Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the number of children with autism spectrum condition who have been (a) excluded and (b) isolated in schools in the last 12 months.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Permanent and fixed period exclusions in England: 2016-2017 can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/permanent-and-fixed-period-exclusions-in-england-2016-to-2017.
Permanent and fixed period exclusions by type of special educational need can be found in national table 6.
The information requested, on the number of children with autism spectrum condition who have been isolated in schools in the last 12 months, is not held centrally.
As part of Ofsted inspections, however, schools will be asked to provide records and analysis of any use of internal isolation. Ofsted inspectors will expect schools to have clear and effective behaviour policies that promote high standards of behaviour and are applied consistently and fairly. In reaching a judgement on pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare, inspectors will take account of a range of information, including schools’ use of internal isolation.
The Department’s behaviour and discipline guidance to schools makes clear that schools must act lawfully, reasonably and proportionately when using isolation, and must take account of any special education needs or disabilities pupils placed in isolation may have.
Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to ensure the effectiveness of cross-departmental work to tackle the referral of children and young people with (a) depression and (b) mental health issues.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department for Education has a joint programme of work with the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and Health Education England to deliver the proposals set out in the green paper ‘Transforming Children and Young People’s Mental Health Provision’. This includes setting up and running Mental Health Support Teams linked to groups of schools and colleges. The teams will be made up of additional, trained, mental health workers, supervised by suitable NHS staff working closely with other professionals such as educational psychologists, school nurses, counsellors and social workers.
The first teams will be set up in 25 trailblazer areas this year, which will be evaluated to inform the subsequent roll-out. The Department has put in place a small regional implementation team to work alongside NHS England to support delivery of the green paper commitments and lead and model effective partnership working for education and health.
The Government is also taking action to support specific vulnerable groups of children. In May 2016, Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission began inspecting local areas on their effectiveness in fulfilling the new duties on education, health and social care services to provide for children and young people who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). All 152 local areas in England will be inspected over a period of five years. The inspections are identifying how effectively access to mental health provision is working as part of the SEND provision locally.
The Department is also piloting new mental health assessments for looked-after children to ensure young people are assessed at the right time to support more effective access to mental health provision, with a focus on meeting their individual needs as they enter care.
Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make an assessment of the effect on children’s (a) wellbeing and (b) development of changes in the time available for break-time over the last 20 years.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Government has no plans to assess the impact of any changes in the length of school break times. Schools have the autonomy to make decisions about the structure and duration of their school day to suit their own circumstances. However, the Department is clear that pupils should be given an appropriate break and expects school leaders to make sure this happens.
The Government recognises the importance of physical activity in schools to improve physical and mental wellbeing and support attainment. The Department’s childhood obesity strategy reflects the Chief Medical Officer’s guidelines that primary age children should get at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity a day and the aim that 30 minutes of that should be during the school day.
Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his Department's policy is on social prescribing.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
‘Prevention is better than cure’, published by the Department in November 2018, highlighted the important role social prescribing can play in reducing people’s isolation and improving levels of activity.
As set out in the NHS Long Term Plan, NHS England has committed to deliver at least £4.5 billion of new investment in primary medical and community health services over the next five years. Part of this investment will support the recruitment of over 1,000 trained social prescribing link workers - in place by the end of 2020/21 rising further by 2023/24, with the aim that over 900,000 people are able to be referred to social prescribing schemes by then.
The Prevention document and the Long Term Plan can be found at the following links:
www.longtermplan.nhs.uk/publication/nhs-long-term-plan/
Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Prevention is better than cure vision published by his Department in November 2018, whether the forthcoming prevention Green Paper will include oral health.
Answered by Seema Kennedy
We are considering a number of policy options for the prevention green paper and will be mindful of oral health opportunities.
Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what steps he is taking in negotiations with his EU counterparts to ensure the UK’s continued membership of the European University Institute Convention.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Government has made clear that it values international exchange and collaboration. Officials in the Department for Exiting the EU and the Department for Education have met with the EUI to hold discussions to explore options to provide continuity and ensure UK students at the EUI can complete their studies.
Should Parliament approve the deal the Prime Minister has negotiated with the EU, the UK will continue to apply the terms of the EUI Convention for the duration of the implementation period. The UK’s rights and obligations under the Convention would continue during that period, in accordance with the Withdrawal Agreement. The Political Declaration sets out that we will establish general principles, terms and conditions for UK participation in EU programmes in areas of shared interest, and wider dialogues to allow us to share best practice and act together in our mutual interest. On this basis, we will explore with the European University Institute options for future participation in its activities and we will work to ensure that UK students at the EUI will be able to complete their studies.
Furthermore, UK universities will be able to continue to collaborate with the EUI in research projects even if the UK is no longer a member of the EUI Convention.
Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether it remains the Government’s assessment that the UK will automatically leave the European University Institute Convention on 29 March 2019.
Answered by Robin Walker
The European University Institute Convention (EUIC) is an agreement between the Member States of the European Union. After 29 March 2019, the United Kingdom will cease to be a Member State of the European Union and, as such, the UK’s membership of the EUIC will automatically cease. Should Parliament approve the deal the Prime Minister has negotiated with the EU, the UK will continue to apply the terms of the EUI Convention for the duration of the implementation period. The UK’s rights and obligations under the Convention would continue during that period, in accordance with the Withdrawal Agreement.
Officials in my department and in the Department for Education have met with the EUI to explore options for future participation in its activities and we will work to ensure that UK students at the EUI will be able to complete their studies. Furthermore, UK universities will be able to continue to collaborate with the EUI in research projects even if the UK is no longer a member of the EUI Convention.
Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure the continued effective patrolling of the (a) North Sea, (b) English Channel, (c) Western Approaches, (d) Bristol Channel and (e) Irish Sea; and what plans he has to increase the number of vessels based at the South Atlantic station.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The Royal Navy has a range of vessels that contribute to patrolling the waters of the UK. Those vessels are tasked to reflect the day to day operational demand, including supporting and working with Other Government Departments.
Force levels in the South Atlantic are regularly kept under review, and will be adjusted to meet the operational demand.
Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure the continued effective operation of the Fisheries Protection patrol in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
Ministry of Defence (MOD) officials are working closely with colleagues from across Government to manage the consequences of exiting the EU under a 'no deal' scenario. We firmly believe it is in the interests of both the EU and the UK to strike a deal.
That remains the goal on both sides and we are confident that this will be achieved. But it is the job of a responsible Government to prepare for all scenarios, so we have already carried out significant 'no deal' preparations for the unlikely event that we reach March 2019 without agreeing a deal.
As part of the Department's 2018-19 EU exit allocation from Her Majesty's Treasury, funding was provided to sustain an enhanced number of Offshore Patrol Vessels to ensure that the MOD has the ability to meet the anticipated additional Fisheries Protection requests from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs following the UK departure from the EU.
Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when (a) HMS Medway and (b) HMS Trent will be completed for deployment.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
As announced by the Secretary of State for Defence onboard HMS TYNE on 22 November 2018, the Royal Navy is expected to have all the Batch 2 Offshore Patrol Vessels, which includes HMS MEDWAY and HMS TRENT, by the end of 2020.