Christopher Pincher Portrait

Christopher Pincher

Independent - Former Member for Tamworth

First elected: 6th May 2010


Christopher Pincher is not a member of any APPGs
Committee of Selection
22nd Feb 2022 - 13th Jul 2022
Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
9th Feb 2022 - 30th Jun 2022
Minister of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
19th Sep 2021 - 9th Feb 2022
Building Safety Bill
9th Sep 2021 - 26th Oct 2021
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
13th Feb 2020 - 19th Sep 2021
Minister of State (Foreign and Commonwealth Office)
25th Jul 2019 - 13th Feb 2020
Selection Committee
11th Jan 2018 - 4th Sep 2019
Committee of Selection
11th Jan 2018 - 4th Sep 2019
Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
9th Jan 2018 - 25th Jul 2019
Committee of Selection
12th Sep 2017 - 14th Nov 2017
Selection Committee
12th Sep 2017 - 14th Nov 2017
Comptroller (HM Household) (Whip, House of Commons)
15th Jun 2017 - 5th Nov 2017
Assistant Whip (HM Treasury)
17th Jul 2016 - 15th Jun 2017
Regulatory Reform
12th Oct 2015 - 16th Jan 2017
Energy and Climate Change Committee
12th Jul 2010 - 30th Mar 2015
Armed Forces Bill Committee
17th Jan 2011 - 8th Mar 2011


Division Voting information

Christopher Pincher has voted in 2395 divisions, and 14 times against the majority of their Party.

23 Jan 2018 - Electoral Commission - View Vote Context
Christopher Pincher voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 32 Conservative Aye votes vs 40 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 46 Noes - 77
11 Mar 2015 - Ark Pension Schemes - View Vote Context
Christopher Pincher voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 103 Conservative No votes vs 122 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 367 Noes - 113
27 Oct 2014 - Recall of MPs Bill - View Vote Context
Christopher Pincher voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 110 Conservative Aye votes vs 135 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 166 Noes - 340
28 Apr 2014 - High Speed Rail (London – West Midlands) Bill - View Vote Context
Christopher Pincher voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 31 Conservative Aye votes vs 221 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 50 Noes - 451
28 Apr 2014 - High Speed Rail (London – West Midlands) Bill - View Vote Context
Christopher Pincher voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 25 Conservative No votes vs 220 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 452 Noes - 41
10 Feb 2014 - Children and Families Bill - View Vote Context
Christopher Pincher voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 99 Conservative No votes vs 127 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 376 Noes - 107
26 Jun 2013 - High Speed Rail (Preparation) Bill - View Vote Context
Christopher Pincher voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 16 Conservative No votes vs 199 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 330 Noes - 27
20 May 2013 - Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill - View Vote Context
Christopher Pincher voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 48 Conservative No votes vs 139 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 391 Noes - 57
20 May 2013 - Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill - View Vote Context
Christopher Pincher voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 56 Conservative Aye votes vs 136 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 70 Noes - 375
5 Feb 2013 - Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill - View Vote Context
Christopher Pincher voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 131 Conservative Aye votes vs 139 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 400 Noes - 175
10 Jul 2012 - House of Lords Reform Bill - View Vote Context
Christopher Pincher voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 89 Conservative No votes vs 192 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 462 Noes - 124
13 Oct 2011 - Procedure Committee Reports - View Vote Context
Christopher Pincher voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 43 Conservative Aye votes vs 124 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 63 Noes - 206
7 Sep 2011 - Health and Social Care (Re-committed) Bill - View Vote Context
Christopher Pincher voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 94 Conservative Aye votes vs 115 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 118 Noes - 368
15 Jun 2010 - Backbench Business Committee - View Vote Context
Christopher Pincher voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 75 Conservative Aye votes vs 188 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 171 Noes - 263
View All Christopher Pincher Division Votes

All Debates

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Mike Amesbury (Labour)
Shadow Minister (Levelling Up, Housing, Communities and Local Government)
(83 debate interactions)
Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton (Conservative)
Foreign Secretary
(58 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
HM Treasury
(95 debate contributions)
Leader of the House
(81 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
Legislation Debates
Building Safety Act 2022
(7,827 words contributed)
Business and Planning Act 2020
(4,954 words contributed)
Fire Safety Bill 2019-21
(3,641 words contributed)
Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022
(1,500 words contributed)
View All Legislation Debates
View all Christopher Pincher's debates

Tamworth Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Petition Debates Contributed

The government of Brazil led by Bolsonaro favour the development of the Amazon rainforest over conservation, escalating deforestation. Deforestation threatens indigenous populations who live in the forest, loss of a precious and complex ecosystem and a vital carbon store that slows global warming.


Latest EDMs signed by Christopher Pincher

Christopher Pincher has not signed any Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Christopher Pincher, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Christopher Pincher has not been granted any Urgent Questions

1 Adjournment Debate led by Christopher Pincher

Tuesday 1st April 2014

Christopher Pincher has not introduced any legislation before Parliament

Christopher Pincher has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
6 Other Department Questions
10th Jun 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what her policy is on the future of the Renewables Obligation Scheme.

