Asked by: Ben Bradley (Conservative - Mansfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps her Department has taken to improve learning outcomes for boys.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Government is committed to improving outcomes for all pupils no matter their gender, and raising attainment is a priority. The Government has successfully driven up standards over the past decade. In 2010, only 68% of schools were rated good or outstanding compared to 87% today.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, evidence from the Education Endowment Foundation, Star Assessments and Renaissance Learning shows attainment for all pupils, including boys, has fallen compared to pre-pandemic levels. In response to this, the Department is taking action to support schools, increasing core schools funding in the Autumn Statement 2022. The additional funding will mean that the core schools’ budget is a net £2 billion higher than published at the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021 in each of 2023/24 and 2024/25.
The Department continues to deliver the proposals set out in the Schools White Paper, which aim to improve outcomes for all pupils, including boys. This includes providing an excellent teacher for every pupil, securing high standards in curriculum, behaviour and attendance, and providing targeted support for every pupil who needs it.
For teachers, the Department remains committed to delivering £30,000 starting salaries to attract and retain the very best teachers. In addition, the Department will deliver 500,000 teacher training and development opportunities by the end of 2024 and has recently announced a £181 million incentive package for Initial Teacher Training. This package of support will secure more high quality teaching, which is the single most important in school factor on attainment.
The Department continues to promote the use of phonics and supports schools to offer a high quality, knowledge rich curriculum, both of which are critical to ensuring boys are able to achieve well in later life. In addition, the Government has established the Oak National Academy, setting aside up to £43 million over the next three years to support it to provide high quality resources to schools.
The Department continues to support schools through the Pupil Premium, National Tutoring Programme and Recovery Premium. More than £1 billion is available to support tutoring up to 2023/24, with a further £1 billion of Recovery Premium funding in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 academic years.
The Government remains committed to raising overall attainment, and reducing the number of pupils in underperforming schools, by creating a stronger and fairer school system. The Department will continue to support schools, trusts and authorities to deliver excellent outcomes for every pupil.
Asked by: Ben Bradley (Conservative - Mansfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department plans to take to improve learning outcomes for boys.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Government is committed to improving outcomes for all pupils no matter their gender, and raising attainment is a priority. The Government has successfully driven up standards over the past decade. In 2010, only 68% of schools were rated good or outstanding compared to 87% today.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, evidence from the Education Endowment Foundation, Star Assessments and Renaissance Learning shows attainment for all pupils, including boys, has fallen compared to pre-pandemic levels. In response to this, the Department is taking action to support schools, increasing core schools funding in the Autumn Statement 2022. The additional funding will mean that the core schools’ budget is a net £2 billion higher than published at the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021 in each of 2023/24 and 2024/25.
The Department continues to deliver the proposals set out in the Schools White Paper, which aim to improve outcomes for all pupils, including boys. This includes providing an excellent teacher for every pupil, securing high standards in curriculum, behaviour and attendance, and providing targeted support for every pupil who needs it.
For teachers, the Department remains committed to delivering £30,000 starting salaries to attract and retain the very best teachers. In addition, the Department will deliver 500,000 teacher training and development opportunities by the end of 2024 and has recently announced a £181 million incentive package for Initial Teacher Training. This package of support will secure more high quality teaching, which is the single most important in school factor on attainment.
The Department continues to promote the use of phonics and supports schools to offer a high quality, knowledge rich curriculum, both of which are critical to ensuring boys are able to achieve well in later life. In addition, the Government has established the Oak National Academy, setting aside up to £43 million over the next three years to support it to provide high quality resources to schools.
The Department continues to support schools through the Pupil Premium, National Tutoring Programme and Recovery Premium. More than £1 billion is available to support tutoring up to 2023/24, with a further £1 billion of Recovery Premium funding in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 academic years.
The Government remains committed to raising overall attainment, and reducing the number of pupils in underperforming schools, by creating a stronger and fairer school system. The Department will continue to support schools, trusts and authorities to deliver excellent outcomes for every pupil.
Asked by: Ben Bradley (Conservative - Mansfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to improve smokers’ awareness of reduced risk products other than vapes and e-cigarettes.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
The Government is taking a range of actions to improve smokers’ awareness of evidence-based alternatives to smoking. Evidence shows that nicotine replacement therapy along with behavioural support from a stop smoking service is the most effective way for a smoker to quit. The Government will continue to monitor evidence on other reduced risk products and their effectiveness in supporting quit attempts.
