Information between 4th April 2024 - 14th April 2024
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Select Committee Documents |
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Friday 12th April 2024
Report - Sixth Report - Trusted voices Culture, Media and Sport Committee Found: Ofcom saw a similar pattern among older children aged 12–17: 74% were confident they could identify |
Friday 12th April 2024
Report - Sixth Report - Trusted voices Culture, Media and Sport Sub-committee on Online Harms and Disinformation Committee Found: Ofcom saw a similar pattern among older children aged 12–17: 74% were confident they could identify |
Wednesday 10th April 2024
Report - Fifth Report - Creator remuneration Culture, Media and Sport Committee Found: musical career as a way for me to survive, to eat, to pay school fees or to put food on the table for my children |
Tuesday 9th April 2024
Written Evidence - Creating Food Meteorites Ltd FDO0005 - Food, Diet and Obesity Food, Diet and Obesity - Food, Diet and Obesity Committee Found: A Yorkshire food system constituting regenerative and equitable healthy eating for young children |
Tuesday 9th April 2024
Written Evidence - Veg Power FDO0004 - Food, Diet and Obesity Food, Diet and Obesity - Food, Diet and Obesity Committee Found: A contributing factor to these low veg consumption figures in children is that parents are really |
Tuesday 9th April 2024
Written Evidence - Porter Nutrition FDO0003 - Food, Diet and Obesity Food, Diet and Obesity - Food, Diet and Obesity Committee Found: Submission: It is my belief that, in order to prevent obesity, we must start before children are |
Tuesday 9th April 2024
Written Evidence - JUSTICE CJB0010 - Criminal Justice Bill 2023 Human Rights (Joint Committee) Found: Orders, such as CPNs, are more likely to draw children into the criminal justice system and risk |
Monday 8th April 2024
Government Response - Government’s response to the Committee’s letter of 26 January 2024 to the Home Secretary about the use of Live Facial Recognition (LFR) Technology by police forces in England and Wales. Justice and Home Affairs Committee Found: Further information In relation to children, see Detection and custody APP. |
Thursday 4th April 2024
Written Evidence - IPSEA (Independent Provider of Special Education Advice) VMLA0005 - Value for Money from Legal Aid Public Accounts Committee Found: was established in 1983 and currently advises more than 4,000 young people and parents/carers of children |
Thursday 4th April 2024
Written Evidence - University of Sussex VMLA0009 - Value for Money from Legal Aid Public Accounts Committee Found: caseworker’s DBS certificate was at home and not in the office, and she was representing unaccompanied children |
Thursday 4th April 2024
Written Evidence - Anti Trafficking and Labour Exploitation Unit (ATLEU) VMLA0012 - Value for Money from Legal Aid Public Accounts Committee Found: survivors of trafficking and slavery - 98% of whom were refugees or migrants, 67% female; and 12% children |
Thursday 4th April 2024
Written Evidence - The Legal Services Board (LSB) VMLA0016 - Value for Money from Legal Aid Public Accounts Committee Found: Welfare benefits issues 26% 53% Issues relating to relationship breakdown (e.g. division of assets, children |
Thursday 4th April 2024
Written Evidence - Family Mediation Council VMLA0008 - Value for Money from Legal Aid Public Accounts Committee Found: This ensures the best outcomes for children of separating parents. |
Thursday 4th April 2024
Written Evidence - CILEX VMLA0006 - Value for Money from Legal Aid Public Accounts Committee Found: reform in order to maintain access to justice for parties to proceedings and third parties (such as children |
Thursday 4th April 2024
Written Evidence - Wilson Solicitors LLP VMLA0011 - Value for Money from Legal Aid Public Accounts Committee Found: One of our senior family lawyers sums it up……… Children Act proceedings are complex proceedings where |
Thursday 4th April 2024
Written Evidence - Immigration Law Practitioners' Association (ILPA) VMLA0003 - Value for Money from Legal Aid Public Accounts Committee Found: social services departments have paid the firm private fees for legal services in relation to children |
Thursday 4th April 2024
Written Evidence - Law Centres Network VMLA0015 - Value for Money from Legal Aid Public Accounts Committee Found: and three British children with her British husband. |
Thursday 4th April 2024
Written Evidence - Child Poverty Action Group VMLA0013 - Value for Money from Legal Aid Public Accounts Committee Found: Introduction 1.CPAG is a charity that works on behalf of the more than one in four children in the |
Written Answers |
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Church Schools: Hendon
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon) Friday 12th April 2024 Question To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, whether he has made an assessment of the contribution of church schools in Hendon constituency. Answered by Andrew Selous - Second Church Estates Commissioner Though the National Church Institutions are not responsible for the operation of individual schools, the Diocese of London has volunteered the following information, which I hope is useful. There are two Church of England schools in the Hendon Constituency. St Mary’s and St John’s educates more than 1,600 pupils. One quarter are on free school meals, which is higher than the Local Authority average. Pupils are making above-average progress at an 8-level attainment of 0.39 compared with the national average of -0.03. St Paul’s School Mill Hill educates 210 pupils. One fifth of pupils are in receipt of Free School Meals, in line with the Local Authority average. Pupils attainment is above-average; 84% attained the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths last summer compared to the national average of 60%. I commend the teachers and leadership teams in both schools for these achievements. The Church of England educates over one million children in its 4,700 schools across England. Church Schools are committed to the flourishing of children and deliver a rounded education that remains in high demand with parents. They serve all those in the community, whatever their faith or belief. |
Asylum: Rwanda
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer) Thursday 11th April 2024 Question to the Home Office: To ask His Majesty's Government what conditions exist in Rwanda that have led them to conclude that appropriate and professional age assessments will be capable of being carried out on people sent there for immigration purposes where special requirements apply in respect of an uncertainty over an individual’s age. Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office) Our age assessment policies for immigration purposes seek to protect genuine children and identify those who are adults. The UK-Rwanda Treaty makes clear at Article 3 that the agreement reached between the governments of Rwanda and the UK does not cover unaccompanied children and that the UK Government shall not seek to relocate unaccompanied children under the age of 18. It is therefore only those individuals who are confirmed to be, or have been assessed to be, adults who will be removed to Rwanda.
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Carers: Young People
Asked by: Lord Young of Cookham (Conservative - Life peer) Wednesday 10th April 2024 Question to the Department for Education: To ask His Majesty's Government, following statistics published on 21 March showing that the percentage of young carers who missed at least ten per cent of school is almost twice as high as that for pupils without caring responsibilities, what steps they are taking to improve the (1) identification of, and (2) support for, young carers in schools. Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education) Young carers make an enormous contribution by caring for their loved ones. The department wants to ensure young carers are supported in their education and can take advantage of opportunities beyond their caring responsibilities. The department introduced The Young Carers (Needs Assessments) Regulations in 2015. This is an assessment of needs, conducted by the local authority which must consider whether it is appropriate or excessive for the child or young person to provide care for the person in question, in light of the young carer’s needs and wishes. It also helps to determine whether the care which the young carer provides, or intends to provide, impacts on the young carer’s well-being, education and development. The department added young carers to the annual school census in 2023 for the first time and identified 38,983 young carers, raising their visibility in the school system and allowing schools to better identify and support their young carers. This is providing the department with strong evidence on both the numbers of young carers and their educational outcomes. This also provides an annual data collection to establish long-term trends. As this is a new data collection, the department expects the quality of the data returns to improve over time as the collection becomes established. All schools (except nursery schools) must send this information as part of the spring school census. However, the recording and handling of the information is at the school’s discretion. 79% of schools recorded no young carers in 2023. The department recognises that absence is often a symptom of other problems. The department has a comprehensive support-first strategy to improve attendance, which includes:
The department is also building a system of family help by reforming children’s social care. The £45 million Families First for Children Pathfinder programme is testing how multi-disciplinary family help teams can improve the support that children, families and young carers receive.