The Renewables Obligation (RO) has been the main financial mechanism since 2002 for incentivising deployment of large-scale renewable electricity generation in the UK. It has succeeded in increasing amounts of renewable capacity from 3.1GW in 2002 to 24.2 GW in 2014, and increasing the level of renewable electricity in the UK from 1.8% in 2002 to 19.2% in 2014 [1].

The RO closes to new capacity on 31 March 2017 as we transition to the Contract for Difference (CfD) regime which is capable of providing support for low-carbon generation in a more cost-effective way. However, to drive forward delivery of our manifesto pledge to end new subsidies for onshore wind, we announced on 18 June plans to introduce primary legislation to close the RO to new onshore wind projects from 1st April 2016 – a year earlier than planned. In order to control costs, we also closed the RO to solar capacity of 5MW and over in April this year.

[1]Figures for 2014 are provisional. Source ‘Energy Trends’ (March 2015).

Andrea Leadsom
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
20th Feb 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps his Department has taken with Ofgem to achieve a Price Average Reference (PAR) of 1MWh in future Capacity Market auctions; and when he expects that PAR to be implemented.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to Question 224767.

Under their Electricity Balancing Significant Code Review, Ofgem have committed to implement a 1MWh Price Average Reference (PAR) measure for imbalance (“cash out”) prices. Although this does not relate directly to the Capacity Market, Ofgem intend to implement changes to cash out ahead of 2018/19:

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/87782/electricitybalancingsignificantcodereview-finalpolicydecision.pdf.

It is likely that expected changes to the Price Average Reference will already have been factored into Capacity Market auction bids.

20th Feb 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect on consumers' electricity bills of reducing the Price Average Reference to 1MWh by 2018.

The information requested is a matter for Ofgem.

20th Feb 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of reducing the Price Average Reference to 1MWh by 2018 on the cost of running future Capacity Market auctions.

Under their Electricity Balancing Significant Code Review, Ofgem have committed to implementing a move to a 1MWh Price Average Reference (PAR) measure by 2018/19, the first delivery year by the Capacity Market:

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/87782/electricitybalancingsignificantcodereview-finalpolicydecision.pdf.

It is therefore expected that this modification has been already factored into Capacity Market auction bids, by current and potential future participants.

Other things being equal, a more cost-reflective wholesale electricity price would be expected to lower bids in the CM; greater revenues earned through the electricity market would offset revenues sought via the Capacity Market. Please see Ofgem’s Impact Assessment on implementation of EBSCR changes for further details:

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/87787/electricitybalancingsignificantcodereview-finalpolicydecisionimpactassessment.pdf.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many of his Department's (a) officials and (b) senior officials working on the development of the Energy Act 2013 left the Department in (i) 2012, (ii) 2013 and (iii) since 18 December 2013.

The number of Civil Servants who were leading on the development of the Energy Act 2013 for the Department of Energy and Climate Change and who have subsequently left the department permanently are shown in the table below.

Year

Number

1 January – 31 December 2012

Nil

1 January – 17 December 2013

7

18 December 2013 – 28 February 2014

3

There were other Civil Servants who contributed to various aspects of the development but were not part of the core team. We do not hold central records of these people and to contact line managers for this information would incur disproportionate costs.

18th Oct 2022
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an estimate of the number of public houses in rural areas that have closed in the latest period for which data is available; and what steps his Department is taking to help support rural public houses.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon. Member's Parliamentary Question of 18 October is attached.

Chris Philp
Minister of State (Home Office)
12th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of granting deep sea mining licences on deep sea marine life.

The UK is continuing to develop a better understanding of the impacts of deep-sea mining. Through Government sponsorship of academic research and existing exploration licences, over 70 peer-reviewed publications supporting a greater understanding of environmental issues have already been produced, with more to come. We have also commissioned an independent evidence review into the potential risks and benefits of deep-sea mining, and this has been published in line with our commitment to transparency and developing the global evidence base in relation to deep-sea mining.

Further and detailed environmental impact assessments would be required in advance of any exploitation licence being issued by the UK.

Nusrat Ghani
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade) (jointly with the Cabinet Office)
6th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when the delayed Alternative Fuel Payment will be paid to recipients; and if he will make a statement.

Most eligible households will start to receive the Alternative Fuel payment (AFP) automatically via their electricity supplier which begun 6 February. Payments are expected to be completed within February - although this will depend on customers’ suppliers and how they pay their bills. Delivery mirrors the methods used to provide support under the government’s other energy bill support schemes. Most households will not need to take any action to receive the support.

A small proportion of households will need to apply for the AFP. These households will be able to do so in February, through a GOV.UK portal which will include an overview of eligibility and what applicants need to do to apply for support.

Graham Stuart
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
23rd Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the sustainable warmth scheme competition held in 2021; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of repeating the competition for local authorities to win funds to help insulate energy inefficient homes in 2023.

Sustainable Warmth projects from 2021 are currently in delivery and Local Authorities (LAs) have until 31 March 2023 to complete these projects. The Government monitors delivery through monthly reporting scheme delivery data. Once the scheme concludes, the Government will carry out an evaluation of its impact.

The Sustainable Warmth competition was given a finite period for delivery and will not be repeated in the same form for 2023. Several policies are available enabling LAs to access funding for energy efficiency beyond March 2023 including £1.5bn through the Home Upgrade Grant and Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. The Energy Company Obligation scheme also allows LAs to refer households to energy suppliers for energy efficiency upgrades.

