Rachael Maskell
Labour (Co-op) - York Central
19,154 (44.2%) majority - 2024 General ElectionFirst elected: 7th May 2015
5 APPG memberships (as of 28 Mar 2025)
Adoption and Permanence, Ageing and Older People, Drugs, Alcohol and Justice, Dying Well, Sudan and South Sudan33 Former APPG memberships
Adult Social Care, Adverse Childhood Experiences, Archaeology, Care-Experienced Children and Young People, Child of the North, Childhood Trauma, Climate Change, Closing the Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility, Cycling, Cycling and Walking, Deliberative Democracy, Drug Policy Reform, Eggs, Pigs and Poultry, Flood Prevention, Hazaras, Homelessness, Human-Relevant Science, Intensive Care, Learning Disability, Medomsley Detention Centre, Mental Health, Parkinson's, Prepayment Meters, Prevention of Childhood Trauma, Pro-Life, Respiratory Health, Showing Racism the Red Card, Stroke, Suicide and Self-Harm Prevention, Tackling Loneliness and Connected Communities, Vulnerable Groups to Pandemics, Women and Work, Yorkshire and Northern LincolnshireDivision Voting information
Rachael Maskell voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 147 Labour No votes vs 234 Labour Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 330 Noes - 275
Debates during the 2024 Parliament
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
Sparring Partners
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
(17 debate interactions)
Department Debates
(21 debate contributions)
(19 debate contributions)
(12 debate contributions)
(10 debate contributions)
Legislation Debates
(1,471 words contributed)
(188 words contributed)
(69 words contributed)
(63 words contributed)
York Central Petitions
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
of 14,606 signatures (0.88%)
of 14,729 signatures (0.71%)
of 142,071 signatures (0.40%)
of 41,473 signatures (0.32%)
of 142,071 signatures (0.40%)
of 135,331 signatures (0.27%)
of 231,941 signatures (0.13%)
Latest EDMs signed by Rachael Maskell
Households below average income
Tabled by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)That this House is angered by the latest households below average income figures which reveal that 4.5 million children are living in relative poverty after housing costs, which amounts to nine children in every classroom and a record high; understands there has been an increase in child poverty of 200,000 …
(Most recent: 31 Mar 2025)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 5
BBC Sounds provision
Tabled by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)That this House recognises the importance of BBC sounds for audiences across the UK and the world; expresses deep disappointment with the BBC’s decision to restrict the use of BBC sounds to listeners living in the UK; further recognises that access to Radio Cymru on BBC Sounds plays a significant …
(Most recent: 27 Mar 2025)
Signatures by party:
Plaid Cymru: 4
Labour: 2
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
Liberal Democrat: 1
Commons initiatives
These initiatives were driven by Rachael Maskell, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Rachael Maskell has not been granted any Urgent Questions
Rachael Maskell has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
7 Bills introduced by Rachael Maskell
A Bill to give local authorities the power to require licences for the conversion of domestic properties into short-term and holiday-let accommodation; to give local authorities the power to issue fines and to remove such licences when safety, noise and nuisance conditions have not been met; to make provision about banning the licensing of such properties in defined geographical areas; to give local authorities the power to vary the rates of local taxes in relation to such properties; to give local authorities the power to restrict the number of days per year for which such properties can be let; and for connected purposes.
A Bill to provide for a statutory definition of bullying at work; to make provision relating to bullying at work, including to enable claims relating to workplace bullying to be considered by an employment tribunal; to provide for a Respect at Work Code to set minimum standards for positive and respectful work environments; to give powers to the Equalities and Human Rights Commission to investigate workplaces and organisations where there is evidence of a culture of, or multiple incidents of, bullying and to take enforcement action; and for connected purposes.
Monday 21st October 2024
Friday 20th June 2025
Order Paper number: 2
(Likely to be Debated)
A Bill to make provision for the licensing of short-term let accommodation; to make provision about the marketing of short-term let accommodation; to make provision about planning permission in respect of short-term let accommodation; to require the Secretary of State to publish guidance about the management of short-term let accommodation; to make provision about small business rates relief for short-term let accommodation; and for connected purposes.
Wednesday 16th October 2024
Friday 20th June 2025
Order Paper number: 1
(Certain to be Debated)
A Bill to provide for a statutory definition of bullying at work; to make provision relating to bullying at work, including to enable claims relating to workplace bullying to be considered by an employment tribunal; to provide for a Respect at Work Code to set minimum standards for positive and respectful work environments; to give powers to the Equalities and Human Rights Commission to investigate workplaces and organisations where there is evidence of a culture of, or multiple incidents of, bullying and to take enforcement action; and for connected purposes.
Monday 11th December 2023
A Bill to give the Monarch powers to remove titles; to provide that such removals can be done by the Monarch on their own initiative or following a recommendation of a joint committee of Parliament; and for connected purposes.
Monday 20th June 2022
A Bill to prevent certain non-statutory payments being made by the Government to former Prime Ministers; to abolish the payment of grants to persons ceasing to hold ministerial offices; and for connected purposes.
Wednesday 26th October 2022
A Bill to provide for a statutory definition of bullying at work; to make provision relating to bullying at work, including to enable claims relating to workplace bullying to be considered by an employment tribunal; to provide for a Respect at Work Code to set minimum standards for positive and respectful work environments; to give powers to the Equalities and Human Rights Commission to investigate workplaces and organisations where there is evidence of a culture of, or multiple incidents of, bullying and to take enforcement action; and for connected purposes.
10 Bills co-sponsored by Rachael Maskell
Terminal Illness (Relief of Pain) Bill 2024-26
Sponsor - Edward Leigh (Con)
Treatment of Terminal Illness Bill 2024-26
Sponsor - Siobhain McDonagh (Lab)
Fireworks (Noise Limits) Bill 2023-24
Sponsor - Judith Cummins (Lab)
Employment Equality (Insurance etc) Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Natalie Elphicke (Lab)
Co-operatives (Permanent Shares) Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Gareth Thomas (LAB)
Planning and Local Representation Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - Rachel Hopkins (Lab)
Short and Holiday-Let Accommodation (Registration) Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - Karen Buck (Lab)
Co-operatives (Employee Company Ownership) Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - Christina Rees (LAB)
Reservoirs (Flood Risk) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Holly Lynch (Lab)
Automatic Electoral Registration (No. 2) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Jo Stevens (Lab)
Latest 50 Written Questions
(View all written questions)I would be happy to meet with the hon. Member for York Central to discuss the proposed Hub in York Central.
