Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what are the long-term plans for the use of Derwentside Immigration Removal Centre.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Derwentside immigration removal centre (IRC) which is currently a women only centre, will be converted into a detained facility for men in due course.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what level of accountability local authorities have to His Majesty's Government to ensure that they are meeting the expectation of partnering with the voluntary, community and faith sector in implementing family hubs.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
I refer The Lord Bishop of Durham, to the answer of 17 November 2023 to Question HL27. Guidance to local authorities participating in the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme sets an expectation that those local authorities partner with voluntary and faith organisations, as part of their family hub model. All local authorities which are part of the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme have the support of a Regional Delivery Lead and a Regional Delivery Expert Advisor to work with them on this transformation. Local authorities report on their progress against the service expectations, including those relating to voluntary, community and faith groups, through regular meetings between local authorities and their Regional Delivery Leads as part of our assurance process.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to allocate additional funding in the period 2025–30 to secondary and post-16 education providers to address the lag before the new National Funding Formula takes effect.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
As confirmed in the Implementing the Direct National Funding Formula (NFF) government consultation response, published in April 2023, the department remains committed to introducing a ‘direct’ NFF in which individual schools’ budgets are calculated by reference to the national formula, rather than via 150 local formulae. This will require a new legislative framework and the government plans to bring the necessary legislation forward in a future parliamentary session. The government consultation response can be accessed at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1153128/_Implementing_the_direct_national_funding_formula_government_consultation_response.pdf.
Under the NFF, as it operates now, schools are funded on the basis of their pupil numbers in the previous October census. This is known as a ‘lagged’ funding system and operates in this way to give schools more certainty over funding levels to aid their planning. It is particularly important in giving schools that see year on year reductions in their pupil numbers time to reorganise their staffing and costs before seeing the funding impact. Where schools are experiencing significant growth in pupil numbers, local authorities can use the growth funding they are allocated to support schools to manage the increase in pupil numbers before the lagged funding system has caught up.
The direct NFF, once introduced, will continue to base funding for schools on the previous October census. As such, there will be no change in the operation of this aspect of the funding system.
The NFF is not used for post-16 funding. The 16-19 funding formula also uses lagged student numbers as a basis for funding allocations. Subject to affordability, additional funding is made available to institutions delivering 16-19 education (including up to 24 for those with high needs), to support them with additional costs if they have higher than expected student recruitment. Each year the department reviews the early data from institutions and award in year growth payments. For the 2023/24 academic year, the department is publishing the rules for calculating in year growth awards early, providing a guarantee that growth will be funded based on departmental rules, giving certainty to providers to aid with their financial planning.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to use schools and nurseries as hubs for delivering health services to support families and meet the health needs of children and young people, especially within disadvantaged communities.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government supports the use of place-based services and integrated delivery, particularly where this will improve access for more disadvantaged communities. The Government is investing approximately £300 million through the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme to deliver a step change in outcomes for babies, children, parents and carers in 75 local authorities in England with high deprivation. Through joined up and enhanced universal services delivered through transformed family hubs, the programme will ensure all parents and carers can access the support they need, at the time they need it. We are also continuing to roll-out Mental Health Support Teams in schools and colleges across England.
Health services should be available and accessible at times and locations that meet the needs of children, young people, and families. Schools and nurseries can function as particularly effective settings. However, decisions concerning the commissioning and location of provider premises are made locally, following engagement with service users and other key stakeholders.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what support they are offering to local authorities to help them partner with (1) voluntary, and (2) faith, organisations in the implementation of Family Hubs.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department recognises the importance of both voluntary organisations and faith group partners to the family hub model. Both have a vital role in supporting families to improve the reach and impact of the family hub offer, particularly for those seldom heard parents and families. The department has set the expectation in its family hubs guidance that local authorities partner with voluntary and faith organisations as part of their family hub model. Family hubs bring together resources, expertise, and assets to provide an integrated offer to support families and respond to the needs of the community. The family hubs guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/family-hubs-and-start-for-life-programme-local-authority-guide.
All local authorities who are part of the Family Hubs Start for Life programme have the support of a Regional Delivery Lead and a Regional Delivery Expert Advisor to work with them on the transformation of family support services to family hubs.
All local authorities have received funding to allow their family support services to transition to the family hub model. This could include the co-location of services for families in family hubs, making it easier for families to access services. Family hubs should also connect families to the relevant voluntary and faith sector support provided in their communities. In the developed family hub model, there should be a strategy to grow and support voluntary and faith sector organisations to work towards shared outcomes in the family hub network.
The department’s delivery partner, the National Centre for Family Hubs, is working with all local authorities across England, spreading best practice through conferences, events, online modules and case studies. The National Centre will publish a toolkit module, as well as offering coaching and/or one to one support on how to engage with and make high quality partnerships with voluntary and faith organisations. The department welcomes the continued participation and contribution of faith sector organisations to these channels.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what encouragement they are providing to businesses to promote and encourage volunteering amongst employees.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
His Majesty’s Government recognises how vital volunteering is for society, reaping benefits for those who volunteer as well as the organisations they assist. The Government aims to remove barriers which prevent people from getting involved.
HM Government wants to see employers develop their own strong corporate responsibility programmes and to encourage businesses, the public sector and charities to consider the role that employer-supported volunteering can play as part of their impact on society.
