Asked by: Jonathan Gullis (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will consider the potential merits of introducing a minimum requirement to qualify for student loans of (a) grades EEE at A-level and (b) equivalent grades at (i) T-level and (ii) Level 3 Diploma.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The government consulted on whether there was a case, in principle, for a Minimum Eligibility Requirement for access to student finance for degree-level study. In the Higher Education (HE) Reform policy statement of 17 July, the department made an announcement to not proceed with such a requirement at this time.
The government is delivering on its manifesto commitment to drive up quality and tackle pockets of poor provision in the HE sector. The department has worked with the Office for Students (OfS) to set stringent minimum thresholds for student outcomes and the OfS has introduced face to face investigations where there is a risk of breach of these expectations.
The department wants to see recruitment limits used to reduce the growth of low-quality courses, and graduate earnings to be part of the quality regime, so that students can be confident in the quality of the course that they have chosen.
Asked by: Jonathan Gullis (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of 999 calls related to mental health (a) nationally and (b) in each police force area in each of the last two years.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office collects data on volumes of 999 calls by force area.
The Home Office does not collect or publish data regarding the proportion of 999 calls related to mental health issues.
This data may be available from individual forces.
Asked by: Jonathan Gullis (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending child benefit to families with children aged under 19 enrolled on apprenticeships.
Answered by Laura Trott - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Government is not considering extending Child Benefit payments to parents of children aged under 19 enrolled on apprenticeships.
Child Benefit is payable to parents of children up to the age of 16. Between the ages of 16 and 20, it is payable in respect of young people who remain in full-time non-advanced education or approved training provided outside a contract of employment. This includes A-Levels or the equivalent, but not advanced courses such as university degrees.
One of the core principles of an apprenticeship is that it is a paid job with training, allowing apprentices to earn while they learn, and it is treated accordingly in the benefit system. It is therefore appropriate that payments for the young person cease from this point.
For waged apprenticeships, since April 2023 employers are required to pay a minimum wage of £5.28 an hour, and many tend to pay more as young people develop their skills. A young person working 35 hours a week on a waged apprenticeship should earn no less than £184.80 each week.
Asked by: Jonathan Gullis (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of raising the VAT registration threshold to £250,000.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Views on the VAT registration threshold are divided and the case for change has been regularly reviewed over the years.
In 2018, the Government consulted on how the design of the VAT registration threshold could better incentivise growth. However, there was no clear option for reform.
While the Government keeps all taxes under review, it was announced at Autumn Budget 2022 that the VAT threshold will be maintained at its current level of £85,000 until 31 March 2026.
Asked by: Jonathan Gullis (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of raising the immigration health surcharge to £2,700 per person per year.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Immigration Health Surcharge rates are under review to ensure that it reflects the full cost of providing healthcare services and the extra cost pressure that the migrant-driven population growth is placing on the NHS. The Government is increasing the IHS rates, as set out in legislation laid before Parliament on 19 October. The increased IHS rates of £1,035 (full rate) and £776 (discounted rate) detailed in the Immigration (Health Charge) (Amendment) Order 2023 are based on the Department for Health and Social Care’s estimate of the average annual cost to the NHS of treating IHS payers.
Asked by: Jonathan Gullis (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of raising the minimum combined income threshold for a family visa for a spouse to £26,200.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Minimum Income Requirement (MIR) was implemented in July 2012, reflecting the income at which a British family could no longer access income-related benefits at the time.
We keep all our immigration routes under constant review.
Asked by: Jonathan Gullis (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of raising the skilled worker visa salary threshold for barristers and judges to £38,000 per annum.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Full information on the ‘going rates’ for eligible occupation is published on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skilled-worker-visa-going-rates-for-eligible-occupations.
Asked by: Jonathan Gullis (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of raising the skilled worker visa salary threshold for (a) laboratory technicians, (b) electrical and electronics technicians and (c) engineering technicians to £38,000 per annum.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Full information on the ‘going rates’ for eligible occupation is published on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skilled-worker-visa-going-rates-for-eligible-occupations.
Asked by: Jonathan Gullis (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of raising the skilled worker visa salary threshold for (a) insurance underwriters and (b) finance and investment analysts and advisers to £38,000 per annum.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Full information on the ‘going rates’ for eligible occupation is published on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skilled-worker-visa-going-rates-for-eligible-occupations.
Asked by: Jonathan Gullis (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of raising the skilled worker visa salary threshold for estimators, valuers and assessors to £38,000 per annum.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Full information on the ‘going rates’ for eligible occupation is published on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skilled-worker-visa-going-rates-for-eligible-occupations.