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Mental Health: Boys
Asked by: Lord Farmer (Conservative - Life peer) Wednesday 10th April 2024 Question to the Department of Health and Social Care: To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to help the mental health of boys who were impacted by the lockdown restrictions. Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care) We want to ensure that all children and young people get the mental health support they need, including boys. By the end of 2023/24 the overall spending on mental health has increased by more than £4.7 billion in cash terms since 2018/19 (before the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions were introduced). There are now around 400 mental health support teams in place across England, covering 3.4 million children or around 35% of pupils in schools and colleges. We estimate this will increase to 44% by April 2024 and we are working to increase this coverage to 50% of pupils by March 2025. There are also currently around 65 locally funded early support hubs in England. These hubs are open to those aged 11 to 25 years old and, importantly, they are for anyone who may not meet the threshold to receive National Health Service support. Following a competitive commercial process from hubs across the country, the government is now providing up to £8 million to 24 existing hubs to provide even more support. This means children and young people, including boys, who are experiencing feelings of anxiety or stress will have a physical space to go to in their community when their problems first emerge, without the need for a referral. |
Malawi: Droughts
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer) Wednesday 10th April 2024 Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports from UNICEF that the 2023–24 El Niño phenomenon has led to the president of Malawi declaring a state of disaster in 23 out of the 28 districts in the country. Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) We share UNICEF's assessment that the El Nino phenomenon has contributed to failed rains across Southern Africa, resulting in serious drought in both Zambia and Malawi, which in turn will have a serious impact on children and the most vulnerable. We welcome the swift actions of Presidents Hichilema (Zambia) and Chakwera (Malawi) in declaring a state of national disaster and emergency across Zambia and within 23 out of 28 districts in Malawi. In Zambia, the UK is committing to the rapid expansion of the Social Cash Transfer scheme to reduce food insecurity for an additional 6 million people and pivoting our existing nutrition programmes to expand access to treatment. We deployed a UK Humanitarian Stabilisation Operations Team to support the Government of Zambia's drought response coordination. In Malawi, the UK has contributed to the Government's investment into disaster risk financing instruments which will provide an immediate response when triggered. The Malawian Government is currently preparing its own El Nino Response Plan which will outline further international assistance requirements. The UK will continue to monitor the situation closely. |
Zambia: Droughts
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer) Wednesday 10th April 2024 Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports from UNICEF that the 2023–24 El Niño phenomenon has led to the declaration of a national emergency in Zambia. Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) We share UNICEF's assessment that the El Nino phenomenon has contributed to failed rains across Southern Africa, resulting in serious drought in both Zambia and Malawi, which in turn will have a serious impact on children and the most vulnerable. We welcome the swift actions of Presidents Hichilema (Zambia) and Chakwera (Malawi) in declaring a state of national disaster and emergency across Zambia and within 23 out of 28 districts in Malawi. In Zambia, the UK is committing to the rapid expansion of the Social Cash Transfer scheme to reduce food insecurity for an additional 6 million people and pivoting our existing nutrition programmes to expand access to treatment. We deployed a UK Humanitarian Stabilisation Operations Team to support the Government of Zambia's drought response coordination. In Malawi, the UK has contributed to the Government's investment into disaster risk financing instruments which will provide an immediate response when triggered. The Malawian Government is currently preparing its own El Nino Response Plan which will outline further international assistance requirements. The UK will continue to monitor the situation closely. |
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Health Services
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer) Tuesday 9th April 2024 Question to the Department of Health and Social Care: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which the 2021 NICE guidance for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) has been implemented (1) in general, and (2) in relation to the training health and social care professionals on how to employ the new recommendations, (a) establishing a UK-wide network of hospital-based ME/CFS specialist services, (b) making all NHS services accessible and capable of providing personalised ongoing care and support to those with ME/CFS, and (c) ensuring social care provision for ME/CFS is monitored and regularly reviewed. Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care) No formal assessment has been made of the extent to which the 2021 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance for myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), has been implemented. NHS England does not centrally commission services for ME. Services to support people living with ME are commissioned by integrated care boards (ICBs) to meet the needs of their local population, and are not reviewed or assessed by NHS England centrally. In October 2023, the British Association of Clinicians in ME published their ME/CFS National Services Survey 2023. This survey provides insight on the services being delivered for adults, and children and young people, living with ME. A copy of the survey is attached. In relation to the training of health and social care professionals, it is the duty of clinicians to keep themselves appraised of best practice, in particular guidance issued by the NICE. The Department is working with NHS England to develop an e-learning course on ME for healthcare professionals, with the aim of supporting staff to be able to provide better care and improve patient outcomes. This has involved feedback and input from the ME Research Collaborative (MERC) Patient Advisory Group. The Medical Schools Council will promote the NHS England e-learning package on ME to all United Kingdom medical schools, and encourage medical schools to provide undergraduates with direct patient experience of ME. The Department published My full reality: an interim delivery plan for ME/CFS in August 2023, which sets out a number of actions to improve the experiences and outcomes for people living with the condition, including better education of professionals and improvements to service provision. More information about the interim plan is available on the GOV.UK website, in an online only format. Alongside the publication of the interim delivery plan, we ran a public consultation to build a picture of how well the plan meets the needs of the ME community, and to understand if there are any gaps where further action may be necessary. The Department is currently analysing over 3,000 responses to the consultation on the interim delivery plan on ME, and will publish a final delivery plan later this year. In relation to the monitoring of social care provision for individuals with ME, the Department has made a landmark shift in how we hold local authorities to account for their adult social care duties, through a new Care Quality Commission (CQC) assessment. The CQC will examine how well local authorities deliver their Care Act duties, increasing transparency and accountability and, most importantly, driving improved outcomes for people, including those with ME, who draw on care and support. The CQC completed five pilot assessments and is now rolling out assessment to all local authorities. |
Gender Dysphoria: Children and Young People
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer) Tuesday 9th April 2024 Question to the Department of Health and Social Care: To ask His Majesty's Government why NHS England has decided to allow the prescription of gender affirming hormones as a routine commissioning treatment option for young people from around their 16th birthday after only a literature review and without consulting medical and other specialists, or taking note other countries’ experience of such hormones. Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care) NHS England has not adopted a new policy for gender-affirming hormones since 2016. NHS England made a consequential amendment to their gender-affirming hormones policy to bring it into alignment with the new puberty suppressing hormones policy. This planned update was set out in the puberty suppressing hormones policy consultation documents. NHS England has put additional safeguards on the use of cross-sex hormones, including that any prescription to young people aged between 16 to 18 must be approved by a national multi-disciplinary team. NHS England will continue to review the gender affirming hormone policy in line with the latest clinical advice and take note of recommendations set out once the Cass Review has delivered its final report. |
Gender Dysphoria: Children
Asked by: Royston Smith (Conservative - Southampton, Itchen) Tuesday 9th April 2024 Question to the Department of Health and Social Care: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many children of which biological sex were prescribed puberty blockers in each year since 2010. Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women) Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists or ‘puberty blockers’ are used to treat several medical conditions in children and young people. These include precocious puberty, some forms of cancer, endometriosis and gender dysphoria. Information on biological sex is not held in the format requested. |
Gender Dysphoria: Children and Young People
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer) Tuesday 9th April 2024 Question to the Department of Health and Social Care: To ask His Majesty's Government why the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence 2020 evidence review of gender-affirming hormones for children and adolescents with gender dysphoria was not referenced in the list of resources which informed NHS England’s decision on the prescription of gender-affirming hormones for children and adolescents. Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care) NHS England has not adopted a new policy for gender-affirming hormones. NHS England made a consequential amendment to their gender-affirming hormones policy to bring it into alignment with the new puberty suppressing hormones policy. This planned update was set out in the puberty suppressing hormones policy consultation documents. NHS England has put additional safeguards on the use of cross-sex hormones, for instance that any prescription to young people aged between 16 and 18 years old must be approved by a national multi-disciplinary team. NHS England will continue to review the gender affirming hormone policy in line with the latest clinical advice, and will take note of recommendations set out in the Cass Review, once the final report has been delivered. |
Poverty: Children
Asked by: Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon (Labour - Life peer) Monday 8th April 2024 Question to the Department for Work and Pensions: To ask His Majesty's Government, following the child poverty statistics published on 21 March, what plans they have to initiate a cross-government strategy to address child poverty. Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions) The Department for Work and Pensions already works consistently across Government to support the most vulnerable households. This includes a cross-government senior officials’ group on poverty. |
Students: Visual Impairment
