Asked by: Pauline Latham (Conservative - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to publish (a) the feedback from the Regional Expert Partnerships to her Department and (b) discussions on how the proposals within the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plans published in March 2023 are to be refined.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
The department will be sharing strategic guidance with all Regional Expert Partnerships (REPs) for delivery of the Change Programme, which will include setting out the local partners they must engage with. Engagement with all partners across all local areas involved in the REPs, including schools, health partners and families, is integral to successfully delivering, testing and refining the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) reforms set out in the Improvement Plan.
Throughout the lifetime of the programme, there will be a constant feedback loop between the department and the REPs in order to monitor the findings and share learning and best practice. This will include the REPs feeding back on the progress of delivering the reforms and any barriers they may be facing. The department will be transparent throughout this process and is currently establishing how it will provide public updates as the programme progresses.
The department previously shared that all REPs would be led by a lead local authority, selected through objective criteria based on published SEND performance data. The department used this data to identify a shortlist of local authorities in each Department for Education region, who were subsequently invited to submit an expression of interest to be considered for the role. To be eligible for the shortlist, prospective lead local authorities must not:
They must also be in the top 75% of authorities nationally against:
The department then ranked the remaining authorities based on their Designated School Grant surplus/deficit and shortlisted the top three local authorities in each region.
Asked by: Pauline Latham (Conservative - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 25 April 2023 to Question 180364 on Alternative Education and Special Educational Needs, what objective criteria is to be used when selecting local authorities using published SEND performance data.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
The department will be sharing strategic guidance with all Regional Expert Partnerships (REPs) for delivery of the Change Programme, which will include setting out the local partners they must engage with. Engagement with all partners across all local areas involved in the REPs, including schools, health partners and families, is integral to successfully delivering, testing and refining the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) reforms set out in the Improvement Plan.
Throughout the lifetime of the programme, there will be a constant feedback loop between the department and the REPs in order to monitor the findings and share learning and best practice. This will include the REPs feeding back on the progress of delivering the reforms and any barriers they may be facing. The department will be transparent throughout this process and is currently establishing how it will provide public updates as the programme progresses.
The department previously shared that all REPs would be led by a lead local authority, selected through objective criteria based on published SEND performance data. The department used this data to identify a shortlist of local authorities in each Department for Education region, who were subsequently invited to submit an expression of interest to be considered for the role. To be eligible for the shortlist, prospective lead local authorities must not:
They must also be in the top 75% of authorities nationally against:
The department then ranked the remaining authorities based on their Designated School Grant surplus/deficit and shortlisted the top three local authorities in each region.
Asked by: Pauline Latham (Conservative - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to implement guidance to Regional Expert Partnerships on how many local partners they need to engage with when refining proposals in the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plans published in March 2023.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
The department will be sharing strategic guidance with all Regional Expert Partnerships (REPs) for delivery of the Change Programme, which will include setting out the local partners they must engage with. Engagement with all partners across all local areas involved in the REPs, including schools, health partners and families, is integral to successfully delivering, testing and refining the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) reforms set out in the Improvement Plan.
Throughout the lifetime of the programme, there will be a constant feedback loop between the department and the REPs in order to monitor the findings and share learning and best practice. This will include the REPs feeding back on the progress of delivering the reforms and any barriers they may be facing. The department will be transparent throughout this process and is currently establishing how it will provide public updates as the programme progresses.
The department previously shared that all REPs would be led by a lead local authority, selected through objective criteria based on published SEND performance data. The department used this data to identify a shortlist of local authorities in each Department for Education region, who were subsequently invited to submit an expression of interest to be considered for the role. To be eligible for the shortlist, prospective lead local authorities must not:
They must also be in the top 75% of authorities nationally against:
The department then ranked the remaining authorities based on their Designated School Grant surplus/deficit and shortlisted the top three local authorities in each region.
Asked by: Pauline Latham (Conservative - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of regional variations in the provision of molecular radiotherapy.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Molecular radiotherapy is currently commissioned alongside brachytherapy via a national service specification. There are currently 38 trusts in England that are commissioned to deliver these services however, given the spectrum of treatments available under this service specification, there is some variation in what each provider offers.