The Hub in York Central is expected to open late 2027/early 2028 although this remains subject to final commercial agreements and progress of the wider site infrastructure and Public Realm. The GPA is working in partnership with Homes England, Network Rail and the development partners McLaren and Arlington Real Estate to ensure the masterplan development programme works for all parties.
In support of the recent successful planning application there has been a significant amount of public consultation. This consultation informed the final design to meet local stakeholder feedback. Including:
Public Consultation 01 (17/11/2022-19/11/2022)
Public Consultation 03 (02/03/2023-04/03/2023)
Public Webinar 01 (22/11/2022)
Public Webinar 02 (08/03/2023)
York Central Design Review Panel (12/12/2022)
For the duration of the design development and leading up to the planning application submission there has been extensive discussions with the planning officers at the City of York Council (CYC) along with the relevant design and technical advisors. This proactive engagement through the pre-application process has included the following meetings:
PreApplication Meeting 01 (08/07/2022) - Massing Discussion
PreApplication Meeting 02 (13/09/2022) - Planning focus
PreApplication Meeting 03 (21/09/2022) - Design Development
PreApplication Meeting 04 (21/10/2022 - Highways and Drainage
PreApplication Meeting 05 (22/11/2022)- Design Development
PreApplication Meeting 06 (07/12/2022) - Heritage Impact
PreApplication Meeting 07 (27/02/2023) - Planning focus
PreApplication Meeting 07 (28/06/2023) - Design and Planning Focus
The above meetings sought to discuss the emerging massing, scale and materiality of the Proposed Development. The team held open conversations regarding design development and heritage impact, and planning officers have been supportive of the proposal. The Proposed Development has been sympathetically designed in line with the York Central Outline Planning Application’s approved parameters and design guidance. The comments and observations of the CYC officers have informed the development of the designs throughout the pre-application process.
The Hub has been designed with York at the forefront of the scheme and has been a
collaborative effort between all partners, including CYC and the York Design Review Panel. In particular, the detailed articulation of the façade design celebrates the railway history of the site and the character of its setting, whilst also considering the views from the station platforms and the city walls. The design has also been endorsed by Heritage England and the York Design Trust.
Key highlights include:
Contextual design: Near some of the key historic assets within the City of York such as the City Walls (grade I), the adjacent York Railway Station (grade II*) and the National Rail Museum (grade II). Sustainability and Environmental Considerations: a genuine commitment to achieve BREEAM Outstanding, NABERS UK 5* and EPC A.
Community Involvement: 2 sessions of public engagement and 2 webinars held.
Building Design and Functionality: Innovative, functional well- considered design intended to feel timeless, and dynamic whilst allowing flexible spaces that meet the diverse needs of government departments.
Digital Innovation: Façade patterns optimised through rapid climate assessment and development of a new core distances evaluation tool at the feasibility/massing stage.
The Hub will be a multi-occupied building, made up from over 10 different
government departments and agencies, totalling approximately 2,600 FTE. The two
main anchor departments are the Cabinet Office (CO) and DEFRA (Department of the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs); both are committed in principle to the
project. CO are expected to recruit in the region of 300 roles into York, some of
which have already been recruited and are based at the existing office at York Kingspool which was part- refurbished in 2024 to ensure a suitable home for Civil Servants prior to the new Government Hub being built. Kingspool already houses circa 1,600 FTE who are all expected to move across to the Hub when ready.
The Hub will also generate a number of roles in facilities management, catering and security.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
I would be happy to meet with the hon. Member for York Central to discuss the proposed Hub in York Central.
The Hub in York Central is expected to open late 2027/early 2028 although this remains subject to final commercial agreements and progress of the wider site infrastructure and Public Realm. The GPA is working in partnership with Homes England, Network Rail and the development partners McLaren and Arlington Real Estate to ensure the masterplan development programme works for all parties.
In support of the recent successful planning application there has been a significant amount of public consultation. This consultation informed the final design to meet local stakeholder feedback. Including:
Public Consultation 01 (17/11/2022-19/11/2022)
Public Consultation 03 (02/03/2023-04/03/2023)
Public Webinar 01 (22/11/2022)
Public Webinar 02 (08/03/2023)
York Central Design Review Panel (12/12/2022)
For the duration of the design development and leading up to the planning application submission there has been extensive discussions with the planning officers at the City of York Council (CYC) along with the relevant design and technical advisors. This proactive engagement through the pre-application process has included the following meetings:
PreApplication Meeting 01 (08/07/2022) - Massing Discussion
PreApplication Meeting 02 (13/09/2022) - Planning focus
PreApplication Meeting 03 (21/09/2022) - Design Development
PreApplication Meeting 04 (21/10/2022 - Highways and Drainage
PreApplication Meeting 05 (22/11/2022)- Design Development
PreApplication Meeting 06 (07/12/2022) - Heritage Impact
PreApplication Meeting 07 (27/02/2023) - Planning focus
PreApplication Meeting 07 (28/06/2023) - Design and Planning Focus
The above meetings sought to discuss the emerging massing, scale and materiality of the Proposed Development. The team held open conversations regarding design development and heritage impact, and planning officers have been supportive of the proposal. The Proposed Development has been sympathetically designed in line with the York Central Outline Planning Application’s approved parameters and design guidance. The comments and observations of the CYC officers have informed the development of the designs throughout the pre-application process.
The Hub has been designed with York at the forefront of the scheme and has been a
collaborative effort between all partners, including CYC and the York Design Review Panel. In particular, the detailed articulation of the façade design celebrates the railway history of the site and the character of its setting, whilst also considering the views from the station platforms and the city walls. The design has also been endorsed by Heritage England and the York Design Trust.
Key highlights include:
Contextual design: Near some of the key historic assets within the City of York such as the City Walls (grade I), the adjacent York Railway Station (grade II*) and the National Rail Museum (grade II). Sustainability and Environmental Considerations: a genuine commitment to achieve BREEAM Outstanding, NABERS UK 5* and EPC A.