Asked by: Lord Holmes of Richmond (Conservative - Life peer) Monday 8th April 2024 Question to the Department for Education: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the educational attainment gap for blind and visually impaired students at (1) Key Stage 2, (2) GCSE, and (3) A Level; by what date, if any, they aim to eradicate that gap; and what additional research have they undertaken, or do they intend to undertake, to support work in this area. Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education) Data is collected on pupils receiving either special educational needs support or have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan and their primary category of need. The links below provide the attainment of pupils assessed as having a primary need of ‘visual impairment’ and how this compares to other pupils:
The department wants all children and young people to be able to reach their full potential and to receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department is creating a new single national special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and alternative provision system for how needs are identified and met across EHC. This new single national system will set standards on what support should be made available in mainstream settings, including for children with visual impairments. The department is committed to ensuring a steady supply of teachers of children with sensory impairments in both specialist and mainstream settings. To teach a class of pupils with sensory impairments, a teacher is required to hold the relevant mandatory qualification (MQSI). There are currently six providers of the MQSI, with a seventh available from September 2024. In addition, the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education is developing a new occupational standard for teachers of sensory impairment, which is expected to launch in 2025. The national curriculum tests are designed and modified to ensure they are accessible to visually impaired pupils. Access arrangements can be agreed with exam boards before an assessment for candidates with specific needs, including SEND, to help them access assessments to show what they know and can do without changing the demands of the assessment. The intention behind an access arrangement is to meet the needs of an individual candidate without affecting the integrity of the assessment. Children and young people with SEND have more access to assistive technology (AT) following investment in remote education and accessibility features which can reduce or remove barriers to learning. Following the promising results of a pilot training programme in 2022 to increase mainstream school staff confidence using assistive technology, the government extended training to capture more detailed data on the impact on teachers and learners. The independent evaluation will be published in May 2024. The department is also now researching the AT skills required by staff at special schools, including those working with blind and visually impaired students. |
Financial Services: Education
Asked by: Lord Cruddas (Conservative - Life peer) Monday 8th April 2024 Question to the Department for Education: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Barran on 19 February (HL2185), what steps they are taking to ensure financial literacy education is actually reaching the most disadvantaged students. Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education) It is crucial that all pupils are equipped with the knowledge and tools to manage their finances well in later life. That is why financial education is embedded in the national curriculum for mathematics at key stages 1 to 4, and in citizenship at key stages 3 and 4. The national curriculum is compulsory for maintained schools, but all schools are measured by Ofsted on having a broad and balanced curriculum which is comparable to the national curriculum. As with other aspects of the curriculum, schools can choose how to teach financial education and they can tailor what they teach to make sure all pupils are taught what they need to know. The Levelling Up White Paper identified 55 Education Investment Areas where the department will implement a package of measures to drive school improvement and accelerate progress towards the department’s 2030 ambition that 90% of pupils meet the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of primary school and that the average mathematics and English GCSE grade increases to a 5. There is a range of financial education support for schools. For example, Oak National Academy, an Arm’s Length Body, has published its initial mathematics resources, with the full curriculum available by this autumn. As part of this, Oak is exploring including additional lessons in real life mathematics. Secondary citizenship resources will become available from autumn 2024 and will be complete by autumn 2025. The Money and Pensions Service has published guidance for schools and there is specialist support for fraud and tax education from the Home Office and HMRC respectively. The department also works closely with the Money and Pensions Service which exists to help people make the most of their money and pensions, particularly those most in need and those most vulnerable to financial insecurity. The Money and Pensions Service has invested £1.1 million in financial education programmes to support children and young people in vulnerable circumstances and has published guidance to help children and young people's services to embed financial wellbeing into the services they offer. |
Childcare: Shortages
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer) Monday 8th April 2024 Question to the Department for Education: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the percentage of areas where there is a shortage of childcare facilities and providers to provide their commitment of free childcare hours. Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education) There were 15,100 more childcare places in 2023 than the previous year, with 12,900 paid staff added to the same period according to the department’s latest Childcare and early years provider survey (2023). To support providers to expand their provision further, the department is investing over £400 million of additional funding to uplift the hourly rate for the entitlements next year. This investment consists of £67 million in new funding to reflect the latest National Living Wage increase, an additional £57 million to support providers in respect of teachers’ pay and pensions, and the £288 million for the existing entitlements in 2024/25 announced in the Spring Budget in March 2023. It also builds on the £204 million of additional investment to increase funding rates this year. To further support the sector delivering the expansion of childcare support, the government is confirming that the hourly rate providers are paid to deliver the free hours offers will increase in line with the metric used at Spring Budget 2023 for the next two years. This reflects that workforce costs are the most significant costs for childcare providers and represents an estimated additional £500 million of investment over two years. Additionally, hundreds of thousands of children aged 3 and 4 are registered for a 30-hour place, saving eligible working parents up to £6,900 per child per year, helping even more working parents and making a real difference to the lives of those families. Local authorities are responsible for ensuring that the provision of childcare is sufficient to meet the requirements of parents in their area. The department has regular contact with each local authority in England about their sufficiency of childcare, including supporting them through our childcare delivery support contract where appropriate. The government has allocated £100 million in capital funding to local authorities to support the expansion of childcare places and the supply of wraparound care. The funding is anticipated to deliver thousands of new places across the country. On top of the department’s funding reforms, it is also providing significant support for local authorities to deliver the early years expansion from April, such as:
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Childcare
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer) Monday 8th April 2024 Question to the Department for Education: To ask His Majesty's Government what additional support they are providing to enable local authorities and childcare providers to meet demand arising from their commitment to provide free childcare hours. Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education) There were 15,100 more childcare places in 2023 than the previous year, with 12,900 paid staff added to the same period according to the department’s latest Childcare and early years provider survey (2023). To support providers to expand their provision further, the department is investing over £400 million of additional funding to uplift the hourly rate for the entitlements next year. This investment consists of £67 million in new funding to reflect the latest National Living Wage increase, an additional £57 million to support providers in respect of teachers’ pay and pensions, and the £288 million for the existing entitlements in 2024/25 announced in the Spring Budget in March 2023. It also builds on the £204 million of additional investment to increase funding rates this year. To further support the sector delivering the expansion of childcare support, the government is confirming that the hourly rate providers are paid to deliver the free hours offers will increase in line with the metric used at Spring Budget 2023 for the next two years. This reflects that workforce costs are the most significant costs for childcare providers and represents an estimated additional £500 million of investment over two years. Additionally, hundreds of thousands of children aged 3 and 4 are registered for a 30-hour place, saving eligible working parents up to £6,900 per child per year, helping even more working parents and making a real difference to the lives of those families. Local authorities are responsible for ensuring that the provision of childcare is sufficient to meet the requirements of parents in their area. The department has regular contact with each local authority in England about their sufficiency of childcare, including supporting them through our childcare delivery support contract where appropriate. The government has allocated £100 million in capital funding to local authorities to support the expansion of childcare places and the supply of wraparound care. The funding is anticipated to deliver thousands of new places across the country. On top of the department’s funding reforms, it is also providing significant support for local authorities to deliver the early years expansion from April, such as:
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Breakfast Clubs
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer) Monday 8th April 2024 Question to the Department for Education: To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of (1) primary, and (2) secondary, schools currently provide breakfast clubs. Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education) The government is committed to continuing support for breakfast clubs in England in schools in disadvantaged areas. Up to £40 million is being invested to continue the department’s national programme until July 2025. This funding will support up to 2,700 schools in disadvantaged areas in England, meaning thousands of children from low income families will be offered free nutritious breakfasts to better support their attainment, wellbeing and readiness to learn. Schools are eligible for the programme if they have 40% or more pupils from deprived households, as measured by the Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index. The department does not currently hold recent data on the percentage of schools that provide breakfast clubs. As of November 2022, over 2,100 schools signed up to the programme, of which 65% were primary and 23% secondary. The recruitment process is still underway for schools that wish to sign up. In March 2023, 2,500 schools had signed up to the programme and the department will work with its supplier, Family Action, to monitor and publish updated data in due course. The government is very supportive of school breakfasts and the contribution these can make to children’s wellbeing and learning. Alongside our national programme, there are a number of organisations such as Magic Breakfast, Kellogg’s and Greggs providing valuable support to schools with a breakfast provision.
