Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department's Postgraduate initial teacher training targets for the 2024/25 academic year, for what reason the target number of secondary trainees teachers of Religious Education has been reduced to 580.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Postgraduate initial teacher training is only one of many routes into the teacher workforce, all of which are considered when calculating targets. Other routes include Undergraduate higher education institution (HEI) courses, Assessment Only (AO), the upcoming teacher degree apprenticeship, returners, new to the state-funded sector entrants and newly qualified entrants that defer entry into the profession (deferrers).
The 2024/25 postgraduate initial teacher training recruitment target of 580 for Religious Education (RE) is the highest since 2018/19 (if we exclude the 655 in 2023/24). Therefore, the current target is quite high compared to the recent historical time series. The target fell by 11.5% this year, which is in line with the fall of 9.1% for the overall secondary target.
These targets were calculated by the Teacher Workforce Model, and the fall was driven by two key factors. Firstly, recruitment forecasts for both returners and teachers that are new to the state-funded sector (including deferrer NQEs, newly qualified entrants) are more favourable this year. If we expect to recruit more teachers from these sources, all else being equal, we require fewer newly qualified entrants, and thus teacher trainees.
Secondly, whilst secondary pupil numbers are still growing, they are now growing more slowly; in advance of peaking around 2025/26. This acts to reduce the rate at which the workforce needs to grow and has helped lead to this year’s lower overall secondary target.
Finally, it is important to note that teacher training recruitment is unlimited this year; a lower recruitment target does not necessarily mean lower levels of recruitment.
Further information may be found in the following publication: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/postgraduate-initial-teacher-training-targets.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will have discussions with NHS England on the effectiveness of its Commercial Framework in tackling challenges presented by the appraisal and reimbursement system when applied to combination medicines and medicines with multiple indications.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As part of the 2024 voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing, access, and growth, NHS England has committed to undertake two consultations on its Commercial Framework for New Medicines. The first of these will be launched in summer 2024 and will align with the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) statement on combination medicines. In addition, it will be more explicit about the approach taken for assessing the eligibility of medicines treating multiple indications to qualify for indication specific pricing mechanisms.
Following the first consultation, a revised framework will be published by the end of 2024, and engagement with pharmaceutical companies and patient groups on these issues is already taking place.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2024 to Question 15636 on Blood Cancer: Drugs, on what date her Department first became aware of challenges presented by the appraisal of combination therapies; and what solutions her Department is considering with NHS England to ensure continued equal access to combination medicines for multiple myeloma across the UK.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) worked closely with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over a number of years on the CMA’s statement on combination therapies, published in November 2023.
The steps taken by the CMA provide a clear commercial position that means that deals involving multiple drugs licensed by different companies can now be agreed under specific circumstances. This has been welcomed by the ABPI as an opportunity to unlock the door to more transformative combination therapies on the National Health Service.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department is taking steps to secure the (a) electricity grid and (b) electric vehicle infrastructure from remote disruption by foreign actors.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government takes the security of the electricity grid and electric vehicle infrastructure extremely seriously. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero works closely with Ofgem, the National Cyber Security Centre, and operators to strengthen infrastructure against attacks, share threat intelligence, and set clear and robust regulatory standards that are enforced through the Network and Information Systems Regulations 2018.
The 2021 electric vehicle smart charge point regulations include cyber security requirements. These require that all private charge points meet physical tamperproof requirements, check regularly for security updates, and encrypt all communication to and from the charge point.
The Government has recently published a detailed consultation package, 'Delivering a smart and secure electricity system: implementation'. This sets out proposals for minimum security and grid stability requirements for Energy Smart Appliances and load controlling organisations to further mitigate risk.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what discussions his Department has had with international partners on civil liberties in Hong Kong.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK continues to act as a convening power, bringing together our international partners to stand up for the people of Hong Kong, to call out violations of their rights and freedoms, and to hold China to its international obligations. That includes through the G7 and the Media Freedom Coalition. On 20 March, the UK raised Hong Kong's new national security legislation (Article 23) at the UN Human Rights Council, setting out our view that it will further erode rights and freedoms in the city.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to (a) trial and (b) roll-out early cancer screening.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In England, early cancer screening is already in place for cervical, breast, and bowel cancer. The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) does not currently recommend screening for prostate cancer due to the inaccuracy of the current best test, called Prostate Specific Antigen. We are providing £16 million of funding to Prostate Cancer UK's £42 million trial, which is aimed at helping us find a way of catching prostate cancer in men as early as possible. The UK NSC is also commissioning evidence for six possible approaches to targeted prostate screening for those at higher risk. The UK NSC will publish its recommendations when complete.