Community Involvement: 2 sessions of public engagement and 2 webinars held.
Building Design and Functionality: Innovative, functional well- considered design intended to feel timeless, and dynamic whilst allowing flexible spaces that meet the diverse needs of government departments.
Digital Innovation: Façade patterns optimised through rapid climate assessment and development of a new core distances evaluation tool at the feasibility/massing stage.
The Hub will be a multi-occupied building, made up from over 10 different
government departments and agencies, totalling approximately 2,600 FTE. The two
main anchor departments are the Cabinet Office (CO) and DEFRA (Department of the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs); both are committed in principle to the
project. CO are expected to recruit in the region of 300 roles into York, some of
which have already been recruited and are based at the existing office at York Kingspool which was part- refurbished in 2024 to ensure a suitable home for Civil Servants prior to the new Government Hub being built. Kingspool already houses circa 1,600 FTE who are all expected to move across to the Hub when ready.
The Hub will also generate a number of roles in facilities management, catering and security.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
I would be happy to meet with the hon. Member for York Central to discuss the proposed Hub in York Central.
The Hub in York Central is expected to open late 2027/early 2028 although this remains subject to final commercial agreements and progress of the wider site infrastructure and Public Realm. The GPA is working in partnership with Homes England, Network Rail and the development partners McLaren and Arlington Real Estate to ensure the masterplan development programme works for all parties.
In support of the recent successful planning application there has been a significant amount of public consultation. This consultation informed the final design to meet local stakeholder feedback. Including:
Public Consultation 01 (17/11/2022-19/11/2022)
Public Consultation 03 (02/03/2023-04/03/2023)
Public Webinar 01 (22/11/2022)
Public Webinar 02 (08/03/2023)
York Central Design Review Panel (12/12/2022)
For the duration of the design development and leading up to the planning application submission there has been extensive discussions with the planning officers at the City of York Council (CYC) along with the relevant design and technical advisors. This proactive engagement through the pre-application process has included the following meetings:
PreApplication Meeting 01 (08/07/2022) - Massing Discussion
PreApplication Meeting 02 (13/09/2022) - Planning focus
PreApplication Meeting 03 (21/09/2022) - Design Development
PreApplication Meeting 04 (21/10/2022 - Highways and Drainage
PreApplication Meeting 05 (22/11/2022)- Design Development
PreApplication Meeting 06 (07/12/2022) - Heritage Impact
PreApplication Meeting 07 (27/02/2023) - Planning focus
PreApplication Meeting 07 (28/06/2023) - Design and Planning Focus
The above meetings sought to discuss the emerging massing, scale and materiality of the Proposed Development. The team held open conversations regarding design development and heritage impact, and planning officers have been supportive of the proposal. The Proposed Development has been sympathetically designed in line with the York Central Outline Planning Application’s approved parameters and design guidance. The comments and observations of the CYC officers have informed the development of the designs throughout the pre-application process.
The Hub has been designed with York at the forefront of the scheme and has been a
collaborative effort between all partners, including CYC and the York Design Review Panel. In particular, the detailed articulation of the façade design celebrates the railway history of the site and the character of its setting, whilst also considering the views from the station platforms and the city walls. The design has also been endorsed by Heritage England and the York Design Trust.
Key highlights include:
Contextual design: Near some of the key historic assets within the City of York such as the City Walls (grade I), the adjacent York Railway Station (grade II*) and the National Rail Museum (grade II). Sustainability and Environmental Considerations: a genuine commitment to achieve BREEAM Outstanding, NABERS UK 5* and EPC A.
Community Involvement: 2 sessions of public engagement and 2 webinars held.
Building Design and Functionality: Innovative, functional well- considered design intended to feel timeless, and dynamic whilst allowing flexible spaces that meet the diverse needs of government departments.
Digital Innovation: Façade patterns optimised through rapid climate assessment and development of a new core distances evaluation tool at the feasibility/massing stage.
The Hub will be a multi-occupied building, made up from over 10 different
government departments and agencies, totalling approximately 2,600 FTE. The two
main anchor departments are the Cabinet Office (CO) and DEFRA (Department of the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs); both are committed in principle to the
project. CO are expected to recruit in the region of 300 roles into York, some of
which have already been recruited and are based at the existing office at York Kingspool which was part- refurbished in 2024 to ensure a suitable home for Civil Servants prior to the new Government Hub being built. Kingspool already houses circa 1,600 FTE who are all expected to move across to the Hub when ready.
The Hub will also generate a number of roles in facilities management, catering and security.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
I would be happy to meet with the hon. Member for York Central to discuss the proposed Hub in York Central.
The Hub in York Central is expected to open late 2027/early 2028 although this remains subject to final commercial agreements and progress of the wider site infrastructure and Public Realm. The GPA is working in partnership with Homes England, Network Rail and the development partners McLaren and Arlington Real Estate to ensure the masterplan development programme works for all parties.
In support of the recent successful planning application there has been a significant amount of public consultation. This consultation informed the final design to meet local stakeholder feedback. Including:
Public Consultation 01 (17/11/2022-19/11/2022)
Public Consultation 03 (02/03/2023-04/03/2023)
Public Webinar 01 (22/11/2022)
Public Webinar 02 (08/03/2023)
York Central Design Review Panel (12/12/2022)
For the duration of the design development and leading up to the planning application submission there has been extensive discussions with the planning officers at the City of York Council (CYC) along with the relevant design and technical advisors. This proactive engagement through the pre-application process has included the following meetings:
PreApplication Meeting 01 (08/07/2022) - Massing Discussion
PreApplication Meeting 02 (13/09/2022) - Planning focus
PreApplication Meeting 03 (21/09/2022) - Design Development
PreApplication Meeting 04 (21/10/2022 - Highways and Drainage
PreApplication Meeting 05 (22/11/2022)- Design Development
PreApplication Meeting 06 (07/12/2022) - Heritage Impact
PreApplication Meeting 07 (27/02/2023) - Planning focus
PreApplication Meeting 07 (28/06/2023) - Design and Planning Focus
The above meetings sought to discuss the emerging massing, scale and materiality of the Proposed Development. The team held open conversations regarding design development and heritage impact, and planning officers have been supportive of the proposal. The Proposed Development has been sympathetically designed in line with the York Central Outline Planning Application’s approved parameters and design guidance. The comments and observations of the CYC officers have informed the development of the designs throughout the pre-application process.
