Taiwo Owatemi Portrait

Taiwo Owatemi

Labour - Coventry North West

First elected: 12th December 2019

Opposition Whip (Commons)

(since September 2023)

Energy Bill [HL]
17th May 2023 - 29th Jun 2023
Shadow Minister (Equalities Office)
21st Sep 2021 - 7th Sep 2022
Petitions Committee
20th Apr 2021 - 15th Mar 2022
Nationality and Borders Bill
16th Sep 2021 - 4th Nov 2021
International Trade Committee
8th Jun 2020 - 13th Jul 2021
Northern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) Bill
28th Jun 2021 - 6th Jul 2021


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Taiwo Owatemi has voted in 798 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
View All Taiwo Owatemi Division Votes

Debates during the 2019 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
Chris Philp (Conservative)
Minister of State (Home Office)
(10 debate interactions)
Maria Caulfield (Conservative)
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
(7 debate interactions)
Rosie Winterton (Labour)
(7 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Department of Health and Social Care
(46 debate contributions)
Cabinet Office
(22 debate contributions)
Department for Transport
(18 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
Legislation Debates
Fisheries Act 2020
(1,740 words contributed)
Fur Trade (Prohibition) Bill 2019-21
(1,528 words contributed)
Finance Act 2020
(957 words contributed)
View All Legislation Debates
View all Taiwo Owatemi's debates

Coventry North West 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).

Petition Debates Contributed

Continue to give free NHS prescriptions to over 60s. The Government is consulting on aligning the upper age exemption for NHS prescription charges with the State Pension age (SPA), which would render many people in their 60s ineligible.

Revoke all licences (PEL) for commercial breeders of laboratory animals. Require all Project Licences (PPLs) applications be reviewed by an independent Non Animal Methods (NAMs) specialist committee. Revise s24 ASPA 1986 to allow review. Urge International Regulators to accept & promote NAMs.

Make specialist training mandatory for all police and other government agencies that support black women and girls affected by domestic abuse. Police and agencies should have culturally appropriate training to better understand the cultural needs of black women affected by domestic abuse.

Endometriosis and PCOS are two gynaecological conditions which both affect 10% of women worldwide, but both are, in terms of research and funding, incredibly under prioritised. This petition is calling for more funding, to enable for new, extensive and thorough research into female health issues.

We ask Parliament to repeal the High Speed Rail Bills, 2016 and 2019, as MPs voted on misleading environmental, financial and timetable information provided by the Dept of Transport and HS2 Ltd. It fails to address the conditions of the Paris Accord and costs have risen from £56bn to over £100bn.

Cervical screening needs to be every year.

This is because women are dying, mothers, wives, daughters, granddaughters and sisters are dying.

The Government should explore using the new sanctions regime that allows individuals and entities that violate human rights around the world to be targeted, to impose sanctions on members of the Nigerian government and police force involved in any human rights abuses by the Nigerian police.

After owning nurseries for 29 years I have never experienced such damaging times for the sector with rising costs not being met by the funding rates available. Business Rates are a large drain on the sector and can mean the difference between nurseries being able to stay open and having to close.

For the UK government to provide economic assistance to businesses and staff employed in the events industry, who are suffering unforeseen financial challenges that could have a profound effect on hundreds of thousands of people employed in the sector.

If nurseries are shut down in view of Covid-19, the Government should set up an emergency fund to ensure their survival and ensure that parents are not charged the full fee by the nurseries to keep children's places.

The prospect of widespread cancellations of concerts, theatre productions and exhibitions due to COVID-19 threatens to cause huge financial hardship for Britain's creative community. We ask Parliament to provide a package of emergency financial and practical support during this unpredictable time.

As a result of the COVID-19 outbreak there are travel bans imposed by many countries, there is a disastrous potential impact on our Aviation Industry. Without the Government’s help there could be an unprecedented crisis, with thousands of jobs under threat.

The cash grants proposed by Government are only for businesses in receipt of the Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Relief, or for particular sectors. Many small businesses fall outside these reliefs desperately need cash grants and support now.

To extend the business rate relief to all dental practices and medical and aesthetics clinics and any small business that’s in healthcare

Zoos, aquariums, and similar organisations across the country carry out all sorts of conservation work, animal rescue, and public education. At the start of the season most rely on visitors (who now won't come) to cover annual costs, yet those costs do not stop while they are closed. They need help.

As we pass the COVID-19 Peak, the Government should: State where the Theatres and Arts fit in the Coronavrius recovery Roadmap, Create a tailor made financial support mechanism for the Arts sector & Clarify how Social Distancing will affect arts spaces like Theatres and Concert Venues.


Latest EDMs signed by Taiwo Owatemi

13th March 2023
Taiwo Owatemi signed this EDM on Tuesday 14th March 2023

Social care staffing and a national care service

Tabled by: Margaret Greenwood (Labour - Wirral West)
That this House expresses concern that there are around 165,000 vacancies in social care in England and that, as of 2020-21, the average hourly pay in independent care homes in England was just £9.01; is further concerned about separate reports that England is projected to need close to 500,000 more …
28 signatures
(Most recent: 16 Oct 2023)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 24
Independent: 2
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
Green Party: 1
22nd June 2021
Taiwo Owatemi signed this EDM on Tuesday 22nd June 2021

GKN Automotive alternative plan

Tabled by: Jack Dromey (Labour - Birmingham, Erdington)
That this House is alarmed by GKN Automotive’s decision to close its Birmingham factory next year, with the loss of over 500 highly skilled jobs and work transferred to continental Europe; notes that GKN’s origins trace back to the industrial revolution, with over 260 years of history that include making …
68 signatures
(Most recent: 27 Apr 2022)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 60
Independent: 5
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
Scottish National Party: 1
Alba Party: 1
View All Taiwo Owatemi's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Taiwo Owatemi, 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.


