To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Education: Gender
Friday 16th July 2021

Asked by: Mark Jenkinson (Conservative - Workington)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to close the learning gap between boys and girls.

Answered by Nick Gibb

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Workington, to the answer I gave on 21 June 2021 to Question 10325.


Written Question
Pupils: Personal Records
Friday 16th July 2021

Asked by: Mark Jenkinson (Conservative - Workington)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that information on a pupil's (a) family status and (b) known issues at home are routinely transferred from primary to secondary school.

Answered by Nick Gibb

Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE) is statutory guidance that all schools and colleges must have regard to when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Following Government consultation, this guidance has recently been strengthened to provide schools and colleges with even more detailed advice. Details are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2.

KCSIE sets out that all concerns, discussions and decisions made, and the reasons for those decisions, should be recorded in writing. Information should be kept confidential and stored securely. It is good practice to keep concerns and referrals in a separate child protection file for each child. Records should include a clear and comprehensive summary of the concern, details of how the concern was followed up and resolved, and a note of any action taken, decisions reached and the outcome. The designated safeguarding lead is responsible for the maintenance and transfer of child protection files.

KCSIE is clear that where children leave a school or college, including in-year transfers, the designated safeguarding lead should ensure that their child protection file is transferred to the new school or college as soon as possible, and within five days for an in-year transfer or within the first five days of the start of a new term. This should be transferred separately from the main pupil file, ensuring secure transit, and confirmation of receipt should be obtained. In addition to the child protection file, the designated safeguarding lead should also consider whether it would be appropriate to share any additional information with the new school or college in advance of a child leaving, to help them put in place the right support to safeguard the child.


Written Question
Gangs: Young People
Thursday 15th July 2021

Asked by: Mark Jenkinson (Conservative - Workington)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential effect of fatherlessness on gang membership by young men.

Answered by Kit Malthouse

We recognise the impact that family structure can have on children and young people, with research showing that a lack of support from parents can be a risk factor related to involvement in serious violence. This is why we are committed to investing in programmes of work focussed on early intervention and targeted towards young people at risk.

In March of this year, the Home Office announced its £130.5 million investment in tackling serious violent crime, with £23 million being invested in new early intervention programmes to help stop young people being drawn into violence. This includes programmes which use significant moments in a young person’s life, such as when they enter police custody or Accident and Emergency, as opportunities for trained professionals to engage and divert young people away from crime and violence.

Over the three years from 2018-2021, we have also invested a total of £105.5 million, in multi-agency Violence Reduction Units (VRUs) in the 18 areas most affected by serious violence, bringing together local partners to deliver an effective, joined up approach to tackling violent crime and its drivers.

We have also made clear that the Government is determined to crack down on the county line gangs, by funding specialist support for those affected by county lines exploitation, providing one-to-one support to under 25s and their families in the three largest county lines exporting force areas (London, West Midlands and Merseyside) to help them safely reduce and end their involvement.

In addition, we are funding Missing People’s SafeCall service which provides confidential, specialist advice and support to young people and their families/carers who are affected by county lines exploitation.


Written Question
Youth Custody: Gender Recognition
Tuesday 13th July 2021

Asked by: Mark Jenkinson (Conservative - Workington)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance is in place for Youth Custody Services on the care and treatment of people who are transgender.

Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice

Published Youth Custody Service (YCS) placement guidance (Youth Custody Service Report Template (publishing.service.gov.uk) states that “Young people who identify as transgender will typically be placed into a mixed gender Secure Children’s Home (SCH) or Secure Training Centre (STC) if considered suitable, alongside the risk they present to others and their age”. As part of placement considerations, the YCS placements team will consider an environment where the young person can mix with children and young people who are both male and female but also where that additional support is in place for a young person presenting with complex needs.

The revised Policy Framework for the ‘Care and Management of Individuals who are Transgender’, published in 2019 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/863610/transgender-pf.pdf) sets out the requirements for secure establishments – including Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) –to care for and appropriately manage individuals who are transgender. In addition, as an annex to the Framework, the YCS are developing specific guidance for transgender children and young people in YOIs, STCs and SCHs, which is due to be published later this year. Specialist agencies have been consulted to support the development of the guidance. A multidisciplinary approach is taken to care for and manage transgender children and young people effectively with central or local multidisciplinary meetings held within secure settings at pre-determined points in a transgender child or young person’s sentence.


Written Question
Youth Custody: Gender Recognition
Tuesday 13th July 2021

Asked by: Mark Jenkinson (Conservative - Workington)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance is in place for Youth Custodial Services on the allocation of transgender offenders.

Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice

Published Youth Custody Service (YCS) placement guidance (Youth Custody Service Report Template (publishing.service.gov.uk) states that “Young people who identify as transgender will typically be placed into a mixed gender Secure Children’s Home (SCH) or Secure Training Centre (STC) if considered suitable, alongside the risk they present to others and their age”. As part of placement considerations, the YCS placements team will consider an environment where the young person can mix with children and young people who are both male and female but also where that additional support is in place for a young person presenting with complex needs.

The revised Policy Framework for the ‘Care and Management of Individuals who are Transgender’, published in 2019 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/863610/transgender-pf.pdf) sets out the requirements for secure establishments – including Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) –to care for and appropriately manage individuals who are transgender. In addition, as an annex to the Framework, the YCS are developing specific guidance for transgender children and young people in YOIs, STCs and SCHs, which is due to be published later this year. Specialist agencies have been consulted to support the development of the guidance. A multidisciplinary approach is taken to care for and manage transgender children and young people effectively with central or local multidisciplinary meetings held within secure settings at pre-determined points in a transgender child or young person’s sentence.