For this reason, NHS England is developing a standalone molecular radiotherapy service specification. This will clarify the service model and review demand and access arrangements. The service specification will also take into account any future developments in treatment technologies and recommendations made by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
Asked by: Pauline Latham (Conservative - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will include provisions in the NHS workforce plan to increase the nuclear medicines workforce; and what steps he is taking to ensure the adequacy of supply of that workforce to meet future demand for (a) molecular radiotherapy and (b) other treatments.
Answered by Will Quince
The Government has committed to publishing the Long-Term Workforce Plan shortly. This will include projections for the number of doctors, nurses and other professionals that will be needed, taking full account of improvements in retention and productivity. This plan will help ensure that we have the right numbers of staff, with the right skills, to transform and deliver high quality services fit for the future.
NHS England are currently leading work to revise the Brachytherapy and Molecular Radiotherapy Service Specification and to understand current service readiness to expand access to new molecular radiotherapy treatments, should they be approved by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
Asked by: Pauline Latham (Conservative - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will have discussions with the Scottish Government on the UK's obligations under the Sustainable Development Goals to ban child marriage by 2030.
Answered by Alister Jack - Secretary of State for Scotland
I am pleased that the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act recently came into force in England and Wales, and I note the important work and contribution from the Member for Mid Derbyshire. As a devolved matter, it is for the Scottish Government to decide on the age of marriage. Nonetheless, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Justice wrote to the then Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government last December, encouraging the Scottish Government to follow the UK Government’s lead. I hope the Scottish Government will take action on this soon, in order to meet our targets under the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
Asked by: Pauline Latham (Conservative - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has taken steps to ensure there is a mental health specialist in every school.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
The mental health of children is a priority for this government. We know schools can play a vital role in supporting this, particularly by providing calm, safe and supportive learning environments that promote good mental wellbeing and help pupils who need it to access early targeted support.
It is important to remember it is not the role of schools to diagnose or treat mental health conditions. Schools are best placed to decide what support to provide to respond to the mental health needs of their pupils including, where necessary, through referrals to NHS specialist services.
The department is offering a grant to all schools and colleges in England to train a senior mental health lead, helping schools to put in place effective approaches to mental health and wellbeing. This should include robust processes for identifying pupils or specific groups who need additional mental health support. More than 13,800 schools and colleges have now received a senior mental health lead training grant, including more than 70% of state-funded secondary schools.
To expand access to early mental health support, the department is working with NHS England to increase the number of Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) working with schools and colleges. These teams include trained professionals who can offer support to children experiencing common mental health problems and liaise with external specialist services to help pupils get the right support. As of April 2023, MHSTs covered 35% of pupils in schools and learners in further education in England. A further 100 teams are expected to be operational by April 2024, when MHSTs will cover an estimated 44% of pupils and learners.
Asked by: Pauline Latham (Conservative - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he has had discussions with the First Minister on the legal age of marriage in Scotland.
Answered by Alister Jack - Secretary of State for Scotland
I am pleased that the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act recently obtained Royal Assent - and I thank my honourable Friend for her important work in this area.
The Scottish Government is aware of the Act’s contents. As a devolved matter, it is for the Scottish Government to decide on the age of marriage.
Nonetheless, I would encourage the Scottish Government to follow suit.
Asked by: Pauline Latham (Conservative - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed Clean Heat Market Mechanism on (a) jobs, (b) inward investment and (c) homeowners.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Department estimates that developing the UK heat pump market to 600,000 installations per year will support over 30,000 futureproof low-carbon jobs by 2028. The Clean Heat Market Mechanism is a key part of the policy framework that the Government is bringing forward to support this expansion of the heat pump market. The Government anticipates significant investment opportunity in this growing market for both domestic-origin and inward investors. As the market for heat pumps expands, the Government expects to see improvement in the range and affordability of consumer propositions related to heat pump installations available to UK home- and building-owners.
Asked by: Pauline Latham (Conservative - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed Clean Heat Market Mechanism on investment in heat pump production by UK-based businesses.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government supports an expansion of UK heat pump manufacturing and has set out an ambition for a thirty-fold increase in the number made and sold in the UK each year. The Government recently launched a £30 million Heat Pump Manufacturing Investment Accelerator Competition to complement the support offered by the new capital allowances announced in this year’s Spring Budget.
The Government is publishing a policy framework, including the Clean Heat Market Mechanism, to give clarity around the scale of the UK heat pump market.