Graham Stuart
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
4th Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2022 to Question 62806 on Cannabis: Medical Treatments, with reference to the Government's Life Sciences Vision, published 6 July 2021, if he will make an assessment of the compatibility of the decision not to assess the potential economic merits of establishing a British-based medical cannabis industry with the UK's aspiration to be the world leader for the development, testing, access and uptake of new and innovative treatments and technologies; and if he will make a statement.

In developing the UK's Life Science Vision we have conducted wide engagement across the sector, including those involved with a wide range of therapeutic modalities, to understand matters of regulation, access and uptake of new products.

The Government is confident that it’s broad based strategy, focussed on improving the competitiveness of every aspect of the UK Life Science environment, is the correct approach, and will enhance the UK’s competitiveness across all therapeutic modalities.

As part of BEIS work on regulation for innovation we are reviewing the TIGRR report and will be continuing delivery plans in due course.

3rd Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to his Department's policy paper entitled Life Science Vision, published on 6 July 2021, what discussions he has had with representatives of the domestic medical cannabis sector on the speed of uptake of proven products and potential barriers to the spread of new technologies.

We developed the Life Sciences Vision with wide engagement across the sector, including those involved with a wide range of therapeutic modalities. As part of this we considered carefully matters of regulation, access and uptake of new products – but not specifically with medicinal cannabis producers. We were careful to consider wider work on this issue, including the Taskforce on Innovation, Growth and Regulatory Reform report.

2nd Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the (a) adequacy of the UK's oil refining capacity and (b) potential opportunities for refining (i) bio oils and (ii) other greener products.

The UK remains well-supplied from a diverse range of sources and refining capacity is assessed as adequate. UK demand for diesel is met by a combination of domestic production and imports. There is an oversupply of petrol and the UK is a net exporter. BEIS continually monitors the fuel supply market to remain aware of current supply levels and publishes weekly national average forecourt stock levels. All UK refinery operators are in the process of exploring opportunities to move to greener products and transition towards the Government’s net zero target.

Graham Stuart
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
2nd Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of (a) the implications for his policies of rising energy costs for park homes and (b) the potential merits of providing support for park home residents with installing insulation.

The Government has announced an unprecedented package of support to help households with the cost of living crisis. This includes support of £400 for energy bills for households who do not have a domestic electricity meter or a direct relationship with an energy supplier, such as park home residents. The Government is working with a range of organisations to finalise the details of the Alternative Funding and have the process up and running for applications this winter. Park homes are eligible for support with insulation from the Energy Company Obligation and Sustainable Warmth scheme.

Graham Stuart
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
2nd Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the BBC on ensuring that (a) all Licence Payers and (b) pensioners receive value for money.

DCMS Ministers meet with the BBC regularly to discuss a range of issues, including how the BBC is delivering value for money. The BBC’s Mission makes clear the BBC has a duty to serve all audiences and the government expects the BBC to ensure its substantial licence fee income is used to deliver value for all licence fee payers, including pensioners.

The NAO is responsible for auditing the BBC accounts and ensuring value for money in the way the BBC uses its funds. This ensures that there is appropriate scrutiny of how the BBC spends its public funding.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
2nd Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the Project Gigabit broadband rural rollout; and what steps she is taking to ensure that rural communities in (a) England and (b) Staffordshire benefit from the programme.

We are making excellent progress with Project Gigabit. By the end of March 2022, we had delivered gigabit-capable broadband to 741,000 premises, ahead of our target of 720,000 premises. Combined with commercial gigabit delivery, we are on track to hit our target of 85 per cent UK gigabit coverage by 2025.

We have now launched procurements with a value of over £700 million to deliver gigabit connections to hard-to-reach homes and businesses across the UK, and we recently signed our first contracts in North Dorset, Teesdale and North Northumberland.

In Staffordshire, almost 500 premises have benefitted from our gigabit broadband voucher scheme, which provides a subsidy for eligible homes and businesses towards the cost of installing gigabit-capable broadband. More than 320 additional premises are awaiting completion, for a combined total of over £1.9 million of support. Staffordshire County Council has also committed £1 million in top-up funding to support the delivery of vouchers across the county, providing an additional £2,000 for eligible premises experiencing speeds below 30Mbps.

Building Digital UK’s recent market engagement did not identify sufficient supplier interest in the planned regional procurement for Staffordshire at this time. This procurement has been deferred and BDUK is now working on an additional procurement approach to deliver gigabit connectivity to hard-to-reach parts of Staffordshire.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
5th Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing capital funding to support the establishment of local art galleries including in Tamworth.

The Government’s position towards the creation of new museums, as set out in the action plan following The Mendoza Review: an independent review of museums in England, is that public funding should only support the creation of new museums in areas and communities with a demonstrable need for them. Instead we have focused on investment in existing museums and galleries through capital programmes such as the DCMS / Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund and the Museum Estate and Development Fund, and our direct sponsorship of fifteen museum arm’s length bodies (encompassing 48 museum sites).