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Childcare
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer) Monday 8th April 2024 Question to the Department for Education: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the percentage of eligible families who will be able to take advantage of free childcare care hours committed by April. Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education) In the 2023 Spring Budget, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced that free childcare would be extended to children of eligible working parents in England from nine months old to support increased parental engagement in the labour market. The proportion of eligible parents who will take up the new entitlement is provisionally estimated to be around 75% for those with children aged two, around 60% for those with children aged one and around 35% for those with children under the age of one. These estimates are detailed in a policy costing information note, which was published in July 2023. The information note can be found in the attachment. Data on actual take up of the entitlement for children aged two from April 2024 will be collected via the early years census in January 2025, and published in June or July 2025. |
Poverty: Children
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer) Monday 8th April 2024 Question to the Department for Work and Pensions: To ask His Majesty's Government, following the release of data showing that the number of children living in absolute poverty has risen by the highest rate in 30 years, what steps they are taking to address the increase in child poverty rates. Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions) These statistics cover 2022/23, a year when war in Ukraine and global supply chain challenges led to unexpected and high rates on inflation, averaging 10% over the year. These factors are reflected in the statistics. In response to these pressures, the Government provided an unprecedented cost of living support package which helped to shield households from the impact of inflation. Analysis shows that the Government’s cost of living support prevented 1.3 million people from falling into absolute poverty after housing costs in 2022/23. That includes 300,000 children, 600,000 working-age adults and 400,000 pensioners.
Since the period covered by these statistics, the Government has taken firm action to support families on the lowest incomes. The Government has spent around £276bn through the welfare system in 2023/24, including around £125bn on people of working age and children. We took action to support those on the lowest incomes by uprating benefits and State Pensions by 10.1% from April 2023. We are continuing to support people in 2024/25 by uprating working age benefits by 6.7% and raising the Local Housing Allowance rates to the 30th percentile of local market rents, benefiting 1.6 million low-income households.
With over 900,000 vacancies across the UK, our focus remains firmly on supporting parents to move into and progress in work, an approach which is based on clear evidence about the importance of parental employment - particularly where it is full-time - in substantially reducing the risk of child poverty. The latest statistics show that in 2022/23, children living in workless households were over 6 times more likely to be in absolute poverty (after housing costs) than those where all adults work. |
Sudan: Armed Conflict
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary) Monday 8th April 2024 Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: To ask His Majesty's Government what explanation they have received from the Sudanese authorities for an air strike on a school in South Kordofan state on 14 March, which resulted in the deaths of 11 children and two teachers and multiple injuries. Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) Our senior diplomats have used meetings with senior decision-makers in the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and other groups to raise concerns about credible reports of human rights violations. The UK continues to urge the warring parties to agree to a ceasefire, engage in a meaningful peace process, and grant immediate humanitarian access. The UK is also funding open-source investigation experts to use satellite imagery and social media to verify and preserve information relating to attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure. It is essential that those responsible for human rights violations and abuses are held to account. |
Secondary Legislation |
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Court and Tribunal Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2024 This Order amends the Enrolment of Deeds (Fees) Regulations 1994 (S.I. 1994/601), the Non-Contentious Probate Fees Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/3120), the Court of Protection Fees Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/1745), the Magistrates’ Courts Fees Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/1052), the Civil Proceedings Fees Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/1053), the Family Proceedings Fees Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/1054), the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) Fees Order 2009 (S.I. 2009/1114), the First-tier Tribunal (Gambling) Fees Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/42), the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) (Judicial Review) (England and Wales) Fees Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/2344) and the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Fees Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/1179). Ministry of Justice Parliamentary Status - Text of Legislation - Made negative Laid: Wednesday 10th April - In Force: 1 May 2024 Found: (guardians)) (123)£232£2552.1(d) (on an application for an order under section 10(1) or (2) of the Children |
Bill Documents |
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Apr. 15 2024
Notices of Amendments as at 15 April 2024 Criminal Justice Bill 2023-24 Amendment Paper Found: (1) After section 2 (parental responsibility for children) of the Children Act 1989, insert— |
Apr. 15 2024
Notices of Amendments as at 15 April 2024 Renters (Reform) Bill 2022-23 Amendment Paper Found: To move the following Clause— “Ending blanket bans on renting to families with children or |
Apr. 12 2024
HL Bill 44 Running list of amendments Media Bill 2023-24 Amendment Paper Found: educative value (a) distinguishing between programmes that reflect the lives and concerns of children |
Apr. 12 2024
HL Bill 57-I Marshalled list for Report Victims and Prisoners Bill 2022-23 Amendment Paper Found: Clause 11 LORD BELLAMY 54_ Clause 11, page 9, line 23, leave out “children or individuals” and |
Apr. 11 2024
HL Bill 30-IV Fourth marshalled list for Grand Committee Data Protection and Digital Information Bill 2022-23 Amendment Paper Found: interest regarding whether the largest online services - including services most used by children |
Apr. 11 2024
HL Bill 57(g) Amendments for Report Victims and Prisoners Bill 2022-23 Amendment Paper Found: parent as grounds for requiring a Crown Court to make a prohibited steps order protecting the children |
Apr. 10 2024
Research Briefing on the Bill Tobacco and Vapes Bill 2023-24 Briefing papers Found: Reduc ing the appeal and availability of vapes to children It is already an offence to sell nicotine |
Apr. 09 2024
HL Bill 57(e) Amendments for Report Victims and Prisoners Bill 2022-23 Amendment Paper Found: Clause 11 LORD BELLAMY _ Clause 11, page 9, line 23, leave out “children or individuals” and |
Department Publications - Transparency |
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Friday 12th April 2024
Home Office Source Page: Non-technical summaries granted in 2024 Document: Non-technical summaries: projects granted in 2024, January to March (PDF) Found: Children from Mexico City had substantial cognitive declines as compared to population nor ms, and as |
Friday 12th April 2024
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Source Page: FCDO Commercial Pipeline: April 2024 Document: (webpage) Found: HUMANITARIAN Pakistan - Girls and Out of School Action for Learning (GOAL) M&E The Girls and Out of School Children |
Thursday 4th April 2024
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Source Page: Clean air zone service annual report 2021 to 2022 Document: Clean air zone annual report 2021 to 2022 (PDF) Found: It is a particular threat to vulnerable groups, including the elderly , young children, and those suffering |
Department Publications - Guidance |
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Friday 12th April 2024
Home Office Source Page: Immigration Rules archive: 10 April 2024 to 10 April 2024 Document: Immigration Rules archive: 10 April 2024 to 10 April 2024 (PDF) Found: DELETED Children 296. |
Friday 12th April 2024
Home Office Source Page: Immigration Rules archive: 4 April 2024 to 9 April 2024 Document: Immigration Rules archive: 4 April 2024 to 9 April 2024 (PDF) Found: DELETED Children 296. |
Friday 12th April 2024
