Written Question
Tuesday 19th July 2022
Asked by:
Emma Lewell (Labour - South Shields)
Question
to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Answer of 25 June 2018 to Question 155805 and pursuant to the Answer of 29 June 2022 to Question 24601, when his Department's policy changed to not contact the Children’s Commissioner with relevant Parliamentary Questions.
Answered by Brendan Clarke-Smith
There has not been a change of policy. The hon. Member has asked for information which is not held by the department. Given that the Children’s Commissioner works independently of government, the hon. Member should send relevant questions directly to the Children’s Commissioner.
Written Question
Friday 15th July 2022
Asked by:
Emma Lewell (Labour - South Shields)
Question
to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has plans to bring forward secondary legislation to ensure that children who (a) arrive in the UK without a parent or carer and (b) are entitled to be looked after by local authorities under the Children Act 1989 are (i) provided care and protection as looked after children and (ii) not housed in hotels.
Answered by Brendan Clarke-Smith
We have no plans to bring forward secondary legislation. The Home Office has been temporarily accommodating unaccompanied asylum seeking children in hotels on an emergency basis whilst they await a permanent local authority placement. Since February 2022, all local authorities with children’s services in the UK have been directed to participate in the National Transfer Scheme (NTS) with the aim of ensuring that children are moved out of hotel accommodation and into the care of a local authority as quickly as possible. We have seen an increased rate of transfers since directed transfers under the NTS started. The department and the Home Office are working together on plans to exit the hotels accommodating unaccompanied asylum seeking children as soon as possible.
Written Question
Friday 15th July 2022
Asked by:
Emma Lewell (Labour - South Shields)
Question
to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress his Department has made on the establishment of a National Implementation Board in response to the Independent Review of Children's Care; and if his Department will publish details of the (a) composition and (b) membership of that board.
Answered by Brendan Clarke-Smith
Work is currently underway to establish the National Implementation Board, which will be composed of people with experience of leading transformational change, as well as people with their own experience of the care system. The department will hold the first meeting and commit to publishing a membership list in due course. We have also committed to publishing a readout from each board, which will be made available online.
Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 12 Jul 2022
Free School Meals: Eligibility
"I beg to move,
That this House has considered eligibility criteria for free school meals.
It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair, Mr Robertson. There is nothing more grotesque than a Government who not only preside over thousands of children going hungry but who actively pursue policies …..."Emma Lewell - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 12 Jul 2022
Free School Meals: Eligibility
"It should come as no surprise to anyone that I agree with my hon. Friend completely; indeed, I will echo some of his comments later in my speech.
Let us just consider the Government’s abysmal record throughout covid. First, we had the ridiculously chaotic voucher scheme being contracted out to …..."Emma Lewell - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 12 Jul 2022
Free School Meals: Eligibility
"I thank my hon. Friend for the work he is doing on his Right to Food campaign, and all the work he does in his patch raising money for local food banks. He is right that there is another factor: means testing costs more. Universality is cheaper, and that is …..."Emma Lewell - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 12 Jul 2022
Free School Meals: Eligibility
"The Minister will be aware that lots of school food providers have said that, because of the cost of living crisis, nutritional standards are going to go down and they will have to substitute food for something else. What will he do about that?..."Emma Lewell - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 12 Jul 2022
Free School Meals: Eligibility
"Will the Minister give way?..."Emma Lewell - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 12 Jul 2022
Free School Meals: Eligibility
"The Minister is being generous in giving way. Does he not accept that eligibility has had to be extended repeatedly because there are more and more children in poverty? When are this Government going to get to grips with the root causes of the endemic poverty that children in this …..."Emma Lewell - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 12 Jul 2022
Free School Meals: Eligibility
"The Minister is doing as I expected and listing some of the things the Government have done, but what about the 800,000 children who are missing out? There will be more of them as the year continues. What support is there for them? Clearly, the support at the moment is …..."Emma Lewell - View Speech
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