Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Further agreement with telecoms firms to protect vulnerable customers, published on 11 March 2024, whether she has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the definition of vulnerable.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
DSIT is working closely with the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) regarding the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) migration.
On 29 January, DSIT Ministers met with Ministerial counterparts from DHSC and the, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) to discuss Departmental responsibilities during the migration. The Departments have collectively agreed a Telecare National Action Plan (TNAP) outlining each Department’s role during the migration to ensure that telecare users and other vulnerable customers are protected. As set out in this action plan, DSIT has agreed to lead on defining vulnerability with support from DHSC and DLUHC.
For more information regarding the work to define vulnerability, I refer the Hon Member to the answers given to Question UIN 21918 and 21919 on 19th April 2024.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an estimate of the average time taken for his Department to respond to leaseholder correspondence sent to the Under11mBuildings@LevellingUp.gov.uk email address in 2023.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) places great importance on the effective and timely handling of correspondence. Although given the volume and complexity of some of the cases being received it does often take time to work through those cases.
As per the Cabinet Office’s Guide to Handling Correspondence on GOV.UK, response times are measured against a 20-working day target deadline. We, therefore, do not collect data on the average length of time to respond to correspondence on specific policy issues.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an estimate of the average time taken for his Department to respond to leaseholder correspondence on building safety matters in 2023.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) places great importance on the effective and timely handling of correspondence. Although given the volume and complexity of some of the cases being received it does often take time to work through those cases.
As per the Cabinet Office’s Guide to Handling Correspondence on GOV.UK, response times are measured against a 20-working day target deadline. We, therefore, do not collect data on the average length of time to respond to correspondence on specific policy issues.
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with local authorities on the switching off of the public switched telephone network.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
DSIT is coordinating the cross-government response to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) switchover. Government is taking the risks associated with this switchover very seriously and our primary objective is to ensure vulnerable people are protected throughout this necessary transition. DSIT is engaging closely with counterparts in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) and the Local Government Association (LGA). DSIT is a member of the LGA’s working group which focuses on the switchover. DSIT will be submitting specific guidance to Local Authorities on matters related to the migration and is working to assess the impact that the PSTN switchover may have on Local Authorities.
BT Group announced its plans to switch off the PSTN in 2017, and many affected organisations, including some Local Authorities, have taken the opportunity to prepare for the transition since then. Upgrading devices to digitally compatible products will ensure they are compatible with a superior and more secure underlying infrastructure, future-proofing them for years ahead.
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will provide additional resources to local authorities to effectively manage the switching off of the public switched telephone network.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
DSIT is coordinating the cross-government response to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) switchover. Government is taking the risks associated with this switchover very seriously and our primary objective is to ensure vulnerable people are protected throughout this necessary transition. DSIT is engaging closely with counterparts in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) and the Local Government Association (LGA). DSIT is a member of the LGA’s working group which focuses on the switchover. DSIT will be submitting specific guidance to Local Authorities on matters related to the migration and is working to assess the impact that the PSTN switchover may have on Local Authorities.
BT Group announced its plans to switch off the PSTN in 2017, and many affected organisations, including some Local Authorities, have taken the opportunity to prepare for the transition since then. Upgrading devices to digitally compatible products will ensure they are compatible with a superior and more secure underlying infrastructure, future-proofing them for years ahead.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on taking steps to help protect vulnerable people from crime during the digital switchover of telephony services.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
DSIT is coordinating the cross-government response to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) switchover. DSIT is engaging closely with counterparts in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) as well as the Local Government Association (LGA). DSIT is a member of the LGA’s working group which focuses on supporting local authorities with the PSTN migration, as well as the 2G/3G switch-off.
DSIT supported the LGA in publishing a guidance note for councils on how to raise awareness among residents, and seek to prevent and disrupt anyone from using the digital switchover as a means to advance criminal activity. The guidance can be found at the following address: https://www.local.gov.uk/our-support/cyber-digital-and-technology/digital-switchover/digital-phone-switchover/digital-phone
DSIT also works closely with the Home Office, as the department responsible for crime policy, as well as Ofcom - the independent telecoms regulator - on a range of issues to tackle telephone enabled fraud and bring criminals to justice.
DLUHC’s Local Digital team is dedicated to helping councils digitise and transform their services so that they are modern and resilient. DLUHC’s “Future Councils” pilot programme has recently published a report identifying the most common challenges to digital transformation and is building on its findings.