Arts Council England is our arm’s-length body providing wider support and funding for museums and galleries, and its Museum Development services can provide guidance to organisations on how to open a new museum. They can help develop thinking on how the proposed museum fits within the ecology of arts, culture and heritage in the local area, including determining the scale and interest of the potential audience, and advise on potential avenues for capital funding.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
11th Jan 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of access to school (a) playgrounds, (b) playing fields and (c) play areas for children with disabilities; and what steps she is taking to increase that access.

The department does not collect information on the adequacy of access to school playgrounds, school playing fields, or school play areas for children with disabilities. The department has published area guidelines for schools in Building Bulletin 103, and specific guidance for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) schools and alternative provision (AP) sites in Building Bulletin 104. These documents include guidance and expectations around size, type, and design of outdoor PE space, informal and social areas, and the use of habitat areas.

Schools must also comply with their duties under the Equality Act 2010. This includes making reasonable adjustments and carrying out accessibility planning for disabled pupils. Schools must prepare and implement accessibility plans, which should include plans for improving the physical environment of schools to enable disabled pupils to take better advantage of education, benefits, facilities, and services provided. Ofsted may review a school’s accessibility plan as part of school inspections.

In March 2022, the department announced High Needs Provision Capital Allocations (HNPCA) amounting to over £1.4 billion of new investment. This funding is to support local authorities to deliver new places for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years, and to improve the suitability and accessibility of existing provision for children and young people with SEND or who require AP.

It is ultimately up to local authorities to determine how to best prioritise their funding to address their local priorities, including improving the accessibility of school play areas. Local authorities can work with any school in their local area to do so.

Claire Coutinho
Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
19th Dec 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of teacher training for identifying pupil eating disorders; and if she will introduce an eating disorder toolkit for teachers.

The Department is committed to ensuring teachers have the appropriate knowledge, skills, and resources they need to promote and support mental health and wellbeing, including being able to identify the potential early signs of an eating disorder.

The Department has published guidance and signposting to external sources of mental health and wellbeing support for teachers and others in contact with children and young people, which includes sources of help and advice for children and young people suffering with an eating disorder. This information can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mental-health-and-wellbeing-support-in-schools-and-colleges.

To support the effective use of training and guidance on supporting and promoting mental health in schools, including identifying need, the Department is funding all schools and colleges in England to train senior mental health leads who can put in place whole school approaches to mental health and wellbeing. This approach should encompass robust processes for identifying students, or specific groups, who need additional mental health support. Two thirds of schools and colleges will have been able to access funding by April 2023, backed by £10 million in the 2022/23 financial year.

There are also currently 287 mental health support teams in place in around 4,700 schools and colleges across the country, offering support to children experiencing common mental health issues and with the potential to spot eating disorders early on. These teams now cover 26% of pupils, a year earlier than originally planned. This will increase to 399 teams, covering around 35% of pupils, by April 2023 with over 500 planned to be up and running by 2024.

It is important to recognise teachers are not mental health professionals and should not be expected to diagnose mental health issues. If a child or young person is suffering with an eating disorder or problem, evidence-based treatment should be accessed via their general practitioner or local Psychological Therapies services.

2nd Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of access to school play areas for children with disabilities; and what plans she has to improve access for disabled children.

The department does not collect information on the adequacy of access to school play areas for children with disabilities. The department publishes area guidelines for schools in Building Bulletin 103: Area Guidelines for Mainstream Schools, and specific guidance for special educational needs and disability (SEND) schools and alternative provision (AP) sites in Building Bulletin 104: Area Guidelines for SEND and alternative provision, which can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/905692/BB103_Area_Guidelines_for_Mainstream_Schools.pdf and here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/905693/BB104.pdf.

These documents include guidance and expectations around size, type, and design of outdoor PE space, informal and social areas, and the use of habitat areas.

Schools must also comply with their duties under the Equality Act 2010, including making reasonable adjustments and carrying out accessibility planning for disabled pupils. Schools must prepare and implement accessibility plans which should include plans for improving the physical environment of schools to enable disabled pupils to take better advantage of education, benefits, facilities and services provided. Ofsted may review a school’s accessibility plan as part of school inspections.

In March 2022 the department announced High Needs Provision Capital Allocations amounting to over £1.4 billion of new investment. This funding is to support local authorities to deliver new places for academic years 2023/24 and 2024/25, and improve the suitability and accessibility of existing provision for children and young people with SEND or who require AP. It is ultimately up to local authorities to determine how to best prioritise their funding to address their local priorities, including improving the accessibility of school play areas, and they can work with any school in their local area to do so.

Claire Coutinho
Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
6th Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps his Department has taken to help support the building of leadership skills for school management in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools.

The Department is creating a world-class teacher development system by transforming the training and support teachers and headteachers receive at every stage of their career.

Each career stage is underpinned by evidenced-based frameworks that set out what teachers will learn and know after completing the programme. The frameworks build on and complement one another and have been independently reviewed by the Education Endowment Foundation to ensure they draw on the best available evidence of high-quality teaching and school leadership.