Taiwo Owatemi has not been granted any Urgent Questions

1 Adjournment Debate led by Taiwo Owatemi

Wednesday 14th June 2023

1 Bill introduced by Taiwo Owatemi


A Bill to prohibit the import, export, purchase and sale of fur and fur products; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Wednesday 21st April 2021
(Read Debate)

Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
3 Other Department Questions
11th Jan 2024
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking to close the ethnicity pay gap beyond issuing guidance on ethnicity pay gap reporting.

Our comprehensive guidance for employers on ethnicity pay reporting, published in April 2023, sets out best practice on measuring, analysing and reporting ethnicity pay gaps. Since publication, we have engaged with employers and employer representative bodies to promote the guidance and provide support. We are seeking case studies in order to identify and highlight examples of good practice.

This work is part of our ambitious Inclusive Britain strategy, published in March 2022, which set out 74 bold actions to tackle entrenched ethnic disparities in employment, education, health and criminal justice. We also launched an Inclusion at Work Panel last year aimed at helping employers achieve fairness and inclusion in the workplace.

Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
14th Apr 2023
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will make an assessment of the impact of potential changes to the definition of sex in the Equality Act 2010 on people with differences in sex development; and whether it is her Department's policy that the term biological sex refers to (a) chromosomal sex, (b) reproductive sex or (c) sex assigned at birth.

We are considering the findings of the call for evidence with a view to publishing the report in due course.

More broadly, as the Minister for Women and Equalities set out in her letter to Baroness Falkner, Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), she is concerned that the Equality Act may not be sufficiently clear in the balance it strikes between the interests of people with different protected characteristics. She regularly seeks advice from the independent equality regulator as part of her role. It is right that the Government continues to keep legislation under review, ensuring that it is effective. She has received advice from the EHRC on the Equality Act and will consider it in the usual way. No decisions on any next steps have been made.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
14th Apr 2023
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, when she plans to publish her Department's report on the Variations in Sex Characteristics Call For Evidence launched on 17 January 2019.

We are considering the findings of the call for evidence with a view to publishing the report in due course.

More broadly, as the Minister for Women and Equalities set out in her letter to Baroness Falkner, Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), she is concerned that the Equality Act may not be sufficiently clear in the balance it strikes between the interests of people with different protected characteristics. She regularly seeks advice from the independent equality regulator as part of her role. It is right that the Government continues to keep legislation under review, ensuring that it is effective. She has received advice from the EHRC on the Equality Act and will consider it in the usual way. No decisions on any next steps have been made.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
10th Feb 2020
To ask the Attorney General, what recent discussions he has had with the Director of Public Prosecutions on ensuring more effective prosecutions of cases involving rape and other sexual offences.

I regularly engage with the Director of Public Prosecutions on all criminal justice issues, including rape. Rape and sexual offences are devastating crimes that can have a significant and profound impact on victims. All cases are dealt with by specially trained CPS Rape and Serious Sexual Offences lawyers, and the CPS is committed to bringing perpetrators of these horrific crimes to justice.

The CPS has accepted all recommendations made in the HMCPSI Rape Report, published in December 2019, and a joint action plan with the police is already underway. This work aims to improve performance in key areas including case progression, digital capability and disclosure, and supporting victims.

The ongoing cross-Government review into this complex area will offer comprehensive findings across the whole criminal justice system, and I look forward to its completion

13th Oct 2023
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the second interim report of the Infected Blood Inquiry, published on 5 April 2023, what steps he is taking to respond to recommendation (k).

The Government continues to make progress with the work necessary to enable a response to the full report, when it is published. In July 2022, I provided evidence to the Infected Blood Inquiry setting out the current Government thinking and I will update the House as soon as I am able to provide further information.

6th Jan 2023
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to recommendation 16 of the Compensation and redress for the victims of infected blood: recommendations for a framework report, published on 7 June 2022. when the Government will establish an arms-length body to administer compensation to people affected by the infected blood scandal.

I made a statement in the House on 15 December, providing an update on the Government’s preparations for the conclusion of the Infected Blood Inquiry, due to report later this year - including our work in response to the Compensation Framework Study.

A cross government working group coordinated by the Cabinet Office is taking forward work informed by the Study’s recommendations, including the establishment of an arm’s length body.

We will continue to update the House on progress on the Government’s response to the Study’s recommendations.

23rd Feb 2022
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the elderly can access Government services that (a) have been and (b) are due to become digitalised.

The Government is committed to ensuring that assistance is always available for those who need it. Departments are required by the Service Standard to provide support to users via alternative channels for their services, where it is required, and the Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO) assures this via a service assessment process.

CDDO provides guidance for Government teams and departments to consider assisted digital support for users who may lack trust in online services or the internet; confidence to use an online service themselves; access to the internet; digital skills; and, motivation to overcome these barriers on their own (https://www.gov.uk/service-manual/helping-people-to-use-your-service/assisted-digital-support-introduction).

23rd Apr 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the average timescale is for cases submitted to the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman to be assigned to a dedicated caseworker in the most recent period for which figures are available; and what steps he is taking to re-introduce pre-covid-19 outbreak targets for assigning such cases.

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) is independent of Government and is accountable to Parliament through the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee for its performance. The PHSO will therefore reply separately to this question by letter.