Ministry of Defence Source Page: Apply for the Armed Forces Bereavement Scholarship Scheme Document: Armed Forces Bereavement Scholarship Scheme: claim form (PDF) Found: information needed to deal with this claim for the Armed Forces Bereavement Scholarship Scheme for bereaved children |
Friday 12th April 2024
Ministry of Defence Source Page: Apply for the Armed Forces Bereavement Scholarship Scheme Document: Apply for the Armed Forces Bereavement Scholarship Scheme (webpage) Found: The aim of the Armed Forces Bereavement Scholarship Scheme (AFBSS) is to provide the children of those |
Thursday 11th April 2024
Home Office Source Page: Immigration Rules Appendix Children Document: Immigration Rules Appendix Children (webpage) Found: Immigration Rules Appendix Children |
Thursday 11th April 2024
Home Office Source Page: Extremism and radicalisation Document: Extremism and radicalisation (webpage) Found: night state Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) Detention and escorting: safeguarding children |
Wednesday 10th April 2024
Department of Health and Social Care Source Page: Lampard Inquiry: terms of reference Document: Lampard Inquiry: terms of reference (webpage) Found: Get emails about this page Print this page Explore the topic Mental health of children |
Monday 8th April 2024
Home Office Source Page: Women in the immigration removal estate Document: Women in the immigration removal estate (PDF) Found: The DGIs states that “where there are dependent children under the age of 18, special consideration |
Thursday 4th April 2024
Department for Education Source Page: Apply for online education accreditation Document: terms and conditions of the online education accreditation scheme (PDF) Found: for Education (DfE) has introduced the Online Education Accreditation Scheme (OEAS) to reassure children |
Thursday 4th April 2024
Department for Education Source Page: Apply for online education accreditation Document: online education accreditation application form (webpage) Found: (within the meaning of section 22 of the Children Act 1989) Section 4 – Business information Eligibility |
Thursday 4th April 2024
Department for Education Source Page: Apply for online education accreditation Document: Apply for online education accreditation (webpage) Found: The Department for Education (DfE) has introduced an online accreditation scheme to reassure children |
Department Publications - Research |
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Wednesday 10th April 2024
Ministry of Justice Source Page: Safety in the children and young people secure estate: Update to September 2024 Document: Safety in the children and young people secure estate: Update to September 2024 (webpage) Found: Safety in the children and young people secure estate: Update to September 2024 |
Wednesday 10th April 2024
Department for Education Source Page: Provision for children under five in England: January 2024 Document: Provision for children under five in England: January 2024 (webpage) Found: Provision for children under five in England: January 2024 |
Monday 8th April 2024
Ministry of Justice Source Page: Safety in the children and young people secure estate: Update to March 2024 Document: Safety in the children and young people secure estate: Update to March 2024 (webpage) Found: Safety in the children and young people secure estate: Update to March 2024 |
Department Publications - Statistics |
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Wednesday 10th April 2024
Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities Source Page: Partnerships for People and Place: evaluation and spend mapping annexes Document: Partnerships for People and Place evaluation and spend mapping: Annex 2-6 (PDF) Found: pilot team Northumberland Teen engagement and increased touch points (re life skills/opportunities) children |
Wednesday 10th April 2024
Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities Source Page: Partnerships for People and Place: learning and evaluation report Document: Partnerships for People and Place Programme: learning and evaluation report (PDF) Found: The project team organised group sessions involving parents, children, schools, and other partners in |
Wednesday 10th April 2024
Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities Source Page: Local Digital evaluation scoping study Document: Local Digital programme: monitoring and evaluation scoping study (PDF) Found: may be the average length of placements (a proxy for the improvement in quality of matches between children |
Monday 8th April 2024
Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Source Page: Evaluation of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games: one year post-Games report Document: (ODS) Found: Impact ALS Children: Reduction in % of children and young people in the games region (West Midlands) |
Department Publications - Policy paper |
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Monday 8th April 2024
Ministry of Justice Source Page: Wymott Prison: Action Plan Document: inspection report for Wymott Prison (PDF) Found: assist prisoners with reading, and Storybook Dads (which helps pri soners to record a story for their children |
Non-Departmental Publications - Guidance and Regulation |
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Apr. 12 2024
UK Visas and Immigration Source Page: Appendix International Forces: caseworker guidance Document: Appendix International Forces: caseworker guidance (PDF) Guidance and Regulation Found: meet the age, independent life, care and relationship requirements for a dependent child in Appendix Children |
Apr. 12 2024
UK Visas and Immigration Source Page: Immigration Rules archive: 10 April 2024 to 10 April 2024 Document: Immigration Rules archive: 10 April 2024 to 10 April 2024 (PDF) Guidance and Regulation Found: DELETED Children 296. |
Apr. 11 2024
UK Visas and Immigration Source Page: Appendix HM Armed Forces: caseworker guidance Document: Appendix HM Armed Forces: caseworker guidance (PDF) Guidance and Regulation Found: meet the age, independent life, care and relationship requirements for a dependent child in Appendix Children |
Apr. 11 2024
UK Visas and Immigration Source Page: National Age Assessment Board: caseworker guidance Document: National Age Assessment Board: caseworker guidance (webpage) Guidance and Regulation Found: Get emails about this page Print this page Related content Collection Children |
Apr. 11 2024
UK Visas and Immigration Source Page: National Age Assessment Board: caseworker guidance Document: The operation of the National Age Assessment Board and sections 50 and 51 of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (PDF) Guidance and Regulation Found: • they claim to be adults but are suspected to be children • they are accepted to be children, but |
Apr. 10 2024
Planning Inspectorate Source Page: Section 62A Planning Application: S62A/2024/0039 396 Hotwell Road Clifton Bristol, BS8 4NU Document: Planning Statement Final (PDF) Guidance and Regulation Found: November 2003) unsurprisingly notes a significantly below Bristol average of households with dependent children |
Apr. 08 2024
Immigration Enforcement Source Page: Women in the immigration removal estate Document: Women in the immigration removal estate (PDF) Guidance and Regulation Found: The DGIs states that “where there are dependent children under the age of 18, special consideration |
Apr. 04 2024
UK Export Finance (UKEF) Source Page: Category A project under consideration: Electrification Project, Uíge Province, Angola Document: Environmental and Social Impact Assessment for Uige Electrification Project – Lot 1, Phase 2 (PDF) Guidance and Regulation Found: Children in rural areas tend to leave school earlier than in urban areas, on average. 0%10%20%30%40% |
Non-Departmental Publications - Statistics |
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Apr. 11 2024
Government Actuary's Department Source Page: 2020 Valuation - Local Government Pension Scheme (England & Wales) Document: Report on membership data (PDF) Statistics Found: There are also those who retired in ill -health and dependants (including children). |
Apr. 11 2024
Government Actuary's Department Source Page: 2020 Valuation - Local Government Pension Scheme (England & Wales) Document: Actuarial valuation report as at 31 March 2020 (PDF) Statistics Found: Children and dependants’ pensions The cost to the scheme of paying existing and future pensions to children |
Apr. 08 2024
Regulatory Policy Committee Source Page: Tobacco and Vapes Bill: RPC Opinion (Green-rated) Document: Tobacco and Vapes Bill: RPC Opinion (PDF) Statistics Found: Evidence also shows t hat people who start smoking as teenagers have higher levels of nicotine dependence |
Non-Departmental Publications - Research and Statistics |
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Apr. 08 2024
HM Prison and Probation Service Source Page: Safety in the children and young people secure estate: Update to March 2024 Document: Safety in the children and young people secure estate: Update to March 2024 (webpage) Research and Statistics Found: Safety in the children and young people secure estate: Update to March 2024 |