Ofcom wrote to local government organisations on 17 January 2024 to reiterate the importance of ensuring that councils are prepared for any changes that may impact on the delivery of services when 3G and then 2G is switched off. The letter can be found via the following link:
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/275521/letter-local-gov-3g-switch-off.pdf
The Government has published information on the role of Digital Champions within the Digital Connectivity Portal. The Portal is an extensive online resource providing best practice guidance helping local authorities to facilitate digital infrastructure deployment.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/digital-strategy-and-leadership#digital-champion
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, is she will hold discussions with the Local Government Association to help define the role of a digital champion in supporting (a) the digitisation of council services, (b) the digital switchover and (c) the 2G/3G switch off.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
DSIT is coordinating the cross-government response to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) switchover. DSIT is engaging closely with counterparts in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) as well as the Local Government Association (LGA). DSIT is a member of the LGA’s working group which focuses on supporting local authorities with the PSTN migration, as well as the 2G/3G switch-off.
DSIT supported the LGA in publishing a guidance note for councils on how to raise awareness among residents, and seek to prevent and disrupt anyone from using the digital switchover as a means to advance criminal activity. The guidance can be found at the following address: https://www.local.gov.uk/our-support/cyber-digital-and-technology/digital-switchover/digital-phone-switchover/digital-phone
DSIT also works closely with the Home Office, as the department responsible for crime policy, as well as Ofcom - the independent telecoms regulator - on a range of issues to tackle telephone enabled fraud and bring criminals to justice.
DLUHC’s Local Digital team is dedicated to helping councils digitise and transform their services so that they are modern and resilient. DLUHC’s “Future Councils” pilot programme has recently published a report identifying the most common challenges to digital transformation and is building on its findings.
Ofcom wrote to local government organisations on 17 January 2024 to reiterate the importance of ensuring that councils are prepared for any changes that may impact on the delivery of services when 3G and then 2G is switched off. The letter can be found via the following link:
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/275521/letter-local-gov-3g-switch-off.pdf
The Government has published information on the role of Digital Champions within the Digital Connectivity Portal. The Portal is an extensive online resource providing best practice guidance helping local authorities to facilitate digital infrastructure deployment.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/digital-strategy-and-leadership#digital-champion
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 19 February 2024 to Question 13342 on Special Educational Needs, if she will allocate additional funding to Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council to help increase its capacity to conduct education health and care plan assessments.
Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The cost of local authorities’ Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment and planning function is paid from authorities’ general fund from, for example, council tax, business rates or the Revenue Support Grant provided by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). Any increase in capacity for the EHC needs assessment team must be met from the local authority’s general fund.
Stockport special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) Local Area Partnership’s Accelerated Progress Plan (APP), which has been in place since the Ofsted and Care Quality Commission (CQC) joint area SEND revisit in September 2022, includes actions to address the quality of EHC plans in the area. Department for Education officials and NHS (England) SEND advisers have been providing support, challenge and advice in monitoring the progress of the APP.
Stockport is also one of the 55 local areas which have been invited to join the government’s £85 million Delivering Better Value Programme to support local areas to achieve maximum value for money in delivering SEND provision, whilst maintaining and improving the outcomes they achieve. One of the workstreams being funded by this grant is ‘Governance and Accountability of SEN Support and EHC Needs Assessments’ through which the department is assisting Stockport to improve their EHC plan processes and the quality of plans.
The department wants to ensure that EHC needs assessments, where required, are conducted as quickly as possible, so that children and young people can access the support they need. In March 2023, the government set out its plans to reform and improve the SEND system through its SEND and alternative provision (AP) Improvement Plan. The plan commits to establishing a single national system that delivers for every child and young person with SEND so that they enjoy their childhood, achieve good outcomes and are well prepared for adulthood and employment.
In the short term, the department is working hard to improve the current EHC plan system through a range of measures to improve the SEND system. The department is investing heavily in the SEND system. Examples of the department’s investments include: improving specialist capacity by investing over £21 million to train 400 more educational psychologists from 2024, investing £2.6 billion between 2022 and 2025 to fund new special and AP places and improve existing provision (including announcing 41 new special free schools and 38 special free schools that are currently in the pipeline), investing £30 million to develop innovative approaches for short breaks for children, young people and their families over three years and investing over £7 million to fund extension of the Alternative Provision Specialist Taskforce pilot programme, (delivering now in 22 local authorities) to run until 2025.