The Hub has been designed with York at the forefront of the scheme and has been a
collaborative effort between all partners, including CYC and the York Design Review Panel. In particular, the detailed articulation of the façade design celebrates the railway history of the site and the character of its setting, whilst also considering the views from the station platforms and the city walls. The design has also been endorsed by Heritage England and the York Design Trust.
Key highlights include:
Contextual design: Near some of the key historic assets within the City of York such as the City Walls (grade I), the adjacent York Railway Station (grade II*) and the National Rail Museum (grade II). Sustainability and Environmental Considerations: a genuine commitment to achieve BREEAM Outstanding, NABERS UK 5* and EPC A.
Community Involvement: 2 sessions of public engagement and 2 webinars held.
Building Design and Functionality: Innovative, functional well- considered design intended to feel timeless, and dynamic whilst allowing flexible spaces that meet the diverse needs of government departments.
Digital Innovation: Façade patterns optimised through rapid climate assessment and development of a new core distances evaluation tool at the feasibility/massing stage.
The Hub will be a multi-occupied building, made up from over 10 different
government departments and agencies, totalling approximately 2,600 FTE. The two
main anchor departments are the Cabinet Office (CO) and DEFRA (Department of the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs); both are committed in principle to the
project. CO are expected to recruit in the region of 300 roles into York, some of
which have already been recruited and are based at the existing office at York Kingspool which was part- refurbished in 2024 to ensure a suitable home for Civil Servants prior to the new Government Hub being built. Kingspool already houses circa 1,600 FTE who are all expected to move across to the Hub when ready.
The Hub will also generate a number of roles in facilities management, catering and security.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
I would be happy to meet with the hon. Member for York Central to discuss the proposed Hub in York Central.
The Hub in York Central is expected to open late 2027/early 2028 although this remains subject to final commercial agreements and progress of the wider site infrastructure and Public Realm. The GPA is working in partnership with Homes England, Network Rail and the development partners McLaren and Arlington Real Estate to ensure the masterplan development programme works for all parties.
In support of the recent successful planning application there has been a significant amount of public consultation. This consultation informed the final design to meet local stakeholder feedback. Including:
Public Consultation 01 (17/11/2022-19/11/2022)
Public Consultation 03 (02/03/2023-04/03/2023)
Public Webinar 01 (22/11/2022)
Public Webinar 02 (08/03/2023)
York Central Design Review Panel (12/12/2022)
For the duration of the design development and leading up to the planning application submission there has been extensive discussions with the planning officers at the City of York Council (CYC) along with the relevant design and technical advisors. This proactive engagement through the pre-application process has included the following meetings:
PreApplication Meeting 01 (08/07/2022) - Massing Discussion
PreApplication Meeting 02 (13/09/2022) - Planning focus
PreApplication Meeting 03 (21/09/2022) - Design Development
PreApplication Meeting 04 (21/10/2022 - Highways and Drainage
PreApplication Meeting 05 (22/11/2022)- Design Development
PreApplication Meeting 06 (07/12/2022) - Heritage Impact
PreApplication Meeting 07 (27/02/2023) - Planning focus
PreApplication Meeting 07 (28/06/2023) - Design and Planning Focus
The above meetings sought to discuss the emerging massing, scale and materiality of the Proposed Development. The team held open conversations regarding design development and heritage impact, and planning officers have been supportive of the proposal. The Proposed Development has been sympathetically designed in line with the York Central Outline Planning Application’s approved parameters and design guidance. The comments and observations of the CYC officers have informed the development of the designs throughout the pre-application process.
The Hub has been designed with York at the forefront of the scheme and has been a
collaborative effort between all partners, including CYC and the York Design Review Panel. In particular, the detailed articulation of the façade design celebrates the railway history of the site and the character of its setting, whilst also considering the views from the station platforms and the city walls. The design has also been endorsed by Heritage England and the York Design Trust.
Key highlights include:
Contextual design: Near some of the key historic assets within the City of York such as the City Walls (grade I), the adjacent York Railway Station (grade II*) and the National Rail Museum (grade II). Sustainability and Environmental Considerations: a genuine commitment to achieve BREEAM Outstanding, NABERS UK 5* and EPC A.
Community Involvement: 2 sessions of public engagement and 2 webinars held.
Building Design and Functionality: Innovative, functional well- considered design intended to feel timeless, and dynamic whilst allowing flexible spaces that meet the diverse needs of government departments.
Digital Innovation: Façade patterns optimised through rapid climate assessment and development of a new core distances evaluation tool at the feasibility/massing stage.
The Hub will be a multi-occupied building, made up from over 10 different
government departments and agencies, totalling approximately 2,600 FTE. The two
main anchor departments are the Cabinet Office (CO) and DEFRA (Department of the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs); both are committed in principle to the
project. CO are expected to recruit in the region of 300 roles into York, some of
which have already been recruited and are based at the existing office at York Kingspool which was part- refurbished in 2024 to ensure a suitable home for Civil Servants prior to the new Government Hub being built. Kingspool already houses circa 1,600 FTE who are all expected to move across to the Hub when ready.
The Hub will also generate a number of roles in facilities management, catering and security.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
This Government has no plans to negotiate a Free Trade Agreement with China. This Government will stand firm on issues relating to human rights. My Right Honourable friend the Foreign Secretary raised the case of Jimmy Lai during his recent visit to China from 18-20 October.
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Open General Licences (OGLs) are pre-published licences that permit the export of specified items to specified destinations, following an online registration. These licences do not have any approved named recipients, however what they permit and to which destinations must be consistent with the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria (SELC). If this assessment changes for either, then the OGL is amended, typically by removing the destination of concern. Removal of a destination from an OGL does not prevent an exporter from applying for a Standard Individual Export Licence – which would be assessed on its own merits against the SELC.
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The scope and terms of Open General Licences (OGLs) are chosen so they are consistent with the SELC. OGLs are typically offered for low risk destinations and low risk items. If our assessment of the risks relating to an OGL changes, then the OGL is amended or revoked. We would expect exporters to apply for a Standard Individual Export Licence where OGLs are not available and we would then be able to make a detailed assessment taking into account the specifics of the application before deciding whether or not to issue a licence.