24th Apr 2020
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the timetable is for discussions between the Government and victims and families of the contaminated blood scandal on a framework for compensation.

In January 2020, the then Minister for the Cabinet Office and the Minister for Patient Safety met campaigners representing the people infected and affected, and campaigners raised a number of issues about the support that would assist them outside of the Inquiry process. Ministers have committed to looking at these issues carefully, including to consider a request to look at a framework for compensation before the Inquiry reports, and to report back on where progress can be made. The Paymaster General is the lead Minister for the Inquiry and is taking forward these actions.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
1st Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to compel energy providers to maintain cheaper tariffs, including night rates in the next year.

The setting of tariffs is a commercial matter for individual energy suppliers. The Government’s Energy Price Guarantee [EPG] limits the unit price households pay on gas and electricity, including those on tariffs with separate rate for day and night, bringing a typical household’s energy bill in Great Britain down to the equivalent of around £2,500 a year and a saving of £900 this winter.

From April 2023, a typical household’s energy bill is expected to be up to £3,000 a year.

Graham Stuart
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
26th Jan 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he will take to improve the energy efficiency of UK homes.

The Government is investing £6.6 billion over this parliament on decarbonising heat and energy efficiency. In addition, the Energy Company Obligation Scheme is in its fourth iteration which will run until 2026 with a value of £4 billion. ECO + has also been announced, worth £1 billion and will run from Spring 2023.

The Autumn Statement set out a new ambition to reduce final energy consumption from buildings and industry by 15% by 2030. To support this, a new Energy Efficiency Taskforce will be established. £6 billion of additional funding will also be made available from 2025 to 2028.

Graham Stuart
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
26th Jan 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Energy Efficiency Taskforce is operational; and if he will publish the membership of that taskforce.

More details on the launch and membership of the Taskforce will be announced in due course.

Graham Stuart
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
10th Oct 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what reason the unit cost paid per KWH under the Smart Export Guarantee is lower than the current price of electricity.

The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) is a cost-reflective and market led mechanism and it is for suppliers to determine the value of the exported electricity and to take account of the administrative costs associated when setting their tariffs. The SEG contract that a supplier has with a householder is at a set price which is not directly linked to the wholesale market. We are currently reviewing Ofgem’s recently published annual SEG report to ensure that small-scale generators continue to have an effective route to market.

Graham Stuart
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
19th Jul 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the purpose of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund is to replace the European Structural and Investment Funds programme.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund will help to level up and create opportunity across the UK in places most in need, such as ex-industrial areas, deprived towns, and rural and coastal communities, and for people who face labour market barriers.

Spending Review 2020 set out the main strategic elements of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in the Heads of Terms.  The Government will publish a UK-wide investment framework later this year and confirm its funding profile at the next Spending Review.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is the domestic successor to the EU Structural Fund programme. It will maximise the benefits of leaving the EU through quicker delivery of funding, better targeting, better alignment with domestic priorities and by cutting burdensome EU bureaucracy.

13th Jul 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership will receive its three month overdue core funding provision.

We aim to let Local Enterprise Partnerships have information about core funding for 2021-22 shortly.

12th Jan 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with the Government's coronavirus taskforce on the (a) potential merits of ceasing all work on construction sites and (b) ensuring that companies are supported to ensure construction workers are furloughed during the high level of transmission of covid-19.

Construction workers play a crucial role in supporting our public services, maintaining vital infrastructure, and providing and maintaining safe, decent homes for people to live in. Throughout the pandemic, the Government has been clear that construction activity should continue, where it can take place safely.

The Government has worked with the Construction Leadership Council’s Coronavirus Task Force, construction firms, and other stakeholders to develop guidance on safer working on construction sites. This is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/construction-and-other-outdoor-work.

The construction industry has also developed Site and Branch Operating Procedures for firms and merchants, as well as guidance for small firms and mineral products suppliers. These provide advice as to how construction firms can apply the Government guidance on safer working.

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) is designed to help employers whose operations have been severely affected by Coronavirus, to retain their employees and protect the UK economy. All employers, including construction companies, are eligible to claim under the CJRS.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
6th Jan 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether pubs are allowed to sell alcohol in sealed containers for people to take home during the January 2021 covid-19 lockdown period.

Hospitality venues are not allowed to sell alcohol for takeaway under the new National Lockdown restrictions, although they are allowed to continue to sell food and non-alcoholic drinks for takeaway.

30th Dec 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of (a) the end of the transition period and (b) covid-19-related border restrictions on the Government's ability to procure covid-19 vaccines.

The UK has put in place a number of measures to facilitate trade with the European Union to avoid impact to vaccine supply beyond 1 January 2021.

The UK’s Vaccine Taskforce, alongside the Department of Health and Social Care, have worked with COVID-19 vaccine suppliers to support them with robust contingency plans. This includes considering the use of alternative supply routes and Government procured freight capacity, in line with current Government advice.

8th Dec 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will take steps to ensure customers who choose green electricity tariffs can (a) locate and (b) verify the renewable power plant from which the electricity company purchase its power.

The current legislation and licence conditions which underpin green electricity tariffs are based on the regulator (Ofgem) administering the Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGO) certificate accounting scheme to verify the proportion of renewable energy sourced by supplier.

Consumers are able to consult the publicly available Ofgem REGO register to interrogate which certificates their supplier holds and from which renewable power plants they were sourced.

8th Dec 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has made an estimate of the number and proportion of energy suppliers selling green tariffs that buy 100 per cent renewable power from renewable generators, rather than purchasing second-hand certificates certifying a renewable energy purchase.

