Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of his Department’s efforts to increase the number of pensioners claiming Pension Credit before 19 May 2023.
Answered by Laura Trott - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Department issued a range of communications, including via social media, in the two weeks up to 19 May to highlight the latest date that eligible pensioners could still qualify for an additional cost of living payment if they made a successful backdated Pension Credit claim.
Internal management information shows that the DWP received around 21,000 claims in those two weeks, up 171% compared to the corresponding weeks in 2022. This data is based on internal management information which has not been subjected to the usual standard of quality assurance associated with official statistics. They are provided here in the interests of transparency.
There is a strong indication that our campaign is having a positive effect with the number of claims approximately 75% higher in the year May 2022-23 than over the same period the year before.
The campaign continues with the Pension Credit Week of Action taking place between 12 and 16 June where DWP will be joining forces with charities, broadcasters and a whole range of partners to raise awareness of Pension Credit and encourage eligible pensioners to make a claim.
Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for teachers who have qualified in each of the last three years, (a) how many teachers received SEND training before becoming fully qualified and (b) how many teachers received SEND training after becoming fully qualified.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Information on the school workforce is collected as part of the annual School Workforce Census each November. Information on the number of newly qualified entrants and deferred newly qualified entrants to teaching is published in the ‘School Workforce in England’ statistical publication, available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.
The Department is committed to ensuring that all pupils, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) can reach their potential and receive excellent support from their teachers.
Alongside excellent teachers, teaching assistants play an important role in supporting pupils with SEND to fulfil their potential in mainstream and special schools.
Information on the number of qualified teachers trained to support pupils with SEND is not collected centrally.
As at November 2021 (latest data available) there were 465,500 full time equivalent teachers working in state funded schools in England. This is an increase of 4,400 since the previous year.
Almost 9 in 10 (87.5%) teachers who qualified in 2020 were still teaching one year after qualification, and just over two thirds (68.8%) of teachers who started teaching five years ago are still teaching.
One of the Department’s priorities is to continue to attract, retain, and develop the highly skilled teachers needed to inspire the next generation.
Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many live (a) cattle, (b) sheep, (c) pigs and (d) goats have been exported for fattening and slaughter since 1 January 2021.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
There have been no exports of livestock for slaughter or fattening since 2020.
Exports of cattle, sheep, pigs and goats by sea to mainland Europe have not been viable since 1st January 2021, due to the lack of Border Control Post facilities designated to accept this trade in receiving EU Member States.
Whilst exports of equines have continued, this has been for the purpose of leisure, competition or breeding only; none have been exported for slaughter.
Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the transition of the Bacton gas terminal to hydrogen energy on businesses.
Answered by Graham Stuart
As well as supporting UK energy independence, low carbon hydrogen will be critical to supporting vital British industries transition away from expensive oil and gas. Hydrogen can provide greener energy for power, transport and potentially home heating. The Government welcomes the development of all potential hydrogen projects, such as that proposed at Bacton. The Government is working closely with the oil and gas industry to achieve a managed energy transition, including through the North Sea Transition Deal, which could support up to 40,000 high-quality direct and indirect supply chain jobs.
Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had recent discussions with the RAF on the potential merits of varying low flying training to help limit disruption to local residents in (a) North Norfolk constituency and (b) other areas.
Answered by James Heappey
The RAF, along with the other Services, is keenly aware of its responsibilities to the public and would prefer not to cause any disturbance to those on the ground. Every effort is made to spread low flying training as widely and equitably as possible across the whole of the United Kingdom; however, areas with flying units nearby, such as North Norfolk, will inevitably see more military aircraft in the area, not least as they make their way to and from base to other training areas, including over the North Sea.
Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when the extension of the right to buy for housing association tenants will be brought into effect.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Government remains committed to the Right to Buy, which since 1980 has enabled over two million social housing tenants to become homeowners.
Any future announcements will be set out in the usual way.
Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment for the implication for his policies of the changing charities' status on the list of goods and services set out in the EU Annex III of the Principal VAT Directive; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reducing VAT rates for charities on their energy bills.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Subject to a transition period until April 2024 for existing qualifying charities, from 15 March 2023 the availability of UK tax reliefs for charities is restricted to UK charities only. The application of VAT reliefs for charities will not be affected.
As the UK is no longer part of the EU, it now enjoys greater freedom when setting rates of VAT than was allowed under the VAT Directive. Charities already benefit from the reduced rate of VAT where their fuel and power are used for non-business purposes.
Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the announcement of £180 million to improve children’s development in the early years, 20 October 2022, whether the training of 5,000 early years teachers or co-ordinators will be to a level 3 SENCO qualification; how the 5,000 SENCO qualified early years staff will be allocated to schools; how their salaries will be funded; and whether schools will be given guidance on the job descriptions they should use to attract the new 5,000 early years SENCO qualified staff to their schools.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
The Early Years Recovery Programme includes funding for the training of up to 5,000 early years special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs), leading to an accredited level 3 early years SENCO qualification. The training is for SENCOs currently working in early years group-based providers or working as childminders. Salaries will continue to be paid by providers themselves or from self-employment as applicable for childminders.
Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he plans to implement the recommendations of the report by the Law Commission entitled Leasehold home ownership: buying your freehold or extending your lease, published on 21 July 2020; and whether he plans to review the calculation relating to the lease extension premium
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Government has committed to making enfranchisement cheaper for leaseholders by reforming the process of valuation they must follow to calculate the cost of extending their lease or buying their freehold. We will abolish marriage value, cap ground rents in the calculation, prescribe the rates to be used and introduce an online calculator.
On 11 January 2022, the Government launched a consultation on a number of recommendations made by the Law Commission aimed at broadening the rights of leaseholders, and reinvigorating commonhold.
The consultation closed on 22 February 2022 and we received over 2000 responses. We are currently analysing the feedback and we will provide a response in due course.
Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February to Question 143891 on Energy, what the timeline is for publication of the Government's approach to delivering energy security.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government expects to publish soon, but is not able to confirm a more specific timeline.