The UK’s approach is designed to enable a rigorous risk assessment to be carried out before a licence is issued to consider whether goods might be used in a way which is inconsistent with the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria (SELC). The UK does not carry out end-use verification checks overseas after a licence is issued.
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
This Government is committed to delivering the Plan to Make Work Pay in full and updating Britain's employment protections, so they are fit for our modern economy and the future of work. This includes commitments to support the wellbeing of workers, including their long term physical and mental health, and to ensure employers create and maintain workplaces and working conditions free from harassment. Ministers are identifying the most appropriate delivery mechanisms for the commitments in the Plan, including an Employment Rights Bill that will be introduced to Parliament within 100 days of taking office.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Foreign Secretary met with President Netanyahu in Israel on 14 July and pushed for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, the upholding of international law, and a rapid increase of aid into Gaza. When it comes to arms exports, this Government will uphold our international legal obligations, ensuring that international law is fully factored into decisions on arms exports in line with the UK’s Strategic Export Licensing Criteria. The Government will now review the advice available and come to a considered decision. The Government will update Parliament as appropriate once this decision has been made.
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Government is committed to supporting those who are struggling to pay their energy bills, including the most vulnerable households. We are continuing to deliver the Warm Home Discount which provides a £150 rebate off energy bills for eligible low-income households. Last month I met with energy suppliers to urge them to do everything they can to support consumers struggling to pay their bills, and to sign up to an ambitious set of commitments to take proactive steps to stop further households from getting into debt.
Tax is a matter for HM Treasury.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Current Government energy efficiency schemes are targeted at low-income consumers and those in the least energy efficient households. Eligibility requirements can be found on gov.uk, www.gov.uk/government/collections/find-energy-grants-for-you-home-help-to-heat.
Through the Warm Homes Plan, we will invest an extra £6.6 billion over the next five years in clean heat and energy efficiency, upgrading five million homes through solutions like low carbon heating and improved insulation. We will set out the full details of our Warm Homes Plan, and the approach to Net Zero Buildings more broadly, after the completion of the Spending Review Process.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is committed to supporting those who are struggling to pay their energy bills, including the most vulnerable households. We are continuing to deliver the Warm Home Discount which provides a £150 rebate off energy bills for eligible low-income households.
Last month I met with energy suppliers to urge them to do everything they can to support consumers struggling to pay their bills, and to sign up to an ambitious set of commitments to take proactive steps to stop further households from getting into debt.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Government is supporting households through our Warm Homes Plan, including energy efficiency schemes such as ECO4 and GBIS, which are legal obligations placed on energy suppliers to deliver energy efficiency measures to eligible households, making homes warmer and cheaper to heat.
Whilst State Pension is not an eligible benefit, households may still qualify where a member of the household receives a means-tested benefit, or through the Flexible Eligibility element of both schemes.
I intend to meet regularly with energy suppliers to outline my expectations for the standard of service that should be provided, including supporting vulnerable consumers and those struggling to pay their bills.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
It is a commercial matter for energy suppliers and their customers to determine which payment method customers should use. Any consumer who wishes to change their payment method or amend their contract should speak to their supplier. It is worth noting that some consumers may choose to have a prepayment meter as it can help them to budget their energy more effectively.
Last year, Ofgem introduced stringent rules for the installation of involuntary prepayment meters, to improve protections for vulnerable consumers. The Government will continue to work with Ofgem to ensure that suppliers only install involuntary prepayment meters as a last resort.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is committed to supporting households with the cost of energy this winter, and we are continuing to deliver the Warm Home Discount which provides a £150 rebate off energy bills for eligible low-income households.
The setting of prices for customers on a prepayment meter or on a fixed contract is a commercial matter for energy suppliers. The Ofgem price cap for the period 1 October 2024 to 31 December was published in August, and the price cap level for prepayment meter customers is £1,669 compared to the level set for direct debit customers which is £1,717 for an average household.
I have also outlined our expectation to energy suppliers that they should do everything they can to support customers who are struggling with their bills, especially vulnerable consumers. Last month I met with energy suppliers and encouraged them to sign up to the Voluntary Debt Commitment for this winter, and I will work closely with them in the weeks ahead to ensure vulnerable consumers are supported through this winter.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The fuel poverty strategy, Sustainable Warmth, was published in 2021 and lays out a plan for how to meet the fuel poverty target.
Given that in 2023 an estimated3.17m households remained in fuel poverty in England, we are conducting a review of the 2021 fuel poverty strategy.
The review, and conclusions with respect to developing an updated fuel poverty strategy, will be published shortly.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government's current energy efficiency schemes are targeted at consumers with low incomes and those in the least efficient households in the UK.
Through the Warm Homes Plan, we will invest an extra £6.6 billion over the next five years in clean heat and energy efficiency, upgrading five million homes through solutions like low carbon heating and improved insulation. We will set out the full details of our Warm Homes Plan, and the approach to Net Zero Buildings more broadly, after the completion of the Spending Review Process.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is continuing to deliver the Warm Home Discount which provides an annual £150 rebate off energy bills for eligible low-income households. We are also extending the Household Support Fund to help struggling households with bills and essential costs this winter.
We expect energy suppliers to do everything they can to support customers who are struggling with bills, especially vulnerable households. This includes providing extra support to customers in debt, or those at risk of falling into debt, by committing to proactive steps to support consumers.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
All importers of oil and oil products into the UK must provide proof of origin to demonstrate that goods are not of Russian origin to enforcement authorities. The Government is committed to ensuring that third countries are not used by Russia to evade sanctions and will continue to keep sanctions under review.
The UK will continue to have reliable supplies of fuels from a diverse range of suppliers while we transition to Net-Zero.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
2 Department for Science, Innovation & Technology Questions
(View all Rachael Maskell's DSIT questions)We are actively supporting the life sciences sector to ensure that businesses investing in research can access the capital they need to scale up in the UK.
Through initiatives like the £400 million VPAG investment programme, we will expand the UK's capacity for commercial clinical trials and manufacturing, enabling research to have the impact that it deserves.