Supplier procurement strategies for energy and related certificates are a commercial matter and the Government does not have visibility over which companies are utilising the secondary trading of Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGO) certificates to support their green electricity tariff offerings.

7th Dec 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that people with pre-existing health conditions living in an area under Tier (a) One and (b) Two covid-19 restrictions do not have to go to a workplace environment that is not covid-secure.

The Government has provided employers with comprehensive guidance on safer working which complements the Department of Health and Social Care’s guidance to clinically extremely vulnerable people. The safer working guidance is clear that employers must be mindful of their responsibilities. We highlight that failure to carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment and put in place sufficient control measures to manage the risk may be considered a breach of health and safety law. Any issues identified by a worker can be escalated according to the steps in the guidance.

7th Dec 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the potential economic benefit of exempting certain business travellers from self-isolation after travel from countries outside England’s travel corridors.

This exemption facilitates a limited amount of business activity where the individual has a reasonable belief that the activity would be more likely than not to create or preserve 50 UK jobs or provide equivalent value.

18th Mar 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to guarantee an adequate supply of isopropyl alcohol for the manufacture of hand sanitiser during the covid-19 outbreak.

We have a growing effort to secure the supply of hand sanitiser. The Department of Health and Social Care has hand sanitiser in storage and further deliveries are being made. We are working rapidly with wholesalers to ensure a longer-term supply is available.

18th Mar 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to encourage relevant manufacturing companies to switch production to the manufacture of (a) personal protective equipment and (b) hand sanitiser or its key ingredients.

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Chancellor is chairing a regular Economic and Business Response Committee with Ministers from across the Government. The Committee will respond to the impact on businesses, supply chains, and the wider economy caused by the pandemic, and will request advice and support from industry where necessary.

Secretaries of State will also hold sector-specific roundtables, including with theaviation, retail, manufacturing, food, insurance, financial services, sport, entertainment and events, and tourism and hospitality industries.

Any business who is able to help should get in touch at: gcfcovid19enquiries@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.

18th Mar 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) pharmacists, (b) suppliers and (c) other outlets do not profiteer from the price of hand sanitisers.

On 5 March, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) issued a public statement to reassure businesses and consumers that it is monitoring retail practices during the Coronavirus outbreak. If required, the CMA will take direct enforcement action or advise the Government to take additional measures.

7th Feb 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if her Department will take steps to support employees affected by the closure of IKEA's store in Coventry.

This will be a concerning time for employees and their families, and we are in contact with IKEA regarding the closure. I can equally assure you that Jobcentre Plus through its Rapid Response unit will work with IKEA to understand the level of employee support required and help all affected employees get back into employment as soon as possible.

Jobcentre Plus’s Rapid Response Service is able to provide tailored support and can include some or all the following:

  • Help with job searches, CV writing and interview skills
  • Help to identify transferable skills and skills gaps, linked to the labour market
  • Training to update skills, learn new ones and gain industry certification that will improve employability
  • Help to overcome barriers to attending training, securing a job or self-employment, such as childcare costs, tools, work clothes and travel costs.
13th Jul 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make it his policy to compensate music (a) festivals and (b) concerts if they have to be cancelled as a result of further covid-19 restrictions.

As the Secretary of State made clear at the DCMS Select Committee in May, the government is aware of the wider concerns around securing indemnity for live events. Protecting public health is of vital importance to the government and we are working closely with the affected sectors and HMT on this issue to assess options to provide further support within the public health context.

Throughout the pandemic, the government’s Plan For Jobs has supported jobs and businesses with over £400 billion of economic support. As part of this package, last year the government announced the unprecedented Culture Recovery Fund - the biggest arts funding package in history. To date, over £1.2 billion has been allocated from the £2 billion Fund, reaching over 5,000 individual organisations and sites.

On 25 June we announced details of the third round of the Culture Recovery Fund and portals for the Emergency Resource Support element of this round are now open. This third and final round of funding will provide further support as the cultural, heritage and creative sectors move towards reopening at full capacity, underlining the government’s commitment to help them build back better as life returns to normal.

As you will be aware, from 19 July, following the success of the vaccine roll-out, outstanding legal restrictions on social contact and life events have been removed and all closed settings can reopen. The government will instead enable people to use personal judgement to manage the risk to themselves and others.

26th Jan 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he is having with Cabinet colleagues on tackling the spread of disinformation on social media about the covid-19 outbreak.

Ministers have regular meetings and discussions with their ministerial colleagues on a range of issues, including tackling the spread of Covid-19 disinformation on social media. Details of Ministerial meetings are published quarterly on the GOV.UK website.

12th Jan 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to support the arts and culture industry in Coventry as they begin to commemorate Coventry as the city of culture 2021.

The Government recognises the huge contribution the arts and culture sector makes, not only to the economy and international reputation of the UK, but also to the wellbeing and enrichment of its people. It is for this reason that we have invested an unprecedented £1.57 billion, the biggest ever one-off cash injection, into UK culture to tackle the crisis facing our most loved arts organisations and heritage sites across the country including Coventry, which will be our next City of Culture. The Culture Recovery Fund has awarded over £6 million in funding to arts and heritage organisations in Coventry to help support them through the current Covid-19 outbreak.

The Government has supported Coventry City of Culture Trust (the organisation responsible for planning and delivering the programme) with an investment of £15m for capital and resource projects. In addition, Arts Council England, has allocated £3.4m to support Coventry’s success as City of Culture.