This ‘golden thread’ of high-quality support and training begins with Initial Teacher Training based on the new ITT Core Content Framework, progresses through an extended free training entitlement over the first 2 years of a teacher’s career through the Early Career Framework reforms and leads to our suite of National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) which support teachers and headteachers to develop their leadership skills at each stage of their career. This golden thread helps establish strong professional development cultures both within individual schools and across the country, elevating the quality of teaching and leadership and ultimately improving pupil outcomes. In addition, we continue to fund the High Potential Initial Teacher Training and Leadership Development Programme (HPITT), delivered by Teach First which aims to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils by recruiting, placing and training outstanding graduates and experienced professionals in disadvantaged schools.

The suite of NPQs includes four leadership qualifications that support professionals to develop the knowledge, behaviours, and networks they need to be a high-performing teacher at different levels. The Early Headship Coaching offer is also available to professionals in their first five years in headship. This offer is a targeted support package which provides structured unassessed support based on the best available evidence about what makes an effective headteacher.

As part of the Government’s long-term education recovery plan, £184 million of new funding will enable 150,000 education professionals employed at state-funded organisations across the sector to access fully funded training scholarships for NPQs. This support will be available in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 academic years to help more professionals than ever before to access the qualifications.

The Department also announced on 26 May 2022 that the School-Led Development Trust would establish the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT). The NIoT will be an exemplary provider of our teacher development programmes, including NPQs and the National Leaders of Education programmes, ensuring high quality support to struggling and vulnerable schools by raising standards and building their leadership capacity. It will also utilise cutting-edge research and disseminate best practice to further improve the quality of teacher and leadership training nationwide.

5th Sep 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will increase transport provision for children with SEND requirements who live within three miles of their schools and are over 8 years old.

The government’s home to school transport policy aims to ensure that no child is unable to access education because of a lack of transport. Local authorities must provide free home to school transport for children of compulsory school age who attend their nearest suitable school and live beyond the statutory walking distance (2 miles for children under 8, and 3 miles for children aged 8 and over) or live within the walking distance but would not be able to walk there because of their special educational needs or disability, or because the route is unsafe.

A child who attends their nearest suitable school and would not be able to walk there because of their special educational needs or disability will be eligible for free home to school transport even if they live less than the statutory walking distance from their school. Where a child has an education, health and care plan, the school named in the plan will usually be considered to be their nearest suitable school for transport purposes. Home to school travel and transport guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/home-to-school-travel-and-transport-guidance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what education funding per pupil was in (a) Staffordshire and (b) Brent in each year since 2009-10.

The total per pupil revenue funding figures for financial years 2009-10 to 2012-13 for Staffordshire and Brent are provided in the table below.The figures are for all funded pupils aged 3-15 and are in cash terms:

Average revenue per pupil funding
(Dedicated schools grant (DSG) + grants cash £)

2009-10

2010-11

2011-12

2012-13

Staffordshire

4,460

4,720

4,650

4,650

Brent

5,990

6,280

6,240

6,240


Notes:

1. For financial years 2009 to 2011 this covers funding through the dedicated schools grant, school standards grant, school standards grant (personalisation) and standards fund; it excludes grants which are not allocated at local authority level.

2. Figures have been rounded to the nearest £10.

3. In financial year 2011 to 2012, most separate grants were mainstreamed in to the DSG. The exceptions were grants that were time-limited and planned to end in financial year 2010 to 2011.

4. Figures do not include pupil premium. Details of which are shown separately.

5.The DSG plus grants figures for financial years 2009-10 to 2010-11 do not include funding from the Young People's Learning Agency to ensure that figures are on the basis of funding for pupils aged 3 to 15 and are comparable with figures for financial years 2011-12 to 2012-13.

6. Sources: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20131216163513/http:/www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/financialmanagement/schoolsrevenuefunding

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20131216163513/http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/financialmanagement/schoolsrevenuefunding/archive/a0014213/dedicated-schools-grant-allocations-for-2008-11


The DSG plus grants figures for financial years 2009-10 to 2010-11 do not include funding from the Young People's Learning Agency to ensure that figures are on the basis of funding for pupils aged 3 to 15 and are comparable with figures for financial years 2011-12 to 2012-13.

In financial year 2013-14, the DSG was reformed to allocate funding to local authorities in three blocks (schools, early years and high needs) and so figures are not comparable to previous years. The schools block per pupil unit of funding (SBUF), which does not cover funding for early years or high needs, was £4,310 for Staffordshire and £5,066 for Brent. The early years block per pupil units of funding in 2013-14 were £3,515 for Staffordshire and £5,930 for Brent. In 2013-14, high needs funding was no longer allocated on a per-pupil basis. However total high needs block funding for the year was £57.483 million for Staffordshire and £53.7 million for Brent.

In addition, since financial year 2011-12 schools have received pupil premium per qualifying pupil, which targets funding at pupils from the most deprived backgrounds to help them achieve their full potential. In 2012-13, coverage was expanded to include pupils known to have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years. The amounts per pupil for each type of pupil are shown in following table in cash terms:



Pupil premium per pupil (£)

2011-2012

2012-2013

2013-2014

Free school meal secondary pupils and looked-after children

488

623

900

Free school meal primary pupil

488

623

953

Service children

200

250

300

11th Jan 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she will take to ensure water companies provide adequate plant and technology to abstract polluting nitrates from watercourses.

The Government is taking action to ensure that the water industry tackles nitrogen pollution.