In addition, UKRI's £118m fund will create five new research hubs across the country, from Glasgow to Bristol, to develop new health technologies in partnership with the life sciences sector.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
I welcome the representations from the University of York setting out the opportunities from BioYorkshire. Science and Technology is key for creating growth and prosperity across the UK. DSIT and UKRI continue to support BioYorkshire to explore opportunities for innovation-led growth in this cluster.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
10 Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Questions
(View all Rachael Maskell's DCMS questions)This government recognises the vital role that charities have played in providing, often life-saving work in our society in increasingly difficult circumstances.
DCMS is supporting charities with their financial sustainability in a number of ways. DCMS delivers a number of grant programmes which help voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs), including charities. For example, the £25.5m VCSE Energy Efficiency Scheme is supporting frontline organisations across England to improve their energy efficiency and sustainability, through independent energy assessments and capital grants. This funding runs until March 2025.
Support for charities is available through social investment which provides access to grants, repayable finance and a blend of the two. This government is continuing to look at how dormant assets can be used to support the availability of finance to facilitate VCSEs becoming more entrepreneurial and financially resilient. An estimated £350 million will flow into the Dormant Assets Scheme between 2024-28, with details on how this money will be allocated to be provided in due course.
Support is also available through the Contract Readiness Programme, a £900,000 package of support enabling VCSEs in England to better compete for government contracts. The programme provides fully funded training for VCSEs interested in bidding for public contracts. This aims to create more opportunities for VCSEs to secure contracts, helping to diversify their income and increase their sustainability. Since launch, over 850 VCSEs have benefitted from the programme. This programme will run until March 2025.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
This government recognises the vital role that charities play up and down the country, providing crucial support to different groups across society, including the elderly.
DCMS is supporting charities with their financial sustainability in a number of ways including delivering grants, growing the social investment market and supporting their ability to bid for contracts.
Since I was appointed to my role I have not yet had discussions with representatives for clubs for the elderly. However this new government is keen to reset the relationship with civil society, and I would welcome the opportunity to engage and discuss with them.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
This government recognises the vital role that charities play up and down the country, providing crucial support to different groups across society, including the elderly.
DCMS is supporting charities with their financial sustainability in a number of ways including delivering grants, growing the social investment market and supporting their ability to bid for contracts.
Since I was appointed to my role I have not yet had discussions with representatives for clubs for the elderly. However this new government is keen to reset the relationship with civil society, and I would welcome the opportunity to engage and discuss with them.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
This Government is committed to giving all young people the chance to reach their full potential and we recognise the importance of early intervention to ensure young people can live safe and healthy lives.
Fundamental to this is the delivery of the Young Futures Programme which will work to identify young people most at risk of being drawn into crime and other poor outcomes and create a network of Young Futures Hubs in communities across the country. We will work closely across government, with external partners and young people, to design and develop the proposals for Young Futures Hubs, in a cohesive and integrated way, ensuring they meet young people’s needs and build on existing provision and expertise. We will share more information in due course.
More broadly, this government recognises the vital role that youth services and activities play in improving young people’s life chances and wellbeing. As set out in section 507B of the Education Act 1996, local authorities have a statutory duty to secure, so far as is reasonably practicable, sufficient provision of educational and recreational leisure-time activities for young people in their area. This is funded through the Local Government Settlement which amounts to over £60 billion this year.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Our arts and creative industries significantly bolster the UK’s economic prosperity, contributing 5.7% of the UK’s total Gross Value Add in 2022 (£124.6 billion). These sectors enrich citizens’ lives, and play a vital role in presenting the UK as an attractive location to visit and invest.
The Government is dedicated to fostering their growth and improving the UK’s trade and investment relationship with the EU by dismantling unnecessary barriers to trade and will explore all funding options and opportunities for the arts and creative industries. We recognise that this will take time.
This Government is ambitious and wants to move forward as fast as possible, in line with our clear manifesto priorities for the creative and cultural sectors around supporting touring artists and facilitating cultural exchange.
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
We have no plans to introduce a tourism tax.
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Short-term lets are an integral part of the UK’s visitor accommodation offer. The government is clear that they bring a range of benefits to local and national economies.
The government also recognises that communities in tourism destinations, particularly coastal and rural communities, must be able to benefit from thriving tourism but ensure the spirit of their community is preserved when holiday season ends.
Parliament legislated for a registration scheme for short-term lets in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023. The government is continuing to explore the introduction of such a scheme, which is now a statutory requirement.
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Individual building owners are responsible for health and safety, including responding to safety alerts such as reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). DCMS is in regular contact with museum and gallery sector bodies, who have consulted their members and report that RAAC is not a widespread issue.
The department funds the Museum Estate and Development Fund through Arts Council England. The Fund makes substantial grants of up to £5 million to support infrastructure works and repairs, and RAAC mitigation works are eligible. DCMS Arm’s Length Bodies also provide a variety of Capital funds, resilience grant schemes, and expert buildings advice to the museums sector.
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is actively engaging with all the sites on the UK's Tentative List, which includes regular check-in meetings and the provision of specific guidance on both UK Government and UNESCO processes for nominations.
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Since 2022, the department has invested over £200 million each year in free holiday club places for children from low-income families, through the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme, with all 153 local authorities in England delivering during the Easter, summer and Christmas holidays.
The HAF programme supports disadvantaged children and their families with enriching activities, providing them with healthy food, helping them to learn new things and improving socialisation.
Since 2022, the HAF programme has provided 15.6 million HAF days to children and young people in this country. Across the 2023/24 academic year, almost five million HAF days were provided during winter, Easter, and summer delivery.
Over summer 2024, local authorities reported that over 628,000 children and young people attended the HAF programme. Of these participating children, over 511,000 were funded directly by the HAF programme and over 433,000 were receiving benefits-related free school meals (FSM). The reports showed that over 9,700 clubs, events or organised activities operated across the country over the summer.
Over Easter 2024, local authorities reported that over 377,000 children attended the programme, of which over 324,000 were funded directly by the HAF programme and over 276,000 were receiving benefits-related FSM.