The arts and cultural sector is instrumental to Coventry’s success and the Trust has employed local arts freelancers, invested in cultural infrastructure and, during the first lockdown, initiated a £100k resilience fund for the local arts community. In addition, through its programming, the Trust has provided a much needed injection of funding into the sector and supported artists in the region, nationally and internationally.

Coventry North West has received four awards totalling £221,063 from the Culture Recovery Funds: Mercurial Arts Limited received £64,548; The Highlife Centre received 2 amounts of £79,515 and £61,000; and the Canal and River Trust received £16,000.

12th Jan 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of the arts, entertainment and recreation workforce (a) was been eligible for and (b) received support from the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme in each month since the introduction of that scheme.

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been one of the key ways we have provided support, with the Arts, Entertainment and Recreation (AER) sector receiving £1.974bn of support from the initiative so far (claims made to 31 October). The CJRS has now been further extended to 30 April 2021. From 1 November, the UK Government will pay 80% of employees’ usual wages for the hours not worked, up to a cap of £2,500 per month.

The latest figures published by HMRC show that as at 31 October 2020, there were 660,900 eligible employments and 40,000 eligible employers for CJRS in the arts, entertainment and recreation sector.

As at 31 October, the proportion of the workforce eligible for furlough that were actually furloughed in AER sector was 24%. 45% of eligible employers in the AER sector were using the furlough scheme at the end of October.

As at 30 September, the take up rate of eligible employments was 28% in the AER sector, with 49% of eligible employers in the sector using the scheme.

As at 31 August, 40% of eligible employments were furloughed and 54% of eligible employers were using the scheme in the AER sector.

As at 31 July, 52% of eligible employments in the AER sector were furloughed, with a take up rate of 61% of eligible employers in the sector.

12th Jan 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of employers in the arts, entertainment and recreation sector accessed the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme in each month since the introduction of that scheme.

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been one of the key ways we have provided support, with the Arts, Entertainment and Recreation (AER) sector receiving £1.974bn of support from the initiative so far (claims made to 31 October). The CJRS has now been further extended to 30 April 2021. From 1 November, the UK Government will pay 80% of employees’ usual wages for the hours not worked, up to a cap of £2,500 per month.

The latest figures published by HMRC show that as at 31 October 2020, there were 660,900 eligible employments and 40,000 eligible employers for CJRS in the arts, entertainment and recreation sector.

As at 31 October, the proportion of the workforce eligible for furlough that were actually furloughed in AER sector was 24%. 45% of eligible employers in the AER sector were using the furlough scheme at the end of October.

As at 30 September, the take up rate of eligible employments was 28% in the AER sector, with 49% of eligible employers in the sector using the scheme.

As at 31 August, 40% of eligible employments were furloughed and 54% of eligible employers were using the scheme in the AER sector.

As at 31 July, 52% of eligible employments in the AER sector were furloughed, with a take up rate of 61% of eligible employers in the sector.

10th Dec 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many and what proportion of (a) music festivals have accessed and (b) the number of roles in music festivals have been supported by the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to date.

The Government has worked closely with music and cultural sector representative bodies to maximise the survival of businesses and employee retention in the sector, through the extensive range of support the Government has provided to businesses and the self-employed.

The Government has not made an assessment of the extent to which music festivals have accessed the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

As at 30 September, the sector with the highest proportion of its workforce eligible and receiving the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme support was arts, entertainment and recreation at 23%. In all, 45% of employers in the arts, entertainment and recreation sector were using the furlough scheme at the end of September.

10th Feb 2020
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to increase the provision of youth centres.

This government is investing £500 million over five years through the new Youth Investment Fund. The fund will be used to build new youth centres, refurbish existing youth facilities, provide mobile facilities for harder to reach areas, and invest in the youth work profession and frontline services.

Government is also funding up to £7 million this financial year through the Youth Accelerator Fund that will expand existing successful projects delivering positive activities, and address urgent needs in the youth sector. The charity UK Youth have launched a small grants programme to distribute funding to deliver extra sessions in youth clubs and youth groups across England.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Feb 2020
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps he has taken to improve access to the arts and culture in the regions and nations of the UK.

As cultural funding and policy is a devolved issue, I will focus on the work we do across England.

Through the Arts Council England (ACE), we are investing and promoting the arts and culture all around the country and will continue to do so. There continues to be a shift in ACE's National Portfolio funding outside London, increasing from 53.8% outside London in 2012-15 to 60.3% in 2018-22.

As part of this, ACE expects the organisations they fund to ensure that their cultural offer is accessible to as many people as possible. A great example of this is the Royal Shakespeare Company’s increasing number of “relaxed performances” which make the theatre more accessible to a neurodiverse audience.

In October 2019, the Government also announced a £250m Cultural Investment Fund (CIF) - of which £125m will be invested in regional libraries and museums across the country, helping these cultural institutions to enhance their offer and benefit every more people.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
30th Jan 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help improve the financial literacy of school children in Coventry North West constituency.

Education on financial matters helps to ensure that pupils are prepared to manage their money well, make sound financial decisions and know where to seek further information when needed.

Financial education forms part of the citizenship curriculum at Key Stages 3 and 4, but can be taught at all Key Stages. More information on the National Curriculum can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/national-curriculum. The subject covers the functions and uses of money, the importance of personal budgeting, money management and managing financial risk. At secondary school, pupils are taught content on income and expenditure, credit and debt, insurance, savings, pensions, financial products and services and how public money is raised and spent.