NHS England is responsible for the running of the Targeted Lung Health Check Programme, and its conversion to a nationally rolled out NHS Targeted Lung Cancer Screening Programme by 2030.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the implications for her policies of the proportion of time spent by secondary school teachers spending teaching subjects they are not trained in.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.
There is currently the highest number of teachers on record. There are now over 468,000 full-time equivalent teachers in state-funded schools in England, which is an increase of 27,000 (6%) since the School Workforce Census began in 2010.
The most recent School Workforce Census shows that almost 9 in 10 (87.4%) hours taught in English Baccalaureate subjects were taught by a teacher with a specialism in that subject. Overall, teachers spent a total of 3 in 5 teaching hours (63.7%) teaching the English Baccalaureate subjects of mathematics, English, sciences (including computer science), history, geography and modern languages. The School Workforce Census is available online at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.
Further information on the numbers and proportions of hours taught by teachers with relevant specialism in state-funded secondary schools in England in November 2022 can be found in the census publication at the following link: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/f8c83028-7cce-463b-4c97-08dc5d297e6b.
The department recognises that there is further to go to improve recruitment in some subjects and to ensure that more teaching is done by teachers with a specialism in the relevant subject. That is why the department has put in place a range of measures, including increased bursaries worth up to £28,000 tax-free and scholarships worth up to £30,000 tax-free, to encourage talented trainees to key subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing, and the department’s financial incentives package for the 2024/25 initial teacher training recruitment cycle is worth up to £196 million, which is a £15 million increase on the last cycle.
Additionally, the department is offering a Levelling Up Premium worth up to £3,000 after tax for mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing teachers in the first five years of their careers who choose to work in disadvantaged schools, including in Education Investment Areas. For 2024/25 and 2025/26, the department will be doubling the rates of the Levelling Up Premium to up to £6,000 after tax. This will support recruitment and retention of specialist teachers in these subjects and in the schools and areas that need them most.
Last year the department accepted in full the School Teachers’ Review Body’s recommendations for the 2023/24 pay award for teachers and leaders. This means that teachers and leaders in maintained schools received a pay award of 6.5%, which is the highest pay award for teachers in over thirty years. The 2023/24 award also delivered the manifesto commitment of a minimum £30,000 starting salary for school teachers in all regions of the country.
The department also funds a number of subject-specific curriculum hubs, in subjects such as mathematics, sciences and languages, where schools can access more targeted training and development for their teachers, including those teaching out of specialism.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers have retired due to ill health in the last five years.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office collects and publishes data annually on the number of police officers leaving the police service and their reasons for leaving, including medical retirements, as at 31 March each year, in the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales.
Information on the number of police officers leaving the police service by reason for leaving, including medical retirements, between the years ending 31 March 2007 and 2023 can be found in the ‘Leavers Open Data Table’ here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64ba76662059dc000d5d27c0/open-data-table-police-workforce-leavers-260723.ods
The Home Office does not hold data on the number of police officers taking medical retirement in Scotland or Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of levels of bovine tuberculosis.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Bovine TB is a devolved policy matter.
The latest bovine TB statistics published on GOV.UK, which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/bovine-tb, continue to show a gradually improving picture in most headline indicators for England overall and particularly in the High Risk Area and the Edge Area. In 2023 the lowest annual incidence of TB in cattle herds in England was recorded since 2007. In the Low Risk Area, the incidence and prevalence of TB in cattle herds remain very low and stable.
During the 2023 calendar year, just over 20,000 cattle were slaughtered for TB-related reasons in England, having peaked at 34,500 in 2018.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department’s policies of the report entitled Women’s State Pension age: our findings on injustice and associated issues published by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman on 21 March 2024, HC 638.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
In laying the report before Parliament at the end of March, the Ombudsman has brought matters to the attention of this House, and a further update to the House will be provided once the report's findings have been fully considered.