The department is also putting in place measures to improve the SEND system in the longer term, so that where an EHC plan is needed they can be issued as quickly as possible, so that children and young people can access the support they need.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 19 February 2024 to Question 13342 on Special Educational Needs, what steps her Department is taking to help Stockport Council (a) increase its capacity to undertake and (b) improve the quality of its education, health and care plan assessments.
Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The cost of local authorities’ Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment and planning function is paid from authorities’ general fund from, for example, council tax, business rates or the Revenue Support Grant provided by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). Any increase in capacity for the EHC needs assessment team must be met from the local authority’s general fund.
Stockport special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) Local Area Partnership’s Accelerated Progress Plan (APP), which has been in place since the Ofsted and Care Quality Commission (CQC) joint area SEND revisit in September 2022, includes actions to address the quality of EHC plans in the area. Department for Education officials and NHS (England) SEND advisers have been providing support, challenge and advice in monitoring the progress of the APP.
Stockport is also one of the 55 local areas which have been invited to join the government’s £85 million Delivering Better Value Programme to support local areas to achieve maximum value for money in delivering SEND provision, whilst maintaining and improving the outcomes they achieve. One of the workstreams being funded by this grant is ‘Governance and Accountability of SEN Support and EHC Needs Assessments’ through which the department is assisting Stockport to improve their EHC plan processes and the quality of plans.
The department wants to ensure that EHC needs assessments, where required, are conducted as quickly as possible, so that children and young people can access the support they need. In March 2023, the government set out its plans to reform and improve the SEND system through its SEND and alternative provision (AP) Improvement Plan. The plan commits to establishing a single national system that delivers for every child and young person with SEND so that they enjoy their childhood, achieve good outcomes and are well prepared for adulthood and employment.
In the short term, the department is working hard to improve the current EHC plan system through a range of measures to improve the SEND system. The department is investing heavily in the SEND system. Examples of the department’s investments include: improving specialist capacity by investing over £21 million to train 400 more educational psychologists from 2024, investing £2.6 billion between 2022 and 2025 to fund new special and AP places and improve existing provision (including announcing 41 new special free schools and 38 special free schools that are currently in the pipeline), investing £30 million to develop innovative approaches for short breaks for children, young people and their families over three years and investing over £7 million to fund extension of the Alternative Provision Specialist Taskforce pilot programme, (delivering now in 22 local authorities) to run until 2025.
The department is also putting in place measures to improve the SEND system in the longer term, so that where an EHC plan is needed they can be issued as quickly as possible, so that children and young people can access the support they need.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Answer of 15 July 2022 to Question 33838 on Digital Technology and Internet: Disadvantaged, what steps she is taking to help tackle digital exclusion; and whether her Department plans to take steps to help individuals with the cost of personal internet.
Answered by Saqib Bhatti - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government has been clear that ensuring that no one is left behind in the digital age is a key priority and continues to take steps to offer the support needed.
Digital inclusion is a cross-cutting issue that spans social engagement, education, employment, access to services and many more elements of everyday life. Responsibility for relevant policies and activities, including monitoring and evaluation, sit across government.
The Government has worked closely with the telecoms industry to ensure households across the country can access fast, reliable digital infrastructure. Superfast broadband is now available in over 97% of the UK, over 80% of households can access gigabit broadband, and 4G mobile is available to 99% of the population from at least one network provider. The Government is also investing £5 billion through our flagship Project Gigabit programme to bring gigabit broadband to reach hard-to-reach communities.
The Government established a cross-Whitehall ministerial group in response to a recommendation from the House of Lords Communication and Digital Committee’s report on ‘Digital Exclusion’, published in June 2023. The ministerial group aims to drive progress and accountability on digital inclusion priorities across Government.
The group has met twice, in September 2023 and March 2024, with attendance from the Cabinet Office, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Department for Culture, Media & Sport, Department for Work and Pensions, Department for Education, and His Majesty's Treasury.
To support those for whom cost may be a barrier, the Government has worked closely with the telecoms industry to ensure market provision of broadband and mobile social tariffs. These low-cost, commercial products are available from 28 different providers, across 99% of the UK and start at just £10 per month.