The mathematics curriculum includes an emphasis on the essential arithmetic that primary pupils should be taught. A strong grasp of mathematics will underpin pupils’ ability to manage budgets and money. The secondary mathematics curriculum develops pupils’ understanding in relation to more complex personal finance issues such as calculating loan repayments, interest rates and compound interest.

The Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) has published guidance to support head teachers to enhance their financial education provision. This is available here: https://maps.org.uk/2021/11/11/financial-education-guidance-for-primary-and-secondary-schools-in-england/.

The Department and MaPS are planning a series of joint financial education webinars during this academic year, aimed at promoting the importance of financial education, improving pupils’ knowledge and teachers’ confidence.

10th Jan 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that divorced parents are not fined for unauthorised school absences for which the other parent was responsible.

I refer the hon. Member for Coventry North West, to the answer I gave on 15 November 2022 to Question 80916. The Department is currently considering its legislative priorities and will set these out in due course.

7th Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will revise the rules according to which local authorities can fine both parents separately for taking a child out of school during term time, in order to introduce an exception for those cases where the parents are divorced or separated and the decision to take the child out of school has been taken by one parent alone.

All parents of compulsory school aged children who are registered at school have a legal duty to ensure their children attend school regularly.

Local Authorities are independent prosecutors, each covered by their own Code of Conduct for issuing penalty notices, in line with the Education (Penalty Notices) (England) Regulations 2007. Where attendance legal intervention is used, decisions are made on an individual case-by-case basis by the relevant Local Authority.

All parents, including where parents do not live together, can commit an offence under Section 444 of the Education Act 1996 and may be issued a penalty notice if it is in accordance with their Local Authority’s Code of Conduct for issuing penalty notices. Local Authorities must not act in a way that is irrational in the particular case, taking into consideration the individual family circumstances. Parents can write to their Local Authority if they believe that they have been incorrectly issued with a penalty notice.

10th Oct 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department will take to support local authorities on speeding up special educational needs assessments.

This year, local authorities have access to £51.3 billion to deliver their core services, including SEND services. Local authorities have the flexibility to spend according to local needs and priorities, including to undertake education, health and care needs assessments.

6th Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the level of implementation of education, health and care plans are consistent across the UK.

The department publishes annual data on suspensions and permanent exclusions which include capturing those pupils with education, health and care (EHC) plans. It has also published updated Suspension and Permanent Exclusion guidance in July 2022 so that headteachers have the information they need to use these sanctions properly and proportionately.

The updated guidance makes clear that headteachers should, as far as possible, minimise the use of permanent exclusion for any pupil with an EHC plan and that initial intervention to address underlying causes of disruptive behaviour should include an assessment of whether appropriate provision is in place to support any special educational needs and disability that a pupil may have.

In March 2022, the department published the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Green Paper and Schools White Paper, which set out plans to make sure every child can reach their full potential. They set out a vision of an inclusive education system with excellent local mainstream provision that would improve the experience and outcomes for children and young people with SEND, support those who need alternative provision, and those who need the additional support delivered through an EHC plan.

The Green Paper consultation closed on 22 July 2022 and the department is currently analysing the responses. Later this year, we will publish a national SEND and AP implementation strategy, setting out our response to the consultation and the next steps for implementation of system reform.

15th Oct 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans his Department has to increase the (a) number of students taking and (b) funding for foreign language subjects at A-Level and GCSE.

The department’s focus is on increasing the uptake of languages at GCSE, which is why GCSEs in all modern and ancient languages are part of the English Baccalaureate performance measure for secondary schools. There are no specific plans to increase the number of pupils entered for language A levels, although an increase in GCSE uptake in languages is expected to lead to an increase in A level uptake in the longer-term.

The total number of pupils in state-funded schools in England entered for examinations in at least one language GCSE has increased from 231,224 in 2010 to 253,379 in 2019. This amounted to an increase among all key stage 4 pupils of 7 percentage points from 40% in 2010 to 47% in 2019. Following the COVID-19 outbreak, the GCSE examinations are due to re-commence for summer 2022, and we will return to publishing, as far as possible, our usual range of English Baccalaureate entry and attainment measures.

The department also carried out a consultation earlier this year on proposed changes to the subject content for French, German and Spanish GCSEs. The intention is that more pupils will want to study languages at GCSE level and encourage them to continue with this study to post-16 and beyond. The department plans to respond to the consultation later this year.

There is no ring-fenced funding for schools and colleges for the teaching of languages at GCSE and A level. Schools are expected to use their core funding to teach pupils a broad and balanced curriculum to the end of key stage 4, while 16 to 19 core funding is used to cover the teaching and related costs for post-16 students in schools and colleges whatever their study programme. Core school funding increased by £2.6 billion in 2020-21 and is increasing by £4.8 billion and £7.1 billion in 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively, compared to 2019-20. The government has recently made significant increases in 16 to 19 funding, with an extra £400 million for 2020-21 awarded in the 2019 spending review, and a further £291 million on top of this in 2021-22. This enabled an increase in total programme funding per 16-19 student of nearly 10% between 2019/20 allocations and 2020/21 allocations and the increased funding rates have been maintained for 2021/22.

The Department also provides funding for a number of specific language education programmes to improve teaching quality and take-up in specific languages. These are:

  • The Modern Foreign Languages Pedagogy Pilot led by the National Centre for Excellence for Language Pedagogy (NCELP) at the University of York. Since 2018, the £4.8 million programme has delivered fully resourced schemes of work for Key Stage 3 in French, German and Spanish, and provided training and support across 45 pilot schools. In the fourth year, NCELP will deliver free professional development to over 1,350 teachers nationally and develop fully resourced schemes of work for Key Stage 4.
  • The Mandarin Excellence Programme (MEP) led by University College London Institute of Education in partnership with the British Council. The £10 million MEP has grown from 14 schools in 2016 to 75 schools in 2021, with around 7,000 pupils being taught Chinese from age 11 to 16. The department recently announced an additional £16.4 million for a new phase of the MEP for at least the next three years.
20th May 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what level of funding is provided by his Department for Black supplementary schools.