Based on reporting data published on York local authority’s website, over 4,700 children attended the programme during HAF delivery periods in 2023. New data that will include numbers for Easter, summer and Christmas 2024 should be published by the local authority later this year.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government announced over £200 million funding for the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme for 2025/26, as part of the 2024 spending review and set out in the Autumn Budget 2024. The future of the HAF programme beyond 31 March 2026 is subject to the next governmental spending review, which is due to take place later this year.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
An unaccompanied child will become looked after by the local authority after having been accommodated under section 20(1) of the Children Act 1989 for 24 hours. This will mean that they will be entitled to the same local authority provision as any other looked after child and their care will be subject to statutory guidance, including care planning guidance. In addition, the 2017 statutory guidance on the 'Care of unaccompanied migrant children and child victims of modern slavery' sets out the steps local authorities should take to plan for the support of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC).
Upon the arrival of an unaccompanied child in the UK, the Home Office will refer them to a local authority children’s service at the earliest possible opportunity. All local authorities in the UK are expected to play their part in looking after UASC. These children are placed fairly across the UK’s local authorities through the National Transfer Scheme. This is considered to be in the best interest of these children and aims to ensure that UASC receive the support and accommodation they need.
Local authorities will assess the needs of unaccompanied children in the same way as any other looked-after child and ensure they are placed in the most suitable accommodation available to meet their needs. All unaccompanied children aged 16 or under are placed in foster care. We are aware that many local authorities struggle to find the right fostering placements for UASC.
To help support local authorities increase foster placement sufficiency, £36 million of investment (the largest ever investment in fostering) will deliver 10 local authority regional fostering recruitment and retention hubs covering 64% of local authorities in England.
As announced in the policy statement ‘Keeping children safe, helping families thrive’, we are investing an additional £15 million to expand this approach to make sure every local authority has access to this foster carer recruitment and support offer. This contains funding for a communication campaign, including targeted recruitment for carers for UASC.
Together with Fosterlink, we have worked with over 90% of all local authorities in England to improve their foster carer recruitment and we continue to build evidence for further investment in supported accommodation to meet the needs of UASC and care leavers.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department will shortly be finalising business planning decisions on how its budget will be allocated for the next financial year. All decisions regarding the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) are being made as part of these discussions. An announcement will be made as soon as possible.
ASGSF therapy applications are generally permitted to extend up to 12 months, allowing children and families to receive continuing therapy across financial years.
All future funding decisions will be considered as part of the next Spending Review.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department will shortly be finalising business planning decisions on how its budget will be allocated for the next financial year. All decisions regarding the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) are being made as part of these discussions. An announcement will be made as soon as possible.
ASGSF therapy applications are generally permitted to extend up to 12 months, allowing children and families to receive continuing therapy across financial years.
All future funding decisions will be considered as part of the next Spending Review.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government does not condone violence or abuse of children. There are laws in place to protect children against this.
Crown Prosecution Service guidance is clear that only the mildest form of physical punishment can be used to justify discipline. Where a defence is unsuccessful, the usual sentencing powers for charges of assault and/or battery would be available for courts to consider.
The department is looking closely at changes in Wales and Scotland but has no plans to legislate at this stage.
We recognise that parents have different views and approaches to disciplining their children and that we need to consider all those voices, including those that might be disproportionally affected by the removal of the defence, as well as the voice of the child and trusted stakeholders in making any decisions.
The government encourages the use of evidence-based parenting programmes. Many such programmes address the issue of managing children’s behaviour and promote positive parenting. This does not include the use of physical punishment. Family support might be available at Family Hubs to help parents with positive parenting and discipline and details can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/find-family-hub-local-area.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Funding for Children’s Social Care, which includes the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF), is being considered as part of the current spending review.
The department has been making a range of changes to improve the timeliness of the ASGSF application process. For example, we will be streamlining the online application process to reduce administration for local authorities and regional adoption agencies (RAAs), and have already changed systems to ensure that application outcomes are delivered more swiftly. We have also introduced a direct communication link with therapy providers to give early updates on any changes and advice on submitting applications.
These changes should help to reduce delays within local authorities and RAAs before applications are received. The additional support to providers, with better sharing of information about the ASGSF, should also help families to receive support more quickly.
One of the main aims of the ASGSF is to support families whose adoption or special guardianship order is at risk of breakdown, with children being at risk of being returned to care, without the specialist therapy linked to trauma and attachment we fund. For this reason, all funding for the ASGSF can be considered crisis funding, and efforts are made to get that support to those in need as soon as possible. The adequacy of the therapies available within the ASGSF is currently being assessed from multiple angles. The National Institute for Health Research is currently conducting a randomised control trial into Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP). This research is currently in the third and final phase and will give robust evidence into the effectiveness of DDP. Moreover, the collection of data from Outcomes Measurement Tools for ASGSF-funded therapies began in December 2023. This data will give an overall picture of the impact and adequacy of ASGSF-funded therapies.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Funding for Children’s Social Care, which includes the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF), is being considered as part of the current spending review.
The department has been making a range of changes to improve the timeliness of the ASGSF application process. For example, we will be streamlining the online application process to reduce administration for local authorities and regional adoption agencies (RAAs), and have already changed systems to ensure that application outcomes are delivered more swiftly. We have also introduced a direct communication link with therapy providers to give early updates on any changes and advice on submitting applications.
These changes should help to reduce delays within local authorities and RAAs before applications are received. The additional support to providers, with better sharing of information about the ASGSF, should also help families to receive support more quickly.
One of the main aims of the ASGSF is to support families whose adoption or special guardianship order is at risk of breakdown, with children being at risk of being returned to care, without the specialist therapy linked to trauma and attachment we fund. For this reason, all funding for the ASGSF can be considered crisis funding, and efforts are made to get that support to those in need as soon as possible. The adequacy of the therapies available within the ASGSF is currently being assessed from multiple angles. The National Institute for Health Research is currently conducting a randomised control trial into Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP). This research is currently in the third and final phase and will give robust evidence into the effectiveness of DDP. Moreover, the collection of data from Outcomes Measurement Tools for ASGSF-funded therapies began in December 2023. This data will give an overall picture of the impact and adequacy of ASGSF-funded therapies.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Funding for Children’s Social Care, which includes the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF), is being considered as part of the current spending review.
The department has been making a range of changes to improve the timeliness of the ASGSF application process. For example, we will be streamlining the online application process to reduce administration for local authorities and regional adoption agencies (RAAs), and have already changed systems to ensure that application outcomes are delivered more swiftly. We have also introduced a direct communication link with therapy providers to give early updates on any changes and advice on submitting applications.
