Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support children who do not meet the criteria for Specialist Provision Packages but require direct and ongoing support.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for South West Norfolk, to the answer of 2 September to Question 8865.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what safeguards will be put in place to ensure children and young people who lose their EHCP under the transition to the new system are still provided with specialist provision.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Under the department’s proposals, a triple lock of transitional protections will mean no child loses effective support already in place.
Every child with a special school place in September 2029 will be able to stay in a special school until they finish education. Transition will only begin in 2029 once the new inclusive mainstream system has been built, and no child or young person with a current education, health and care (EHC) plan will transition until 2030. Children and young people who transition out of their EHC plan will have an Individual Support Plan in place ahead of their plan ceasing, developed in partnership with their families.
Over the next three years, we are investing to make our mainstream system more inclusive. For example, we are providing funding for every school to deliver a strong inclusive universal offer for every child and investing £1.8 billion in our new Experts at Hand offer, providing targeted health and expert education interventions from professionals such as speech and language therapists or educational psychologists so that more children and young people will get specialist support than they can currently. Experts at Hand will be developed by local area partnerships tailored to local needs and integrated with other local services.
The department will consider feedback from the consultation exercise carefully before making any final decisions on this policy.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of Welsh ALN reforms; and what steps she is taking to ensure that requirements for schools and settings to produce Individual Support Plans does not discourage the identification and support of children and young people with SEND.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
I recently met senior officials from jurisdictions that have implemented special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reforms to learn lessons and share best practice. This included senior officials from Wales, who talked about their Additional Learning Needs reforms.
We will continue to work with the devolved governments as we progress the proposals set out in the SEND consultation document, as well as preparations for future legislation, to ensure that legislative impacts are fully understood and addressed. Under our proposals we will introduce clearer statutory expectations on schools to identify and meet needs as early as possible, monitor progress closely and put timely support in place.
To underpin this, we are developing the National Inclusion Standards through an independent expert panel, providing practical, evidence-informed tools for identifying and supporting diverse needs. We would also place a duty on settings to produce an Individual Support Plan for any child or young person receiving targeted, targeted plus or specialist support. The introduction of Individual Support Plans will help to ensure children and young people with SEND receive the right provision, supported by earlier identification.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department will fast track military pension cases from veterans who have not yet received their military pension.
Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to issuing all Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) members with their entitlement as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Members with a pension already in payment who are in scope for 2015 Remedy and awaiting their Remedial Service Statement (RSS) continue to receive their current benefits. On receipt of their RSS, should the member then choose the alternative benefits, any payments due will be backdated with interest to ensure the member receives the full value owed.
The processing of divorce cases affected by the 2015 Remedy is already underway. Alongside the direction received, additional operational guidance, tools and calculations have been developed to best enable accurate and efficient implementation, with further clarification obtained on the technical guidance where required.
Regular progress updates continue to be published in the AFPS Quarterly Digest and at the following link on the gov.uk website:
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made on the implementation of the Pension Sharing Orders.
Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to issuing all Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) members with their entitlement as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Members with a pension already in payment who are in scope for 2015 Remedy and awaiting their Remedial Service Statement (RSS) continue to receive their current benefits. On receipt of their RSS, should the member then choose the alternative benefits, any payments due will be backdated with interest to ensure the member receives the full value owed.
The processing of divorce cases affected by the 2015 Remedy is already underway. Alongside the direction received, additional operational guidance, tools and calculations have been developed to best enable accurate and efficient implementation, with further clarification obtained on the technical guidance where required.
Regular progress updates continue to be published in the AFPS Quarterly Digest and at the following link on the gov.uk website:
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to address (a) regional differences in out-of-hours provision of and (b) other regional differences in access to thrombectomy services for stroke patients.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England’s National Stroke Service Model and the National Service Model for an Integrated Community Stroke Service aim to reduce inequalities by standardising care, enhancing access to acute treatments, and providing comprehensive community rehabilitation.
The National Health Service is also working to increase the delivery of 24/7 thrombectomy and increase thrombolysis and thrombectomy rates as a key intervention to support improved patient outcomes.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps Department is taking to support people (a) at risk of stroke and (b) who have recently suffered strokes.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will develop new Cardiovascular Modern Service Framework which will prioritise ambitious, evidence-led, consistent, high quality, and clinically informed approaches to prevention, treatment, and care.
The National Stroke Service Model provides best practice for stroke care, including post-discharge, which should include comprehensive rehabilitation and personalised care and support. The National Stroke Quality Improvement in Rehabilitation programme is helping to transform community-based care by increasing access to specialist stroke rehabilitation at home.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of progress towards delivering universal 24/7 access to thrombectomy services for stroke patients in England.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
Progress towards 24/7 access to thrombectomy services continues to be made. To achieve full coverage, thrombectomy centres have received funding aligned with individual provider readiness and implementation plans to deliver extended hours and 24/7 provision.
The Government is committed to achieving a 25% reduction in premature mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke across England. To accelerate progress and tackle variation across the country, a new CVD Modern Service Framework will be published in 2026. This framework will support improvement, reduce inequalities, and foster innovation where it is needed most.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how his Department plans to include (a) thrombectomy and (b) stroke rehabilitation in the Modern Service Framework for cardiovascular disease.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
Progress towards 24/7 access to thrombectomy services continues to be made. To achieve full coverage, thrombectomy centres have received funding aligned with individual provider readiness and implementation plans to deliver extended hours and 24/7 provision.
The Government is committed to achieving a 25% reduction in premature mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke across England. To accelerate progress and tackle variation across the country, a new CVD Modern Service Framework will be published in 2026. This framework will support improvement, reduce inequalities, and foster innovation where it is needed most.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what contingency plans are in place if the target for 24/7 thrombectomy access is not achieved on schedule.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
Progress towards 24/7 access to thrombectomy services continues to be made. To achieve full coverage, thrombectomy centres have received funding aligned with individual provider readiness and implementation plans to deliver extended hours and 24/7 provision.
The Government is committed to achieving a 25% reduction in premature mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke across England. To accelerate progress and tackle variation across the country, a new CVD Modern Service Framework will be published in 2026. This framework will support improvement, reduce inequalities, and foster innovation where it is needed most.