​The Department recognises that supplementary schools provide enriching activities and education for children in many subjects including arts, language, music, sport, and religion. We do not currently provide direct funding for any supplementary schools.

11th Mar 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Turing Scheme will be an international exchange programme.

The £110 million Turing scheme will provide funding for around 35,000 students in universities, colleges and schools to go on placements and exchanges overseas, starting in September 2021. This global scheme will have levelling-up at heart so that this life-changing educational opportunity is opened up to more students and pupils across the country.

The Turing Scheme is the UK’s global programme to study and work abroad. We are funding UK-based providers so that their students, learners and pupils can go on mobilities abroad and we expect overseas partners to do the same in return thereby facilitating international exchanges. The UK is a very attractive destination for international students, the most attractive in the world after the USA. It is clear that we have considerable appeal as a destination and partner in international mobilities and exchanges, not just within the EU, but across the world.

For all students participating in the Turing Scheme, we expect tuition fees to be waived by host institutions, as is typical under Erasmus+ and other exchange programmes. This is a matter for individual institutions to agree, and something that universities do as a matter of course when they form exchange partnerships with international providers.

All participating students will receive grants to contribute towards their cost of living, which will be dependent on the destination country. Under Erasmus+, HE students can receive a maximum of 540 Euros per month for cost of living in programme countries, including the disadvantaged supplement. For an Erasmus+ study placement, this includes 370-420 Euros per month for cost of living plus 120 Euros per month disadvantaged uplift. Under the Turing Scheme, participants can receive the equivalent of a maximum of 573 Euros per month. This includes equivalent to 392-445 Euros per month for cost of living plus 129 Euros per month disadvantaged uplift. These rates are based on an exchange rate of 1.17 Euros to 1 Sterling Pound. Students can continue to apply for student finance.

For schools and colleges, all participants will receive travel funding. For disadvantaged students in HE, the Turing Scheme will provide travel costs to all destinations. Disadvantaged participants in all sectors can receive additional funding for visas, passports, insurance and other travel-related costs. We would cover up to 100% of actual costs. More information on funding available can be found at www.turing-scheme.org.uk.

Michelle Donelan
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
11th Mar 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Turing Scheme will cover the (a) tuition fees, (b) travel costs and (c) cost of living for participants in that programme; and whether those costs will be means-tested.

The £110 million Turing scheme will provide funding for around 35,000 students in universities, colleges and schools to go on placements and exchanges overseas, starting in September 2021. This global scheme will have levelling-up at heart so that this life-changing educational opportunity is opened up to more students and pupils across the country.

The Turing Scheme is the UK’s global programme to study and work abroad. We are funding UK-based providers so that their students, learners and pupils can go on mobilities abroad and we expect overseas partners to do the same in return thereby facilitating international exchanges. The UK is a very attractive destination for international students, the most attractive in the world after the USA. It is clear that we have considerable appeal as a destination and partner in international mobilities and exchanges, not just within the EU, but across the world.

For all students participating in the Turing Scheme, we expect tuition fees to be waived by host institutions, as is typical under Erasmus+ and other exchange programmes. This is a matter for individual institutions to agree, and something that universities do as a matter of course when they form exchange partnerships with international providers.

All participating students will receive grants to contribute towards their cost of living, which will be dependent on the destination country. Under Erasmus+, HE students can receive a maximum of 540 Euros per month for cost of living in programme countries, including the disadvantaged supplement. For an Erasmus+ study placement, this includes 370-420 Euros per month for cost of living plus 120 Euros per month disadvantaged uplift. Under the Turing Scheme, participants can receive the equivalent of a maximum of 573 Euros per month. This includes equivalent to 392-445 Euros per month for cost of living plus 129 Euros per month disadvantaged uplift. These rates are based on an exchange rate of 1.17 Euros to 1 Sterling Pound. Students can continue to apply for student finance.

For schools and colleges, all participants will receive travel funding. For disadvantaged students in HE, the Turing Scheme will provide travel costs to all destinations. Disadvantaged participants in all sectors can receive additional funding for visas, passports, insurance and other travel-related costs. We would cover up to 100% of actual costs. More information on funding available can be found at www.turing-scheme.org.uk.

Michelle Donelan
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
26th Jan 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the factors that would determine the safe reopening of schools after covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.

On Wednesday 27 January 2021, the Government confirmed that education attendance restrictions should continue post-half term meaning that vulnerable children and the children of critical workers can still attend school or college in person, but all other pupils will continue to learn remotely from home.

This follows my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister’s announcement on 4 January 2021 of national restrictions and that the position would be kept under review during January 2021.

Following an in-depth analysis of both the virus prevalence data and the data on NHS capacity, it has been concluded that school and college attendance must continue to be limited to help support the reduction in the overall number of social contacts in communities.

Education attendance restrictions are to be reviewed again in mid-February and will remain in place until 8 March 2021 at the earliest, and the Government has committed to publishing a plan for leaving lockdown by the end of February 2021.

Headteachers, teachers, and staff of schools, colleges and nurseries have been doing an extraordinary job under difficult circumstances. For those still attending school, the system of protective measures means that any risks are well managed and controlled.