Written Question
Nuclear Power Stations: Construction
Tuesday 6th July 2021

Asked by: Mark Jenkinson (Conservative - Workington)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the recent Nuclear Decommissioning Authority departmental review, what his plans are for the creation of a development agency for new nuclear build.

Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government is committed to new nuclear after Hinkley Point C and is focused on bringing at least one more large-scale project to a Final Investment Decision this parliament, as well as progressing work on advanced nuclear technologies like Small Modular Reactors. Separately, the Departmental Review of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, published in June 2021, makes recommendations for improvements to the form, function and governance of the organisation in relation to its mission under the Energy Act 2004.


Written Question
Palestinians: Antisemitism and Violence
Monday 5th July 2021

Asked by: Mark Jenkinson (Conservative - Workington)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the findings of the EU report into the Palestinian Authority school curriculum, what steps he is taking to ensure that UK aid to the Palestinian people does not finance material inciting violence or antisemitism.

Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary

It is essential to have a strong and thriving Palestinian education system to provide opportunities for the next generation. This report on Palestinian textbooks highlights progress in key areas, but also indicates that anti-Israel content remains. We have been clear that incitement to hatred or violence is unacceptable from all parties and should have no place in education. We will continue to raise concerns about this with the Palestinian Authority (PA) and continue to urge all parties to condemn incitement wherever and whenever it occurs. The UK does not fund textbooks in the OPTs. Our education funding to the PA contributes to the salaries of carefully vetted teachers/education workers.


Written Question
Palestinians: Schools
Monday 5th July 2021

Asked by: Mark Jenkinson (Conservative - Workington)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made for the implications of his policies of the EU report into the Palestinian Authority school curriculum; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary

It is essential to have a strong and thriving Palestinian education system to provide opportunities for the next generation. This report on Palestinian textbooks highlights progress in key areas, but also indicates that anti-Israel content remains. We have been clear that incitement to hatred or violence is unacceptable from all parties and should have no place in education. We will continue to raise concerns about this with the Palestinian Authority (PA) and continue to urge all parties to condemn incitement wherever and whenever it occurs. The UK does not fund textbooks in the OPTs. Our education funding to the PA contributes to the salaries of carefully vetted teachers/education workers.


Written Question

Question Link

Wednesday 28th April 2021

Asked by: Mark Jenkinson (Conservative - Workington)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many jobs have been approved by the Kickstart Scheme nationally to date.

Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

As of 22nd April, there has been over 195,000 jobs approved by the Department of Work and Pension’s Kickstart scheme.

Although care is taken when processing and analysing Kickstart applications, referrals and starts, the data collected might be subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale recording system which has been developed quickly. The management information presented here has not been subjected to the usual standard of quality assurance associated with official statistics, but is provided in the interests of transparency.


Written Question
Kickstart Scheme
Tuesday 27th April 2021

Asked by: Mark Jenkinson (Conservative - Workington)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Kickstart scheme, how many jobs have been (a) made available for application to young people by that scheme; and (b) started by young people in each (i) business sector and (ii) region of the UK.

Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

As of the 22nd April 2021, over 93,000 jobs have been made available for young people to apply to through the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) Kickstart Scheme. This includes approximately 16,600* jobs started by young people. There have been over 195,000 jobs approved by the scheme.

More than 260 young people, on average, have started a Kickstart job every day for the last six weeks**.

The tables below show these figures split by region and sector, the data presented has been rounded according to DWP statistical rounding convention. Although care is taken when processing and analysing Kickstart applications, referrals and starts, the data collected might be subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale recording system which has been developed quickly. The management information presented here has not been subjected to the usual standard of quality assurance associated with official statistics, but is provided in the interests of transparency.

*Around 1,000 of the Kickstart jobs started have been provided without government funding.

** This is based on the number of young people starting in Kickstart jobs from 11th March 2021 to 22nd April 2021.

Regions

Jobs Advertised

Jobs Started

Central England

19,000

2,900

London and Essex

22,000

3,800

North East England

6,600

1,200

North West England

16,000

3,100

Scotland

6,500

1,200

Southern England

19,000

3,200

Wales

5,300

740

Figures may not add up to provided totals due to rounding. 1,000 non-grant funded jobs are included in Jobs Advertised but not included under Jobs Started.

By Sector

Jobs Advertised

Jobs Started

Administration

24,000

4,300

Animal Care

430

130

Beauty & Wellbeing

600

100

Business & Finance

3,700

620

Computing, Technology & Digital

7,500

1,700

Construction & Trades

3,100

580

Creative & Media

7,300

1,800

Delivery & Storage

3,000

580

Emergency & Uniform Services

190

10

Engineering & Maintenance

3,400

380

Environment & Land

1,800

280

Government Services

280

20

Healthcare

4,100

520

Home Services

710

70

Hospitality & Food

6,100

750

Law & Legal

240

70

Managerial

750

100

Manufacturing

2,400

510

Retail & Sales

15,000

2,300

Science & Research

420

70

Social Care

2,600

210

Sports & Leisure

2,000

330

Teaching & Education

4,100

610

Transport

370

30

Travel & Tourism

250

30

Figures may not add up to provided totals due to rounding. 1,000 non-grant funded jobs are included in Jobs Advertised but not included under Jobs Started.