Non-Departmental Publications - Policy paper |
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Apr. 08 2024
HM Prison and Probation Service Source Page: Wymott Prison: Action Plan Document: inspection report for Wymott Prison (PDF) Policy paper Found: assist prisoners with reading, and Storybook Dads (which helps pri soners to record a story for their children |
Scottish Select Committee Publications |
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Wednesday 10th April 2024
Correspondence - Supplementary evidence from Joanne Maguire, Chief Operating Officer, ScotRail Trains Ltd, 10 April 2024 Scotland’s railways since public ownership Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee Found: campaigns such as our Kids For A Quid offer , which is available throughout the year and allows four children |
Friday 5th April 2024
Correspondence - Letter from Public Health Scotland and Food Standards Scotland to the HSCS Convener concerning restricting promotions of food and drink high in fat, sugar, or salt, 5 April 2024 Restricting promotions of food and drink high in fat, sugar, or salt Health, Social Care and Sport Committee Found: all adults in Scotland (67%) are living with overweight (including obesity), with one third (33%) of children |
Thursday 4th April 2024
Report - A report by the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee of its consideration of the delegated powers provisions in the Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill (as amended at Stage 2) Delegated powers in the Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill (as amended at Stage 2) Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee Found: Delegated powers in the Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill (as amended at Stage 2) A report |
Wednesday 3rd April 2024
Correspondence - Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice providing an update on progress with split payments of Universal Credit Spilt payments of Universal Credit Response Social Justice and Social Security Committee Found: for those children •presence of Limited Capability for Work Related Activity (LCWRA); and •presence |
Thursday 7th March 2024
Correspondence - Letter from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance to the Convener of 7 March 2024 Scotland's Commissioner Landscape: A Strategic Approach - Letter of 7 March 2024 Inquiry: Scotland’s Commissioner Landscape: A Strategic Approach Committee: Finance and Public Administration Committee Found: services across Parliamentary Commissioners, as well as the option of merging the Commissioner for Children |
Scottish Government Publications |
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Friday 12th April 2024
Source Page: Call to establish safe routes for people fleeing Gaza: letter to UK Government Document: Call to establish safe routes for people fleeing Gaza: letter to UK Government (webpage) Found: (or person with humanitarian protection) to be joined by their spouse or partner, and any dependent children |
Friday 12th April 2024
Learning Directorate Source Page: Additional analysis of educational attainment pupils with dyslexia Document: Attainment data for pupils with dyslexia, pupils with ASN and pupils with no ASN (Excel) Found: curriculum-for-excellence/curriculum-for-excellence-documents/experiences-and-outcomes/).The path most children |
Friday 12th April 2024
Source Page: UK arms sales to Israel: letter to Lord Ahmad Document: UK arms sales to Israel: letter to Lord Ahmad (webpage) Found: killing of British nationals among at least 35,000 dead – the majority of whom are innocent women and children |
Thursday 11th April 2024
External Affairs Directorate Source Page: Donations to UNRWA for Gaza: FOI release Document: FOI 202400396149 - Information Released - Annex A (PDF) Found: following competition: currently SCIAF, British Red Cross, Oxfam Scotland, Islamic Relief, Save the Children |
Thursday 11th April 2024
Learning Directorate Source Page: Strategic Board Teacher Education Meeting papers – May 2023 Document: Strategic Board Teacher Education Meeting papers – May 2023 (PDF) Found: diversity of Scottish society, in order to support improved lea rning and societal outcomes for all children |
Thursday 11th April 2024
Local Government and Housing Directorate Source Page: Housing Development and Planning Policy: FOI release Document: FOI 202400399227 - Information Released - Annex (PDF) Found: PHASE 2 (CRE - MMR) 6 Sep 23 21 RSL Mid Market Rent City of Edinburgh ROYAL HOSPITAL FOR SICK CHILDREN |
Thursday 11th April 2024
Learning Directorate Source Page: Additional Support for Learning Project Board minutes: February 2024 Document: Additional Support for Learning Project Board minutes: February 2024 (webpage) Found: Parent Club which will highlight enquire and other services.Action: Action PC2 was discussed: COSLA’s Children |
Wednesday 10th April 2024
Tackling Child Poverty and Social Justice Directorate Source Page: Additional child poverty analysis 2024 Document: 4 - Child poverty indicators (Excel) Found: Average (median) worked hours per working-age adult in households with children where someone is in paid |
Wednesday 10th April 2024
Tackling Child Poverty and Social Justice Directorate Source Page: Additional child poverty analysis 2024 Document: 1 - Target measures by priority group (Excel) Found: poverty target measures by priority group, ScotlandThis workbook contains nine tables, one for all children |
Wednesday 10th April 2024
Tackling Child Poverty and Social Justice Directorate Source Page: Additional child poverty analysis 2024 Document: 3 - Priority group children in working households (Excel) Found: Proportion of children in working households, and the share who is in relative poverty after housing |
Wednesday 10th April 2024
Tackling Child Poverty and Social Justice Directorate Source Page: Additional child poverty analysis 2024 Document: 5 - Priority group intersections (Excel) Found: Proportion of children in each child poverty priority group who are in either only one or in multiple |
Wednesday 10th April 2024
Tackling Child Poverty and Social Justice Directorate Source Page: Additional child poverty analysis 2024 Document: 2 - Target measures by priority group - long time series (Excel) Found: describes the scale of poverty for certain groups of people.Numbers tables show the numbers of people (or children |
Wednesday 10th April 2024
Tackling Child Poverty and Social Justice Directorate Source Page: Additional poverty analysis 2023 Document: Cost of Living Analysis-Living Costs and Food Survey (Excel) Found: income deciles (AHC)294.0785.4724.7652.9174.320.5559803962014/15 - 2016/17and incomeHouseholds with children |
Wednesday 10th April 2024
Safer Communities Directorate Source Page: Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) budges and funding: FOI release Document: FOI 202300384800 - Information Released - Briefing for Cabinet Secretary for Justice (PDF) Found: RELEASE FROM CUSTODY (SCOTLAND) ACT 2023 OUT OF SCOPE CHILD PROTECTION OUT OF SCOPE CHILDREN |
Tuesday 9th April 2024
Source Page: Free Bikes For Children pilot scheme: FOI release Document: Free Bikes For Children pilot scheme: FOI release (webpage) Found: Free Bikes For Children pilot scheme: FOI release |
Monday 8th April 2024
Financial Management Directorate Budget and Public Spending Directorate Source Page: Guide to the Spring Budget Revision 2023-24 – Finance Update for the FPAC Document: Guide to the SBR - Finance Update for FPAC 2023-24 (PDF) Found: provided to Disclosure Scotland to support delivery of the Disclosure Act , which focuses on safeguarding children |
Monday 8th April 2024
Financial Management Directorate Budget and Public Spending Directorate Source Page: Guide to the Spring Budget Revision 2023-24 – Finance Update for the FPAC Document: Guide to the Spring Budget Revision 2023-24 – Finance Update for the FPAC (webpage) Found: provided to Disclosure Scotland to support delivery of the Disclosure Act, which focuses on safeguarding children |
Thursday 4th April 2024
Population Health Directorate Source Page: Vaping – Youth perceptions and attitudes: evidence briefing Document: Vaping – Youth perceptions and attitudes: evidence briefing (PDF) Found: ollowing terms: “ENDS”, “e -cigarettes”, “vapes”, “vaping”, “youth”, “young people”, “adolescents”, “teenagers |
Thursday 4th April 2024
Mental Health Directorate Source Page: Mental Health Scrutiny and Assurance Evidence Review Document: Mental Health Scrutiny and Assurance Evidence Review (PDF) Found: ts in Mental Health (Adult and Older People’s Mental Health; Learning Disabilities and Autism; and Children |
Thursday 4th April 2024
Local Government and Housing Directorate Source Page: Planning system - mandatory training for elected members: consultation analysis Document: Scottish Government Consultation on Mandatory Training on Planning for Elected Members Analysis of responses to the consultation (PDF) Found: stakeholder and press communication as an elected member. 15 • Engaging with ‘seldom heard’ groups such as children |
Thursday 4th April 2024