HM Government strongly encourages employers to consider offering volunteering leave as part of their employee benefits package. Employees have the right to reasonable time off work to carry out specified public duties, as established in Section 50 of the Employment Rights Act 1996. Time off for other voluntary duties is a matter for individual employers as they balance their business needs.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government for how many people has the 28-day move-on period commenced from the date they received a refugee grant letter rather than when they received a Biometric Residence Permit.
Answered by Lord Murray of Blidworth
The impact assessment which you have requested is for internal use and is not routinely published.
Following the service of an asylum decision, an individual continues to be an asylum seeker for the purpose of asylum support until the end of the relevant prescribed period, also known as the ‘grace period’ or ‘move on period’. This period is 28 calendar days from when an individual is notified of a decision to accept their asylum claim and grant them leave. This period remains as 28 days and there are no plans to change this. This means that all individuals who receive a positive decision on their asylum claim are eligible to support and accommodation for at least 28 days from when their decision is served.
Confirmation of the exact date an individual’s support and accommodation is due to end is issued in a ‘notice to quit’ (NTQ) or ‘notice to vacate’ (NTV) letter. This will either be at least 7 days from when the notice is issued, or the date on which the grace period comes to an end, whichever is the greatest. This means that where an individuals’ grace period has passed and they are issued an NTQ/NTV, they will remain eligible to support and accommodation for at least another 7 days. A NTQ /NTV will only be issued once a person has been issued a biometric residence permit (BRP).
Individuals should make plans to move on from asylum support as soon as they are served their asylum decision, regardless of when their BRP or NTQ/NTV is issued. We offer support to all individuals through Migrant Help or their partner organisation in doing this. This includes providing advice on accessing the labour market, on applying for Universal Credit and signposting to local authorities for assistance with housing. Newly recognised refugees are entitled to housing assistance from their local authority and are treated as a priority need if they have children or are considered vulnerable. Individuals do not need to wait for their BRP to make a claim for benefits and are encouraged to do so as early as possible if they require them.
We are ensuring our cross government partners, such as the (DWP) and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) are sighted on data to enable them to consider the impacts of increased decision making and effectively plan. We are also working with DLUHC to ensure the right asylum decision data is being shared with local authorities to enable effective planning and to lessen the impact on existing homelessness and rough sleeping pressures. Our accommodation providers are directly working with local authorities to notify them when an individual is due to have their asylum support ended.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what impact assessment was carried out for the policy to start the 28-day move-on period from when a person receives a refugee grant letter, instead of when they receive their Biometric Residence Permit.
Answered by Lord Murray of Blidworth
The impact assessment which you have requested is for internal use and is not routinely published.
Following the service of an asylum decision, an individual continues to be an asylum seeker for the purpose of asylum support until the end of the relevant prescribed period, also known as the ‘grace period’ or ‘move on period’. This period is 28 calendar days from when an individual is notified of a decision to accept their asylum claim and grant them leave. This period remains as 28 days and there are no plans to change this. This means that all individuals who receive a positive decision on their asylum claim are eligible to support and accommodation for at least 28 days from when their decision is served.
Confirmation of the exact date an individual’s support and accommodation is due to end is issued in a ‘notice to quit’ (NTQ) or ‘notice to vacate’ (NTV) letter. This will either be at least 7 days from when the notice is issued, or the date on which the grace period comes to an end, whichever is the greatest. This means that where an individuals’ grace period has passed and they are issued an NTQ/NTV, they will remain eligible to support and accommodation for at least another 7 days. A NTQ /NTV will only be issued once a person has been issued a biometric residence permit (BRP).
Individuals should make plans to move on from asylum support as soon as they are served their asylum decision, regardless of when their BRP or NTQ/NTV is issued. We offer support to all individuals through Migrant Help or their partner organisation in doing this. This includes providing advice on accessing the labour market, on applying for Universal Credit and signposting to local authorities for assistance with housing. Newly recognised refugees are entitled to housing assistance from their local authority and are treated as a priority need if they have children or are considered vulnerable. Individuals do not need to wait for their BRP to make a claim for benefits and are encouraged to do so as early as possible if they require them.
We are ensuring our cross government partners, such as the (DWP) and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) are sighted on data to enable them to consider the impacts of increased decision making and effectively plan. We are also working with DLUHC to ensure the right asylum decision data is being shared with local authorities to enable effective planning and to lessen the impact on existing homelessness and rough sleeping pressures. Our accommodation providers are directly working with local authorities to notify them when an individual is due to have their asylum support ended.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the provision of specialist foster care for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children across the UK.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department recognise that local authorities across the country want to recruit more foster carers to provide loving homes for the children in their care, including for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC). The government is investing over £27 million in this parliament in a fostering recruitment and retention programme that will support local authorities to ensure that there are more foster carers available for the children who need them, including UASC. This will include a recruitment support hub which will work alongside a regional recruitment campaign to drive interest and enquiries in fostering. This may include specialist support and targeted campaigns to recruit specialist foster carers who are able to care for UASC. The department will work with regions to look at their local data to inform where efforts need to be targeted. This could include sibling groups, teenagers and UASC.
UASC are transferred to the care of local authorities through the National Transfer Scheme, ensuring their care is distributed fairly across the UK. Local authorities have a duty to accommodate all UASC who arrive in their area and these children are entitled to the same protections and support as any other looked-after child, which includes ensuring decisions about their care and accommodation, including where UASC are placed in foster care, are made with the best interests of each individual child.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Children’s Society’s The Good Childhood Report 2023, published on 20 September, whether they will investigate any change in the proportion of female children and young people who are unhappy with their lives as a whole, and in particular their appearance
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.