A large programme of monitoring has been undertaken to establish whether elevated nitrogen is giving rise to eutrophication in estuaries and coastal waters that exceed their numerical nitrogen standards. Where this is the case, water companies have been required to put in place more stringent nutrient removal treatment at wastewater treatment works. This can see the level of nitrate in wastewater effluent reduced by 70-80%.

This investment forms part of the total £2.5 billion that water companies are investing in measures to reduce nutrient pollution (nitrogen and phosphorus) from 2020 to 2025.

Beyond this, the Government has introduced new provisions to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill that will place a new statutory duty on water and sewerage companies in England to upgrade wastewater treatment works to the highest technically achievable limits by 2030 in areas currently under nutrient neutrality advice. This will see further investment at wastewater treatment works discharging to areas of the country particularly impacted by nitrogen and phosphorus pollution.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
4th Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of plastic and tin deposit return schemes; and when she plans to set out the Government's position on such schemes.

In its 2019 manifesto, the Government committed to introduce a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers. We expect the introduction of a DRS to deter littering of in-scope containers; increase recycling of in-scope containers; provide higher quality recyclate for reprocessors; and change consumer behaviours with potential knock-on effects to other environmental activities. Further details on when a Deposit Return Scheme will be introduced will be set out in due course in the Government consultation response.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
3rd Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of (a) the effectiveness of CCTV cameras in tackling fly tipping and (b) the adequacy of support available to help local authorities obtain CCTV footage in roadside areas.

This year, as part of the Fly-Tipping Interventions grant scheme, we provided over £450,000 across 11 councils to help them implement a range of measures to tackle fly-tipping.

Many of the projects are utilising CCTV to support enforcement activity, such as Artificial Intelligence enabled CCTV and the integration of CCTV with a digital education tool. Initial feedback from these projects is positive and case studies will be made available on the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group website in due course.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
2nd Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the (a) national water infrastructure and (b) steps being taken by water companies to reduce leaks.

HM Government recognises the need to improve the resilience of our water supplies and is committed to a twin track approach to improving water resilience. This involves investing in new supply infrastructure and action to reduce water company leaks and improve water efficiency.

The National Framework for Water Resources, published in March 2020, sets out the strategic water needs for England to 2050 and beyond. The Framework sets out how we will reduce demand, halve leakage rates, develop new water supply infrastructure, move water to where itis needed, increase drought resilience of water supplies, and reduce the need for drought measures.

Before the end of this year, water companies will publish their statutory draft Water Resources Management Plans for consultation, that will set out how they will improve drought resilience, secure water supplies, reduce leakage and improve water efficiency in the long term.

HM Government expects water companies to take action to reduce levels of leakage and has consistently challenged them on their performance. Water companies have committed to a government endorsed target to reduce leakage by 50% sector-wide by 2050. As a first step, Ofwat has set requirements for water companies to cut leaks by 16% and reduce mains bursts by 12% by 2025. In July, Ofwat reported that industry wide leakage has reduced by 11% since 2017-18.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
2nd Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether any (a) financial incentive and (b) other support is available to farmers for clearing (i) drainage ditches and (ii) storm drains with the aim of reducing flood risk on (A) their land, (B) public land and (C) community areas.

All farmers and land managers are encouraged to manage the land in a way that supports and enhances the environment whilst reducing impacts on others, such as climate risks.

Where this is a watercourse, they are known as riparian landowners and are required, under common law, to keep the watercourse clear of anything which could cause an obstruction to the flow of water on their land, or downstream if washed away. This includes maintenance of the bed and banks, as well as any trees or shrubs growing on the banks. They must also ensure that any structures such as culverts, trash screens, and mill gates are cleared of debris and allow the flow of water.

In addition, landowners and/or occupiers owe a duty of care to their neighbours, undertaking those works that readily lie within their capability and their means to limit any potential flood impact on neighbouring land or buildings. In some circumstances the beneficiaries of any work may be reasonably expected to contribute towards the costs.

HM Government is introducing 3 new schemes that reward environmental land management: the Sustainable Farming Incentive, Local Nature Recovery and Landscape Recovery schemes. Through these schemes, farmers and other land managers will be supported to improve the environment and help manage environmental hazards, such as flood risk.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
24th Mar 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many tonnes of air pollution control residues were recovered into end-of-waste products in 2015; into what types of products those residues were returned back into the environment; how those products can be traced in case of recall; and what estimate she has made of the number of tonnes of air pollution control residues that will be recovered into end-of-waste products in 2016.

We do not collect statistics relating to materials that meet end of waste criteria. We do not hold information on the number of tonnes of air pollution residues recovered into end of waste products, nor have we made predictions for 2016. We provide opinions on whether materials have met end of waste or not when requested by companies. If a material ceases to be waste the Environment Agency has no further role regarding the regulation or monitoring of that non waste product.

24th Mar 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, upon what criteria she plans to decide whether to remove the derogation in the Waste Framework Directive which currently allows air pollution control residues, which have been recovered from municipal waste to energy incineration facilities, to be treated and disposed to hazardous landfill sites.

The derogation to allow the landfilling of air pollution control residues that are three times above normal waste acceptance criteria was originally granted because there was a lack of alternative treatment capacity at the time to either treat certain wastes to levels meeting normal waste acceptance limits, to treat the wastes via alternative treatment technologies or to recycle or recover the residues. The availability of sufficient alternative treatment capacity and the costs of that treatment are therefore the two central criteria that the government will use to decide whether or not to remove the derogation.

