Asked by: Phil Brickell (Labour - Bolton West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of increasing countryside access rights.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government recognises the physical and mental health benefits of improved access to the countryside. We are already taking action to increase responsible access to the countryside; by creating nine new National River Walks, three new National Forests, and the King Charles III England Coast Path.
We are also funding the £16 million Access or All programme which improves the accessibility and inclusivity of Protected Landscapes and National Trails. I saw the benefit of this myself when I met representatives of the Dartmoor Wheeled Access Group and how this funding has enabled equitable access to the Dartmoor National Park for wheelchair users.
Asked by: Phil Brickell (Labour - Bolton West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff have worked on foreign bribery in the National Crime Agency's International Corruption Unit in each of the last three years.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)
Due to operational implications the NCA do not disclose the number of staff working in the ICU.
Asked by: Phil Brickell (Labour - Bolton West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what staff attrition rate was in the National Crime Agency's International Corruption Unit in each of the the past three years.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)
Due to operational implications the NCA do not disclose the number of staff working in the ICU.
Asked by: Phil Brickell (Labour - Bolton West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when the changes to the Growth and Skills Levy allocation requirements will come into effect.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will provide greater flexibility to employers and learners and support the industrial strategy.
From August 2025, we will be introducing new foundation apprenticeships for young people in targeted sectors, as well as shorter duration apprenticeships. This will help more people learn new high quality skills at work and fuel innovation in businesses across England.
The first seven foundation apprenticeships will be focused on industrial strategy and priority areas including construction, engineering, health and social care and digital. We expect this to drive up to 30,000 starts on foundation apprenticeships across this Parliament. We are also reducing the minimum duration in legislation to eight months so that shorter apprenticeships are possible from August. Apprentices in green energy, healthcare, film/TV production and teaching will be among the first set to benefit from shorter duration apprenticeships. The development of the growth and skills offer will be informed by the work of Skills England and its engagement with employers, training providers and others to identify priority skills gaps and how these can be addressed.
Asked by: Phil Brickell (Labour - Bolton West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what forms of approved training will be covered by Growth and Skills levy funds, in the context of the changes made in April 2025.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will provide greater flexibility to employers and learners and support the industrial strategy.
From August 2025, we will be introducing new foundation apprenticeships for young people in targeted sectors, as well as shorter duration apprenticeships. This will help more people learn new high quality skills at work and fuel innovation in businesses across England.
The first seven foundation apprenticeships will be focused on industrial strategy and priority areas including construction, engineering, health and social care and digital. We expect this to drive up to 30,000 starts on foundation apprenticeships across this Parliament. We are also reducing the minimum duration in legislation to eight months so that shorter apprenticeships are possible from August. Apprentices in green energy, healthcare, film/TV production and teaching will be among the first set to benefit from shorter duration apprenticeships. The development of the growth and skills offer will be informed by the work of Skills England and its engagement with employers, training providers and others to identify priority skills gaps and how these can be addressed.
Asked by: Phil Brickell (Labour - Bolton West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has to issue guidance to (a) refugees and (b) BN(O) visa holders in the United Kingdom on the potential impact of its White Paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published 12 May 2025, on the pathways to (i) citizenship and (ii) indefinite leave to remain.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The White Paper commits to a review of our existing refugee sponsorship and resettlement schemes. Further information on the reviews will be provided in due course.
The Government is committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK and those who may come here in future.
Further details of all measures announced in the Immigration White Paper will be set out in the normal way in due course. Where necessary, measures will be subject to consultation.
Asked by: Phil Brickell (Labour - Bolton West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of its White Paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May 2025, on Ukrainian refugees seeking indefinite leave to remain.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
I refer the Honourable Member to my answer given on 21 May to PQ UIN 51999.
Asked by: Phil Brickell (Labour - Bolton West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of including council tax debt collection in the scope of the Government Debt Fairness Charter.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Debt Fairness Charter outlines principles for the fair and reasonable treatment of individuals who owe personal debt to central government. The first version was published in March 2024, with a commitment to ongoing review and updates as needed, and a review is currently underway.
Asked by: Phil Brickell (Labour - Bolton West)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many liability orders were (a) sought by local authorities and (b) granted by courts for council tax debt, in each tax year since 2019.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The information requested is not collated or maintained centrally in a manner that could reliably be reported.
Asked by: Phil Brickell (Labour - Bolton West)
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 estimate on the number of individual households who were in council tax arrears while also in receipt of Council Tax (a) support and (b) reduction, in each tax year since 2019.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department does not collect data on the number of people or the number of households who are in council tax arrears. Therefore, the Department does not hold data with specific characteristics requested, including those in receipt of council tax support or reduction.
The Department only collects data on the level of arrears of council tax in England. The most recent data can be found here.