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Written Question
Herefordshire Children's Services: Standards
Friday 22nd March 2024

Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she plans to take to help improve the standard of service provided by Herefordshire Children's Services.

Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

In its inspection report, published 21 September 2022, Ofsted judged the overall effectiveness of Herefordshire Council’s children’s services to be inadequate.

There have been regular subsequent visits by Ofsted over the past 18 months, as well as two reports on the service by the Children’s Services Commissioner appointed following the inspection. All acknowledge progress, but challenge the pace at which change is being achieved.

The department is mounting a significant intervention to improve services, deploying the Commissioner and an improvement adviser to provide challenge and support, and brokering a comprehensive two-year improvement partnership with a stronger local authority, Leeds City Council.

Most recently the department has committed £300,000 this year and next to strengthen the delivery of early help arrangements so that a greater number of children and families can access help at an earlier stage and receive a more tailored response to that need.


Written Question
Herefordshire Children's Services: Standards
Friday 22nd March 2024

Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the performance of Herefordshire Children's Services relative to average national standards.

Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

In its inspection report, published 21 September 2022, Ofsted judged the overall effectiveness of Herefordshire Council’s children’s services to be inadequate.

There have been regular subsequent visits by Ofsted over the past 18 months, as well as two reports on the service by the Children’s Services Commissioner appointed following the inspection. All acknowledge progress, but challenge the pace at which change is being achieved.

The department is mounting a significant intervention to improve services, deploying the Commissioner and an improvement adviser to provide challenge and support, and brokering a comprehensive two-year improvement partnership with a stronger local authority, Leeds City Council.

Most recently the department has committed £300,000 this year and next to strengthen the delivery of early help arrangements so that a greater number of children and families can access help at an earlier stage and receive a more tailored response to that need.


Written Question
Herefordshire Children's Services
Friday 22nd March 2024

Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to provide further assistance to Herefordshire Children’s Services.

Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

In its inspection report, published 21 September 2022, Ofsted judged the overall effectiveness of Herefordshire Council’s children’s services to be inadequate.

There have been regular subsequent visits by Ofsted over the past 18 months, as well as two reports on the service by the Children’s Services Commissioner appointed following the inspection. All acknowledge progress, but challenge the pace at which change is being achieved.

The department is mounting a significant intervention to improve services, deploying the Commissioner and an improvement adviser to provide challenge and support, and brokering a comprehensive two-year improvement partnership with a stronger local authority, Leeds City Council.

Most recently the department has committed £300,000 this year and next to strengthen the delivery of early help arrangements so that a greater number of children and families can access help at an earlier stage and receive a more tailored response to that need.


Written Question
Farmers: Investment
Tuesday 19th March 2024

Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to enable full expensing for capital expenditure by farmers.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

At Autumn Statement 2023, the Chancellor announced that full expensing will be made permanent, allowing companies to claim 100% capital allowances on qualifying main rate plant and machinery investments. Full expensing is available to all incorporated companies, including farmers.

There are other generous capital allowances that are available to unincorporated businesses, including the Annual Investment Allowance. In Autumn 2022 it was permanently set at its highest ever level of £1 million a year.

The Annual Investment Allowance allows businesses to claim 100% capital allowances on qualifying main or special rate assets up to a total of £1 million per year.


Written Question
Hunting: South Africa
Monday 18th March 2024

Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has received recent representations from his counterpart in South Africa on the potential impact of his Department's legislative proposals on trophy hunting on that country.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Secretary of State has not received any representations from his international counterparts on the potential impact of the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Private Members’ Bill introduced by the Rt. Hon. Member for Warley.


Written Question
Hunting: Zimbabwe
Monday 18th March 2024

Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has received recent representations from his counterpart in Zimbabwe on the potential impact of his Department's legislative proposals on trophy hunting on that country.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Secretary of State has not received any representations from his international counterparts on the potential impact of the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Private Members’ Bill introduced by the Rt. Hon. Member for Warley.


Written Question
Hunting: Tanzania
Monday 18th March 2024

Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has received recent representations from his counterpart in Tanzania on the potential impact of his Department's legislative proposals on trophy hunting on that country.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Secretary of State has not received any representations from his international counterparts on the potential impact of the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Private Members’ Bill introduced by the Rt. Hon. Member for Warley.


Written Question
Hunting: Namibia
Monday 18th March 2024

Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has received recent representations from his counterpart in Namibia on the potential impact of his Department's legislative proposals on trophy hunting on that country.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Secretary of State has not received any representations from his international counterparts on the potential impact of the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Private Members’ Bill introduced by the Rt. Hon. Member for Warley.


Written Question
Hunting: Zambia
Monday 18th March 2024

Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has received recent representations from his counterpart in Zambia on the potential impact of his Department's legislative proposals on trophy hunting on that country.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Secretary of State has not received any representations from his international counterparts on the potential impact of the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Private Members’ Bill introduced by the Rt. Hon. Member for Warley.


Written Question
Hunting: Botswana
Monday 18th March 2024

Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has received recent representations from his counterpart in Botswana on the potential impact of his Department's legislative proposals on trophy hunting on that country.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Secretary of State has not received any representations from his international counterparts on the potential impact of the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Private Members’ Bill introduced by the Rt. Hon. Member for Warley.