Asked by: Will Stone (Labour - Swindon North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the 5.5% pay award for teachers in academized sixth forms to non-academized colleges.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Unlike 16-19 academies, sixth form colleges are part of the statutory further education (FE) sector.
The department does not set or recommend pay in FE providers, which have the freedom to make their own arrangements in line with their local circumstances.
We recognise the vital role that FE teachers and providers play in equipping learners with the opportunities and skills that they need to succeed in their education.
The October Budget set out the government’s commitment to skills, by providing an additional £300 million revenue funding for FE to ensure young people are developing the skills this country needs. The department will set out in due course how this funding will be distributed.
Asked by: Will Stone (Labour - Swindon North)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his Department's policies of trends in the number of greyhounds that have died at racetracks since 2023.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) has published data for injuries, retirements and euthanasia of greyhounds from GBGB affiliated tracks and trainers each year since 2018. This data is published online at https://www.gbgb.org.uk/welfare-care/injury-and-retirement-data/
The long-term trend for the total number of greyhounds that have died at racetracks has shown, with the exception of figures for 2023, a welcome decline. Defra will continue to monitor figures published by GBGB in the coming years to see whether any new trends are identifiable.
Asked by: Will Stone (Labour - Swindon North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of dropping the salary requirement for people on visas employed by the Government.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Home Secretary confirmed on 30 July that we will be retaining the salary threshold increase brought in by the previous government. Further details can be found in her Written Ministerial Statement here: Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament.
Asked by: Will Stone (Labour - Swindon North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress her Department has made on the potential opening of public direct travel between Swindon and Oxford using the current freight track.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
In September, Great Western Railway began a trial of direct services between Bristol, Bath, Swindon and Oxford. This trial is on Saturdays only with two direct services in each direction. It will run until May 2025, to understand levels of passenger demand for this service.
No decisions have yet been made on whether this service will continue beyond then and any expansion of the service would require additional rolling stock which is currently unidentified and unfunded.
Asked by: Will Stone (Labour - Swindon North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her timeline is for implementation of (a) the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 and (b) other government initiatives to tackle leasehold issues.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer my Hon Friend to the answer I gave to Question UIN 8491 on 18 October 2024.
Asked by: Will Stone (Labour - Swindon North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing spouses of people sent on British diplomatic missions to continue working if (a) they work for a Government organisation and (b) their security needs are met.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The FCDO supports the principle of spouses, partners or dependents overseas taking up employment outside the Mission, in accordance with the law of the receiving State. Where local laws or regulations impose restrictions on such employment, we encourage Posts to make representations to the receiving State to try to assist the efforts of accompanying family members to seek outside employment, ideally through a formal bilateral arrangement (where no formal arrangement is already in place) but also on a case-by-case basis.
Asked by: Will Stone (Labour - Swindon North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to (a) improve access to and (b) increase involvement in sports in deprived areas.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is committed to improving access to sports and physical activity for everybody, wherever they live. Sport and physical activity is central to achieving our health and opportunity manifesto missions, with the biggest gains coming from supporting those who are inactive to move more. Everyone, no matter who they are or where they are in the country, should have access to the best possible sports provision, facilities and opportunities to get active.
The Government provides the majority of funding for grassroots sport through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, which invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding each year. Sport England programmes target the greatest resource to areas with highest inactivity levels and greatest need.
The Government has also committed to continued funding for grassroots facilities which will help ensure that everyone no matter their age, background or ability, should be able to play sport and be active.
Asked by: Will Stone (Labour - Swindon North)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his planned timetable is for the introduction of legislation to ban imports of hunting trophies.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government committed to banning the import of hunting trophies in its Manifesto. We intend to deliver on this and are currently considering the most effective way to do so.