Asked by: Ben Bradley (Conservative - Mansfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken at the Conference of the Parties of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to lead that Conference's efforts to encourage smokers to switch to less harmful alternatives.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
The Government encourages adult smokers to switch to vapes as they are substantially less harmful than smoking. They can help adult smokers to quit, particularly when combined with additional support from local stop smoking services. They are an important tool in our ambition to be Smokefree by 2030.
The Government has regularly set out our position on vaping at the Conference of the Parties of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and will do so at the next conference in November 2023. The delegation will not agree to any decisions which would impact on our ability to make vapes available for smokers who wish to quit.
Asked by: Ben Bradley (Conservative - Mansfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of the Chesterfield and Staveley Regeneration Route.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Department has received an Outline Business Case (OBC) from Derbyshire County Council (DCC) in January 2023 for this scheme. Following an initial review by Department for Transport officials, a number of clarification questions have been raised with DCC. Once the Department receives their response, the assessment of the scheme, as required for all Major Road Network / Large Local Majors programme schemes at this stage of development, will be completed.
Asked by: Ben Bradley (Conservative - Mansfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is planning to take to support individuals affected by the Loan Charge in Mansfield constituency.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
HM Revenue and Customs is committed to, wherever possible, identifying taxpayers who need extra help and giving them the support they need.
HMRC can agree an affordable and sustainable instalment plan based on taxpayers’ specific circumstances and for as long as they need. These Time to Pay arrangements are flexible and can be amended if the customer’s circumstances change.
HMRC can also refer taxpayers for free debt advice that is independent from HMRC.
Taxpayers are supported by HMRC’s trained advisers, including dedicated Extra Support Teams. Where appropriate, HMRC will signpost taxpayers to voluntary and community organisations. HMRC remains committed to strengthening the customer support it provides. For example, HMRC's Extra Support Teams and Samaritans are working together to deliver an 18-month project. This includes providing additional guidance to identify taxpayers who might be in vulnerable circumstances, and signposting them, where needed, to a dedicated Samaritans helpline for specialist emotional help they may need.
Asked by: Ben Bradley (Conservative - Mansfield)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when the Government will make its decision on the renewal of local television licensing.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government recognises the important contribution and impact that local TV services make to our broadcasting ecosystem and for those across the UK, particularly in their role disseminating relevant news and engaging with local communities.
In the Broadcasting White Paper (April 2022), we announced our intention to make changes to the local TV licensing regime to enable the renewal of the local TV multiplex licence until 2034 and subject to the same conditions (including revocation power) that apply to the national multiplexes.
The Government also committed to consulting on the detailed arrangements for the renewal of the multiplex licence and conditions for renewal. The Government will publish that consultation in due course. We will consult on options for the renewal or relicensing of individual local TV services at the same time.
Asked by: Ben Bradley (Conservative - Mansfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to ukactive’s press released entitled Up to £57 million investment received for schools to open their sports facilities to support communities to be more active, published on 8 March, what steps (a) her Department is taking to deliver and (b) schools have to take to apply for that funding.
Answered by Nick Gibb
On 8 March 2023, the Department announced that up to £57 million has been allocated up to March 2025 for Phase 3 of the Opening School Facilities programme to allow selected schools around England to open their sports facilities in the evenings, at weekends and during the holidays.
The Department has awarded a contract to a consortium led by Active Partnerships, who are identifying schools across England where the funding will have a positive effect on getting the least active pupils and wider community users to participate in more sport.
Active Partnerships will support schools to create new partnerships with sport national governing bodies and local sport providers to broaden the extracurricular opportunities being delivered in the selected schools’ sports facilities.
The Department can confirm that in year one, Active Nottinghamshire have already identified 19 schools in Nottinghamshire to benefit from the programme.
Asked by: Ben Bradley (Conservative - Mansfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of indexing excise duties, including alcohol, tobacco and fuel duties, by average earnings rather than retail pricing.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
As with all taxes, the Government keeps excise duties under constant review and welcomes representations from stakeholders to inform policy development.
Asked by: Ben Bradley (Conservative - Mansfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to extend Bus Recovery Grant funding beyond March 31 2023.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Government has made available nearly £2 billion since March 2020, through emergency and recovery grants, to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic on the bus sector. This support is currently in place until the end of March 2023. The Department is actively considering its support for the bus sector from April 2023 and will set out further details shortly.