The Government is making an assessment of the quantity of air pollution control residues produced at energy from waste facilities to inform its decision on whether or not to remove the derogation to allow the landfilling of air pollution control residues that are three times above normal waste acceptance criteria. These figures will be available following the announcement of that decision.

The Government is making an assessment of the costs of the different forms of treatment for air pollution control residues, including their mixing into concrete blocks and their disposal to hazardous waste landfill, to inform its decision on whether or not to remove the derogation to allow the landfilling of air pollution control residues that are three times above normal waste acceptance criteria. These figures will be available following the announcement of that decision.

24th Mar 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will estimate the costs to local authorities of (a) mixing a tonne of air pollution control residues into concrete blocks and (b) disposing of a tonne of air pollution control residues to secure hazardous waste landfill.

The derogation to allow the landfilling of air pollution control residues that are three times above normal waste acceptance criteria was originally granted because there was a lack of alternative treatment capacity at the time to either treat certain wastes to levels meeting normal waste acceptance limits, to treat the wastes via alternative treatment technologies or to recycle or recover the residues. The availability of sufficient alternative treatment capacity and the costs of that treatment are therefore the two central criteria that the government will use to decide whether or not to remove the derogation.

The Government is making an assessment of the quantity of air pollution control residues produced at energy from waste facilities to inform its decision on whether or not to remove the derogation to allow the landfilling of air pollution control residues that are three times above normal waste acceptance criteria. These figures will be available following the announcement of that decision.

The Government is making an assessment of the costs of the different forms of treatment for air pollution control residues, including their mixing into concrete blocks and their disposal to hazardous waste landfill, to inform its decision on whether or not to remove the derogation to allow the landfilling of air pollution control residues that are three times above normal waste acceptance criteria. These figures will be available following the announcement of that decision.

24th Mar 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish the (a) most recent environmental risk assessment for bound use of air pollution control residues in concrete blocks, (b) exposure levels of dioxins and heavy metals in the air when the blocks were cut, drilled or crushed in buildings and (c) scientific methodology used for measuring these levels.

In 2012 the Environment Agency’s Definition of Waste panel gave a positive end of waste opinion to the company Carbon8 for the use of air pollution control residues in concrete blocks. The company’s submission included their own risk assessment for safety and environmental impacts. We have not published, and do not intend to publish, information on the risks or the methodology relating to the binding of air pollution control residues in concrete blocks.

24th Mar 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many tonnes of air pollution control residues were captured at municipal energy from waste incineration facilities in 2015; and what estimate she has made of the total tonnes of air pollution control residues that will be generated by municipal energy from waste incineration facilities in 2016.

The derogation to allow the landfilling of air pollution control residues that are three times above normal waste acceptance criteria was originally granted because there was a lack of alternative treatment capacity at the time to either treat certain wastes to levels meeting normal waste acceptance limits, to treat the wastes via alternative treatment technologies or to recycle or recover the residues. The availability of sufficient alternative treatment capacity and the costs of that treatment are therefore the two central criteria that the government will use to decide whether or not to remove the derogation.

The Government is making an assessment of the quantity of air pollution control residues produced at energy from waste facilities to inform its decision on whether or not to remove the derogation to allow the landfilling of air pollution control residues that are three times above normal waste acceptance criteria. These figures will be available following the announcement of that decision.

The Government is making an assessment of the costs of the different forms of treatment for air pollution control residues, including their mixing into concrete blocks and their disposal to hazardous waste landfill, to inform its decision on whether or not to remove the derogation to allow the landfilling of air pollution control residues that are three times above normal waste acceptance criteria. These figures will be available following the announcement of that decision.

21st Jan 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans the Government has to improve protection for ancient woodland in (a) England and (b) Staffordshire.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requires that planning permission should be refused for any proposed development resulting in the loss or deterioration of ancient woodland unless the need for and benefits of the development in that location clearly outweigh the loss.

The Government is considering the recent recommendations of the Communities and Local Government Select Committee on the NPPF, including those on revising the wording relating to ancient woodlands and the potential for designating more ancient woodlands as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). We will respond in due course. However, Natural England is working on identifying further ancient woodland suitable for designation as SSSI.

21st Jan 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support her Department is giving to Natural England for its work to update the Ancient Woodland Inventory in (a) England and (b) Staffordshire.

The Government provides funding and other support to Natural England to enable it to pursue its statutory functions and other responsibilities. This includes the work that it is currently undertaking with partners to update and improve the Ancient Woodland Inventory. The Inventory currently identifies all ancient woodlands in England larger than two hectares, and the majority of those in the south east that are less than two hectares as well. It is hoped that in time the Inventory will cover ancient woodlands of less than two hectares across the rest of the country, including Staffordshire.

1st Dec 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the amount of municipal waste in England and Wales that will be disposed at energy from waste facilities in 2014-15.