Energy and Climate Change Directorate Source Page: First Minister and Net Zero Secretary attendance at Cop28 in the United Arab Emirates: FOI release Document: FOI 202400401966 - Information Released - Document (PDF) Found: Would Scotland consider signing the Declaration of Children, Youth and Climate Action? |
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S6W-26552
Asked by: Lennon, Monica (Scottish Labour - Central Scotland) Wednesday 10th April 2024 Question To ask the Scottish Government when it expects to introduce a bill on ending conversion practices. Answered by Roddick, Emma - Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees The Scottish Government is committed to introduce legislation to end conversion practices in Scotland that is as comprehensive as possible within devolved competence. Conversion practices, which aim to change or suppress a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity, are damaging and destructive acts that violate people’s human rights. Whilst our proposals will protect people from the harms of conversion practices, our approach also recognises and respects established rights and freedoms. This includes freedom of thought, conscience and belief and private and family life as well as parents exercising their rights and responsibilities in relation to their children. Our public consultation, containing detailed proposals, ran for 12 weeks and closed on 2 April 2024. Responses to that consultation will now be analysed and considered. Future legislative programmes will be announced in relevant Programmes for Government in the usual way. |
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S6W-26325
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin (Scottish Labour - South Scotland) Tuesday 9th April 2024 Question To ask the Scottish Government what data it collects about care experienced young people's school (a) attendance, (b) achievement, (c) attainment and (d) positive destinations; how any such data is analysed, and when it will next be reviewed. Answered by Gilruth, Jenny - Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills Data on education outcomes of care experienced young people is collected and published as part of the annual Education Outcomes of Looked After Children (EOLAC) Official Statistics publication. This covers pupils in publicly funded mainstream schools in the 32 local authorities, and one grant aided school. For the latest EOLAC 2021-22 publication, information was linked from:
Information on the methodology used to match looked after children’s data is available in the background notes of the EOLAC 2021-22 publication. The latest education outcomes for looked after children statistics include analysis for:
The experimental statistics will be reviewed before the next iteration of the statistics, planned for publication in August 2024. Data on (b) achievement , (c) attainment and (d) positive destinations is collected annually. Further information on the types of analysis breakdowns provided for these education outcomes can be found in the supporting Tables document of the 2021-22 publication. Data on (a) attendance is collected every second year, and was last published in 2020-21. Further information on the types of analysis breakdowns provided for attendance can be found in the supporting Tables document of the 2020-21 publication. Information on the groups each of these education outcomes is analysed for can be found in the respective section of the publication report, as per the hyperlinks provided above. |
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S6W-26358
Asked by: Briggs, Miles (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - Lothian) Tuesday 9th April 2024 Question To ask the Scottish Government how many inpatient beds for children and young people have been available in each NHS board in each year since 1999. Answered by Gray, Neil - Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care Table 1 provides the average available number of staffed beds that were recorded for paediatric/child and adolescent specialties in Scotland for each year from 2001-02 to 2022-23. Information on bed numbers prior to 2001-02 is not available. A figure showing the amount of these beds that were recorded for psychiatric child specialties is also provided. Due to the way specialties are recorded for beds data, it is not possible to use the Public Health Scotland beds statistics to estimate the total number of beds that are available for use by different services and/or departments. For example, selecting the Paediatric specialty grouping will only provide a partial picture of the staffed beds that are used for children’s services. This is because many beds used for children are not recorded under paediatric specialties and are instead recorded under more specific specialties, such as Haematology, Neurology and Respiratory Medicine. Furthermore, the specialty recorded for a bed depends partly on what the patient is being treated for: therefore, for some wards, the mix of specialties may change over time. Due to the volume of data included, a table including a full breakdown by NHS Board has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. Number 64979). Table 1: Average available staffed beds in paediatric/child & adolescent specialties, NHSScotland, 2001-02 – 2022-23
Source: Public Health Scotland
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S6W-26303
Asked by: Mochan, Carol (Scottish Labour - South Scotland) Tuesday 9th April 2024 Question To ask the Scottish Government what work it is undertaking to ensure that a more preventative approach to the health and wellbeing of young people is being adopted within communities across all government portfolio areas. Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health The Scottish Government wants to ensure that every child can attain the highest level of health and wellbeing possible. Between pre-birth and starting school, all children in Scotland are entitled to support from our universal Health Visiting service. In addition, 3- and 4-year-olds are entitled to 1,140 hours of funded early learning and childcare (ELC). We have also invested in targeted early years interventions such as the Family Nurse Partnership, ELC funding for eligible 2-year-olds and perinatal and infant mental health services. This work is underpinned by our Early Child Development Transformational Change Programme which focuses on prevention, better integration of policies, identifying policy and implementation gaps, and building collaboration across the whole system. The health and wellbeing of school-aged children is also supported by Curriculum for Excellence (CfE). Health and Wellbeing is one of the eight curricular areas in CfE and is one of the three core areas that are the responsibility of all staff in a school. Furthermore, the Scottish Government has invested in the recruitment of School Nurses and School Counsellors, both of whom are able to prevent the escalation of health and wellbeing concerns. Our work across all child health and wellbeing interventions continues to be guided by ‘Getting it right for every child’ (GIRFEC). GIRFEC is embedded across Scottish Government portfolios and helps to safeguard, support and promote the health and wellbeing of all children and young people. |
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S6W-26276
Asked by: Greene, Jamie (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - West Scotland) Tuesday 9th April 2024 Question To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to (a) promote the use of British Sign Language (BSL) in public spaces and (b) improve the availability of BSL education, in light of the aims of Sign Language Week, which takes place from 18 to 24 March 2024. Answered by Gilruth, Jenny - Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills The Scottish Government recognises the importance of Sign Language Week in promoting British Sign Language (BSL) given its positive impact on both culture and community in Scotland. During this week the First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills reiterated support of BSL and the Scottish Government’s commitments within the BSL National Plan 2023 – 2029. In response to (a), the Scottish Government published the BSL National Plan 2023 – 2029 in November 2023. This plan sets out our approach to making Scotland the best place in the world for BSL users to live, visit, work, and learn; it sets out 45 commitments across ten priority areas including health, education, and justice. The BSL (Scotland) Act 2015 also requires listed authorities to publish their own Authority Plans; they are our key partners in promoting the use of BSL in public spaces. In response to (b), the Additional Support for Learning Act places education authorities under duties to identify, provide for and review the additional support needs of their pupils, including those affected by deafness. The level of support required, and input from a specialist teacher of deaf children and young people, will vary depending on a child’s individual needs. To support deaf children and young people the Scottish Government provides funding of £150,000 to The Scottish Sensory Centre to support staff training enabling effective support to deaf pupils. In addition, Education Scotland has developed a professional learning resource which seeks to support practitioners to engage more effectively with British Sign Language users. This can be found on their website at the following link: https://education.gov.scot/resources/good-practice-in-working-with-deaf-learners-their-parents-and-families-bsl-plan/ Education Scotland has published a BSL toolkit setting out the key national legislation and General Teaching Council for Scotland standards which practitioners should be aware of when working with BSL users. Information to help practitioners understand BSL, Deaf culture and identity is provided throughout the Toolkit alongside some of the key definitions and terms used when working with parents and families. You can view the Toolkit here: British Sign Language (BSL) - Toolkit for Practitioners | Resources | Education Scotland . Education Scotland also published resources to help families support their children’s learning, which can be found at: BSL | Parentzone Scotland | Education Scotland |