These changes should help to reduce delays within local authorities and RAAs before applications are received. The additional support to providers, with better sharing of information about the ASGSF, should also help families to receive support more quickly.
One of the main aims of the ASGSF is to support families whose adoption or special guardianship order is at risk of breakdown, with children being at risk of being returned to care, without the specialist therapy linked to trauma and attachment we fund. For this reason, all funding for the ASGSF can be considered crisis funding, and efforts are made to get that support to those in need as soon as possible. The adequacy of the therapies available within the ASGSF is currently being assessed from multiple angles. The National Institute for Health Research is currently conducting a randomised control trial into Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP). This research is currently in the third and final phase and will give robust evidence into the effectiveness of DDP. Moreover, the collection of data from Outcomes Measurement Tools for ASGSF-funded therapies began in December 2023. This data will give an overall picture of the impact and adequacy of ASGSF-funded therapies.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Funding for Children’s Social Care, which includes the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF), is being considered as part of the current spending review.
The department has been making a range of changes to improve the timeliness of the ASGSF application process. For example, we will be streamlining the online application process to reduce administration for local authorities and regional adoption agencies (RAAs), and have already changed systems to ensure that application outcomes are delivered more swiftly. We have also introduced a direct communication link with therapy providers to give early updates on any changes and advice on submitting applications.
These changes should help to reduce delays within local authorities and RAAs before applications are received. The additional support to providers, with better sharing of information about the ASGSF, should also help families to receive support more quickly.
One of the main aims of the ASGSF is to support families whose adoption or special guardianship order is at risk of breakdown, with children being at risk of being returned to care, without the specialist therapy linked to trauma and attachment we fund. For this reason, all funding for the ASGSF can be considered crisis funding, and efforts are made to get that support to those in need as soon as possible. The adequacy of the therapies available within the ASGSF is currently being assessed from multiple angles. The National Institute for Health Research is currently conducting a randomised control trial into Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP). This research is currently in the third and final phase and will give robust evidence into the effectiveness of DDP. Moreover, the collection of data from Outcomes Measurement Tools for ASGSF-funded therapies began in December 2023. This data will give an overall picture of the impact and adequacy of ASGSF-funded therapies.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Funding for Children’s Social Care, which includes the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF), is being considered as part of the current spending review.
The department has been making a range of changes to improve the timeliness of the ASGSF application process. For example, we will be streamlining the online application process to reduce administration for local authorities and regional adoption agencies (RAAs), and have already changed systems to ensure that application outcomes are delivered more swiftly. We have also introduced a direct communication link with therapy providers to give early updates on any changes and advice on submitting applications.
These changes should help to reduce delays within local authorities and RAAs before applications are received. The additional support to providers, with better sharing of information about the ASGSF, should also help families to receive support more quickly.
One of the main aims of the ASGSF is to support families whose adoption or special guardianship order is at risk of breakdown, with children being at risk of being returned to care, without the specialist therapy linked to trauma and attachment we fund. For this reason, all funding for the ASGSF can be considered crisis funding, and efforts are made to get that support to those in need as soon as possible. The adequacy of the therapies available within the ASGSF is currently being assessed from multiple angles. The National Institute for Health Research is currently conducting a randomised control trial into Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP). This research is currently in the third and final phase and will give robust evidence into the effectiveness of DDP. Moreover, the collection of data from Outcomes Measurement Tools for ASGSF-funded therapies began in December 2023. This data will give an overall picture of the impact and adequacy of ASGSF-funded therapies.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department is working to support children and young people to thrive and achieve at school as a critical part of its mission to break down barriers to opportunity. That is why this government is working to ensure the right support is available to every young person that needs it, which includes 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 in schools, and will recruit an additional 8,500 new mental health staff to treat children and adults.
Additionally, we recognise that mental health is built over a lifetime and know that the NHS’s 5 Steps to Mental Wellbeing guidance can provide a useful framework for children and young people to learn how to develop good habits for their mental wellbeing. Schools may choose to take account of the 5 Steps to Mental Wellbeing when considering their education provision, alongside the department’s guidance on the 8 principles of a whole school or college approach to promoting mental health and wellbeing. The guidance can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/promoting-children-and-young-peoples-emotional-health-and-wellbeing.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government is committed to working in partnership with local authorities to recruit more foster carers. This includes delivering ten regional fostering recruitment and retention hubs, covering 64% of local authorities in England. The hubs will transform the way people who are interested in fostering are supported and rollout the Mockingbird programme, which offers peer-support to foster carers and the children in their care. The department is also funding ‘Fosterlink’, a new support service for local authority fostering services not in the regional programme. This identifies areas for improvement and creates a national network to share best practice.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government is committed to working with Regional Adoption Agencies, groups of local authorities joining up to deliver adoption services, to ensure that children waiting to be adopted are placed with a loving family as quickly as possible. In 2024/25, the government supported Regional Adoption Agencies with £9 million to develop a wide range of high quality and innovative services. A key focus of their work includes action to reduce how long children wait to be adopted, with a particular focus on those children who statistically wait the longest: black and minority ethnic children; children with disabilities; sibling groups; and children aged over 4 years old. This work includes supporting regional and national adopter recruitment campaigns to attract prospective adopters from a wider range of communities and walks of life, alongside a series of innovative matching projects looking at how to improve decision making; increasing the ethnic diversity of adoption panels to better reflect the communities they serve; and regional and national activity days to increase matching by bringing approved adopters and children together in a safe environment.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government is committed to working with Regional Adoption Agencies, groups of local authorities joining up to deliver adoption services, to ensure that children waiting to be adopted are placed with a loving family as quickly as possible. In 2024/25, the government supported Regional Adoption Agencies with £9 million to develop a wide range of high quality and innovative services. A key focus of their work includes action to reduce how long children wait to be adopted, with a particular focus on those children who statistically wait the longest: black and minority ethnic children; children with disabilities; sibling groups; and children aged over 4 years old. This work includes supporting regional and national adopter recruitment campaigns to attract prospective adopters from a wider range of communities and walks of life, alongside a series of innovative matching projects looking at how to improve decision making; increasing the ethnic diversity of adoption panels to better reflect the communities they serve; and regional and national activity days to increase matching by bringing approved adopters and children together in a safe environment.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)