The latest statistical data published by Defra this November, which can be found at the link below, shows that local authority managed waste going for incineration with energy recovery was 6.2 million tonnes in 2013/14 in England. This could increase to around 7.6 million tonnes in 2014/15 based on capacity that is operational or in construction. Defra does not hold the equivalent data for Wales.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/375945/Statistics_Notice_Nov_2014_Final__3_.pdf

1st Dec 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the capacity of the waste recovery industry to recover end-of-life products from air pollution control residues in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16.

The Environment Agency has not carried out an assessment of the capacity of the waste recovery industry to recover products that may contain air pollution control residues.

1st Dec 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the amount of air pollution control residues that will be captured in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16 by energy from waste facilities.

Defra has made no estimate of the amount of air pollution control residues that will be captured in 2014-15 and 2015-16 by energy from waste facilities.

1st Dec 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the amount of air pollution control residues that will be disposed of by an alternative route in 2015-16 in the event that the Government proceeds with the removal of the derogation in the Waste Framework Directive that allows air pollution control residues to be disposed to hazardous landfill.

No information has been collected to inform an estimate of waste producers’ plans for managing their air pollution control residues (APCr) in future.

The Environment Agency consulted on proposals to remove derogations from landfill site permits that allow disposal of APCr which do not meet waste acceptance criteria at landfill sites for hazardous waste. This consultation also sought information on available and planned recovery and disposal capacity.

Current capacity for treating/disposing of APCr is estimated at around 400,000 tonnes. Of this capacity, 47% was for disposal in landfill for hazardous waste.

Based upon the consultation responses, capacity for treating/disposing of APCr is estimated to rise to more than 700,000 tonnes by the end of 2016, 38% of which would be for disposal in landfills for hazardous waste.

1st Dec 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will estimate the amount of dioxin and furan that would be dispersed into the domestic built environment from recovered air pollution control residues as a consequence of the Environment Agency accepting End of Waste status for use in breeze blocks if the derogation in the waste framework directive allowing air pollution control residues to be disposed to hazardous landfill is removed.

The Environment Agency considers that some concrete block products from a particular process containing air pollution controls residues (APCr) are no longer waste. The environmental risk assessment for this was for a bound use of the APCr in blocks, rather than unbound. Research supporting the case showed that, bound within the block, measurable levels were not released. Where blocks were drilled, the exposure level of dioxins into the air was below World Health Organisation exposure limits.

1st Dec 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the projected total cost to local authorities in England and Wales of disposing municipal waste at energy from waste incineration facilities in 2015-16; and what estimate she has made of that cost if the derogation in the Waste Framework Directive allowing air pollution control residues to be disposed to hazardous landfill is removed.

No estimates have been made of either the projected total cost to local authorities in England and Wales of disposing municipal waste at energy from waste incineration facilities in 2015-16, or the cost if the derogation in the Waste Framework Directive allowing air pollution control residues to be disposed to hazardous landfill is removed.

1st Dec 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the cost to the waste recovery industry of building capacity to recover end-of-life products from air pollution control residues in 2015-16 if the derogation in the Waste Framework Directive allowing air pollution control residues to be disposed to hazardous landfill is removed.

Defra has not made any estimate regarding the cost to the waste recovery industry of the withdrawal of this derogation. Should there be any proposal to remove the derogation, this would be subject to an impact assessment.

1st Dec 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the tonnes of air pollution control residues that will be recovered as an end-of-life product in 2015-16 if the derogation in the Waste Framework Directive allowing air pollution control residues to be disposed to hazardous landfill is removed.

The current capacity in England to recover air pollution residues into end of waste products is approximately 40,000 tonnes.

The EA does not collect the commercial information required to make an estimate.

10th Mar 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support the Government is providing to enable developing countries to harness mobile phone technology.

Our partnership with mobile phone operator group, the GSMA, has used mobile technology to improve the reach, delivery and affordability of basic energy, water and sanitation services for 1.3 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, and many of our other programmes in health, education and other sectors use mobile technology.

12th Jun 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what programmes and activity her Department undertakes in Bangladesh.

DFID funds a wide range of programmes to reduce poverty and support progress towards the Millennium Development Goals in Bangladesh. Our programmes are improving the provision of basic services, supporting private sector development and helping to reduce risks to development, including from natural disasters. We are also focussed on improving working conditions and building safety in the garment sector.

10th Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of plans by HS2 Ltd to put back the development of Phase 1 of the route on communities where preparatory work has begun.

The Government announced to Parliament its plans for rephasing some elements of the HS2 scheme on 9 March 2023. The plans were developed in consultation with HS2 Ltd and prioritise opening HS2 services between Old Oak Common in west London and Curzon Street in Birmingham.

My Department is continuing to work through the implications of the funding settlement with HS2 Ltd. If any further decisions are made, they will be announced in due course.

HS2 Ltd will of course continue to engage with affected residents in line with the principles set out in its Community Engagement strategy and will involve, inform, consult and respond to residents as necessary

Huw Merriman
Minister of State (Department for Transport)
4th Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if it remains his Department's policy not to reinstate hard shoulders on smart motorways

We have paused the rollout of new smart motorways to collect more safety and economic data to make informed decisions on next steps. We will consider alternative options for enhancing capacity on the Strategic Road Network. The Government has acted to improve smart motorway safety, ordering a stocktake in 2020 and investing £900 million to equip them with stopped vehicle detection, enforcement cameras, additional signs and emergency areas.

Richard Holden
Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)