart AndrewIan Lavery (Wansbeck)Mary - Link