Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps to extend (a) bursaries and (b) other forms of financial support to trainee primary school teachers.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The bursaries the department offers are designed to incentivise more applications to initial teacher training (ITT) courses. We review bursaries each year before deciding the offer for trainees starting ITT the following academic year. In doing this, we take account of several factors including historic recruitment, forecast economic conditions, and teacher supply need in each subject.

Although recruitment of primary trainee teachers has been slightly below the postgraduate ITT target in recent years, there has been a consistent trend of higher ITT recruitment against target in primary compared to secondary over the last ten years. This is why bursaries are currently focussed on secondary subjects where teacher recruitment is more challenging and the need for new teachers is greater.

Primary trainee teachers on tuition fee-funded ITT routes can apply for a tuition fee loan and maintenance loan to support their living costs. Additional student finance is also available depending on individual circumstances, such as the Childcare Grant. Alternatively, prospective primary teachers can apply for salaried ITT routes, such as the postgraduate teaching apprenticeship.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of classifying water companies as public authorities for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra has not made an assessment.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to increase the availability of practical driving tests in rural Devon.

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

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

In recent months, DVSA has recruited new driving examiners into driving test centres that serve customers in Devon.

On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce waiting times for all customers across the country.

Further information on these actions and progress on the DVSA’s 7-point plan, which was set out last year, can be found on GOV.UK.

The EU and the arms trade, human rights, and the Israel-Gaza conflict

Improving equestrian road safety awareness

Gaza occupation proposals

Climate and Nature Bill

Blockade of aid to Gaza

UK parliamentarians sanctioned by the Russian Federation

Introduction of the Hillsborough Law and the 36th anniversary

Palantir Technologies, Peter Thiel and the NHS (No. 2)

Found: of 16 (81.2%) Dan Carden (Labour, Liverpool Walton) (added 21 Oct 2024) 15 of 25 (60.0%) Richard Foord

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Alex Ballinger; Aphra Brandreth; Phil Brickell; Dan Carden; Richard Foord

Found: present: Emily Thornberry (Chair); Alex Ballinger; Aphra Brandreth; Phil Brickell; Dan Carden; Richard Foord

Found: Vikki Slade Liz Jarvis David Chadwick Sarah Dyke Sarah Gibson Zöe Franklin Pippa Heylings Richard Foord

Found: Vikki Slade Liz Jarvis David Chadwick Sarah Dyke Sarah Gibson Zöe Franklin Pippa Heylings Richard Foord

Found: Vikki Slade Liz Jarvis David Chadwick Sarah Dyke Sarah Gibson Zöe Franklin Pippa Heylings Richard Foord

Found: Vikki Slade Liz Jarvis David Chadwick Sarah Dyke Sarah Gibson Zöe Franklin Pippa Heylings Richard Foord