12th Jan 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) adequacy of the standard of food parcels issued to families with children eligible for free school meals and (b) the long-term effect of those parcels on levels of child hunger.

The continuing provision of free school meals to children from out of work families or those on low incomes is of the utmost importance to this government.

School leaders know their communities best and have flexibility to select the most appropriate support for their pupils.

The pictures of food parcels circulating are not acceptable and not in line with guidance. On 13 January 2021, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, met the leading school food suppliers and caterers to insist on urgent action to make sure lunch parcels meet the standards we expect. I’m grateful to those firms who are working hard with schools to provide nutritious, balanced lunches for children.

School catering contracts are agreed locally, and the department does not hold a contract with any provider to provide free school meals of lunch parcels to children. We have guidance in place allowing schools to decide the best approach for supporting free school meal pupils who are at home. This can be through lunch parcels, local vouchers or the national voucher scheme which was available from Monday 18 January 2021.

If a parent is concerned about the standards of their lunch parcel, they should speak directly with their school. If a parent cannot resolve their concern through their school, they can contact the Department. The Department will make contact with suppliers where concerns are escalated, to ensure they are following the good practice guidance we have set out. We will also alert the school to confirm appropriate contract management arrangements are in place, so that immediate improvements are made.

Schools and caterers have been provided with extensive guidance from the department and from LACA on what each food parcel should include. They should follow our school food standards to ensure they are healthy, nutritious and sufficient. They should:

  • contain food items rather than pre-prepared meals due to food safety considerations;
  • minimise the fridge and freezer space that schools and families will need to store foods
  • contain items which parents can use to prepare healthy lunches for their child/children across the week;
  • not rely on parents having additional ingredients at home to prepare meals;
  • not contain items restricted under the school food standards, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/standards-for-school-food-in-england;
  • cater for pupils who require special diets, for example, allergies, vegetarians or religious diets - schools should ensure there are systems in place to avoid cross-contamination;
  • and contain appropriate packaging sizes for household use, rather than wholesale sizes.

The government will continue to provide schools with their expected funding throughout this period. To recognise the additional cost of provision for pupils at home, schools will be able to claim additional funding:

  • up to £3.50 per eligible pupil, per week, where lunch parcels are being provided, to top up the £11.50 they already receive to provide lunches;
  • and up to £15 per eligible pupil, per week, where vouchers for local shops or supermarkets are being provided.

As was the case over Christmas, vulnerable children and families will continue to receive meals and other essentials over February half term via councils through the £170 million Covid Winter Grants Scheme launched last year. Local authorities understand which groups need support, and are best placed to ensure appropriate holiday support is provided – which is why the funding will be distributed by them, rather than schools, who will continue providing meals to disadvantaged children during term-time. Families who need support should speak to their local authority.

12th Jan 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the cost to the public purse is of outsourcing the preparation and delivery of food parcels to children eligible for free school meals.

The continuing provision of free school meals to children from out of work families or those on low incomes is of the utmost importance to this government.

School leaders know their communities best and have flexibility to select the most appropriate support for their pupils.

The pictures of food parcels circulating are not acceptable and not in line with guidance. On 13 January 2021, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, met the leading school food suppliers and caterers to insist on urgent action to make sure lunch parcels meet the standards we expect. I’m grateful to those firms who are working hard with schools to provide nutritious, balanced lunches for children.

School catering contracts are agreed locally, and the department does not hold a contract with any provider to provide free school meals of lunch parcels to children. We have guidance in place allowing schools to decide the best approach for supporting free school meal pupils who are at home. This can be through lunch parcels, local vouchers or the national voucher scheme which was available from Monday 18 January 2021.

If a parent is concerned about the standards of their lunch parcel, they should speak directly with their school. If a parent cannot resolve their concern through their school, they can contact the Department. The Department will make contact with suppliers where concerns are escalated, to ensure they are following the good practice guidance we have set out. We will also alert the school to confirm appropriate contract management arrangements are in place, so that immediate improvements are made.

Schools and caterers have been provided with extensive guidance from the department and from LACA on what each food parcel should include. They should follow our school food standards to ensure they are healthy, nutritious and sufficient. They should:

  • contain food items rather than pre-prepared meals due to food safety considerations;
  • minimise the fridge and freezer space that schools and families will need to store foods
  • contain items which parents can use to prepare healthy lunches for their child/children across the week;
  • not rely on parents having additional ingredients at home to prepare meals;
  • not contain items restricted under the school food standards, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/standards-for-school-food-in-england;
  • cater for pupils who require special diets, for example, allergies, vegetarians or religious diets - schools should ensure there are systems in place to avoid cross-contamination;
  • and contain appropriate packaging sizes for household use, rather than wholesale sizes.

The government will continue to provide schools with their expected funding throughout this period. To recognise the additional cost of provision for pupils at home, schools will be able to claim additional funding:

  • up to £3.50 per eligible pupil, per week, where lunch parcels are being provided, to top up the £11.50 they already receive to provide lunches;
  • and up to £15 per eligible pupil, per week, where vouchers for local shops or supermarkets are being provided.

As was the case over Christmas, vulnerable children and families will continue to receive meals and other essentials over February half term via councils through the £170 million Covid Winter Grants Scheme launched last year. Local authorities understand which groups need support, and are best placed to ensure appropriate holiday support is provided – which is why the funding will be distributed by them, rather than schools, who will continue providing meals to disadvantaged children during term-time. Families who need support should speak to their local authority.