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S6W-26302
Asked by: Mochan, Carol (Scottish Labour - South Scotland) Tuesday 9th April 2024 Question To ask the Scottish Government what targeted training is currently offered to teachers to help them to assess, monitor and improve the health and wellbeing of pupils. Answered by Gilruth, Jenny - Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills In June 2021, the Scottish Government published a new professional learning resource for school staff aimed at providing essential learning required to support children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing https://www.cypmh.co.uk/ Education Scotland also offers a comprehensive suite of professional learning resources to support teachers in assessing, monitoring, and enhancing the health and wellbeing of pupils. These include trauma-informed training delivered to over 1,000 practitioners in collaboration with NHS Education for Scotland. Additional Education Scotland resources, such as the Cycle of Wellbeing and Positive Mental Wellbeing guide practitioners in fostering positive change, are also available. The Inclusion, Wellbeing, and Equalities Professional Learning Framework , launched by Education Scotland in November 2023, further supports educators in building capacity and understanding across the four key themes of Inclusion, Rights and Equalities, Relationships and Wellbeing and Care. |
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S6W-26161
Asked by: Lennon, Monica (Scottish Labour - Central Scotland) Monday 8th April 2024 Question To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to (a) NHS boards and (b) local authorities to ensure that there is sufficient funding for the training of (i) audiologists, (ii) speech and language therapists and (iii) teachers of the deaf in the provision of Auditory Verbal therapy to help improve outcomes and opportunities for deaf children. Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health Auditory Verbal therapy is one of a number of methods used to provide support for deaf children. NHS Boards and local authorities are responsible for ensuring the services they deliver best meet the needs of their local population. As such, any decisions around provisions of training for staff in any of the professions described should be made locally following a thorough assessment of needs. |
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S6W-26160
Asked by: Lennon, Monica (Scottish Labour - Central Scotland) Monday 8th April 2024 Question To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps are being taken to ensure that there is sufficient funding for the training of Auditory Verbal therapists to enable all deaf children to have the opportunity to access this specialist support. Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health There are no plans at present for any additional funding of additional Auditory Verbal therapists.
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S6W-26159
Asked by: Lennon, Monica (Scottish Labour - Central Scotland) Monday 8th April 2024 Question To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to ensure equitable access to Auditory Verbal therapy for all deaf children under the age of five whose families want them to learn to listen and speak. Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health Auditory Verbal UK is a suitable therapeutic intervention for some young people, and it remains an option that can be pursued by local health boards. The provision of services including suitable therapeutic intervention remains a matter for local authorities and health boards. |
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S6W-26373
Asked by: Greene, Jamie (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - West Scotland) Friday 5th April 2024 Question To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6O-03226 by Siobhian Brown on 20 March 2024, in relation to the offences under the Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Act 2022, how many people have been (a) arrested, (b) charged, (c) prosecuted and (d) convicted, also broken down by the (i) offence and (ii) court disposal. Answered by Brown, Siobhian - Minister for Victims and Community Safety Figures on arrests or charges related to particular offences are not held centrally by the Scottish Government, the most recent figures shared by Police Scotland were provided in the answer to question S6W-21328 on 27 September 2023. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers . Up until the end of February 2024, 40 charges under the Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Act 2022 were reported to the Procurator Fiscal. Of those 40 charges, 20 charges have thus far been prosecuted. There have been 4 convictions, 2 charges did not result in a conviction, and the other 14 charges are part of ongoing prosecutions. A breakdown of prosecutions by offence are set out below:
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S6W-26365
Asked by: Rowley, Alex (Scottish Labour - Mid Scotland and Fife) Thursday 4th April 2024 Question To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of (a) how and (b) where the budget allocated for active travel was spent, in each financial year from 2020-21 to 2023-24. Answered by Harvie, Patrick - Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights The Active Travel Budget is an annually set allocation from the overall Scottish Transport Budget. The Active Travel Programme contains a blend of Grants awarded in accordance with the Scottish public Finance Manual, contracts drawn down from Scottish Government procurement frameworks, and budget transfers to support investments managed in other areas of the portfolio. A breakdown of years 2020-21 to 2023-24 is set out in the following table;
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Scottish Parliament Petitions |
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Change the law and prevent children aged 5 to 17 from drinking alcohol in their home or other private premises Petition Under Consideration - 44 SignaturesOpen Petition since 9th April 2024 In England, Scotland, and Wales, it's not illegal for someone between the ages of five and 17 to drink alcohol at home or on other private premises. But this does not mean it is recommended. The best advice for young people's health and wellbeing is an alcohol-free childhood. It was brought to my attention by Police Scotland and social services that children are allowed to consume alcohol from age 5 in their home or private premises. There is a focus to increase the cost of alcohol to help tackle problems. Scotland has issues with many adults abusing alcohol. I believe this situation doesn't help. We need to support our children to make the right decisions and not hide behind loop-holes in the law but instead change them. Found: Change the law and prevent children aged 5 to 17 from drinking alcohol in their home or other private |
Scottish Parliamentary Research (SPICe) |
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The Alcohol (Minimum Pricing)(Scotland) Act 2012 (Continuation) Order 2024
Friday 12th April 2024 The legislation that introduced minimum unit pricing for alcohol contained a 'sunset clause'. This means the policy will expire on 30 April 2024 unless the Scottish Parliament votes for it to continue. This briefing examines the background to the policy, key areas of debate, the findings of the evaluation and the response of stakeholders. View source webpage Found: ____________________ 27 Alcohol industry _______________________________________________________ 27 Children |
Judicial Factors (Scotland) Bill
Wednesday 10th April 2024 This briefing covers the Judicial Factors (Scotland) Bill. A judicial factor is a person appointed by the court to gather in, hold, safeguard and administer property belonging to someone else. The Bill aims to reform the existing law associated with judicial factors. View source webpage Found: ___________________ 16 Companies: the Companies Act 2006, sections 994-999, and the common law __17 Children |