Mike Amesbury

The government has committed to legislate through the Children’s Wellbeing Bill to limit the number of items of branded uniform and PE kit that schools can require. This proposed legislation will go further than the current statutory guidance, which only requires schools to keep branded uniform items to a minimum.

The existing statutory guidance will be updated once the new legislation has received Royal Assent. This will ensure that both work together to ensure that schools will need to justify every piece of branded uniform they include in their uniform policy. This will put an end to schools still requiring large numbers of branded items.

Receiving the support to succeed is at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and to give every child the best start in life, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision. The department is committed to taking a community-wide approach, improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.

The government is committed to improving the school inspection system, including inspections of specialist settings. This will include moving away from the single headline grade to a richer system through a report card.

School report cards will be implemented for all state-funded schools, including those in the specialist sector. As part of our engagement and consultation process, we will explore whether, and how, these report cards need to be tailored to meet the unique needs of different types of state-funded schools.

Our new regional improvement teams will work with teachers and leaders in struggling schools to quickly and directly address areas of weakness and empower sustained improvement.

To drive up standards, all state-funded schools, including special schools, can draw on new regional improvement teams for help in accessing and understanding the array of available improvement programmes and training proven to make a real impact. These teams will encourage and foster a self-improving system where schools and trusts support each other, learning from peers, and sharing best practice.

The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) sits with local authorities.

The department supports local authorities to meet this duty by providing annual capital funding. In March 2024, local authorities were notified of £850 million of investment in places for children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision (AP).

Local authorities can use this funding to deliver new places in mainstream and special schools, as well as other specialist settings. It can also be used to improve the suitability and accessibility of existing buildings.

Cheshire West and Chester Council has received £11.6 million in capital funding through this route between 2022 and 2025. Halton Borough Council has received just under £5.5 million.

In summer 2023, the department also began collecting data from local authorities on available capacity in special schools, SEND units and resourced provision, along with corresponding forecasts of demand for these places. This data will help the department to more effectively support local authorities to fulfil their statutory duty to provide sufficient specialist places.

The Government is concerned by the condition of healthcare infrastructure at Halton Hospital, and across the National Health Service estate. We recognise that change is desperately needed to tackle unsuitable facilities, and to deliver an NHS that is fit for the future.

We recognise that strategic, value for money investments in capital projects are critical to providing good quality care. In line with the Government’s plans to deliver an NHS fit for the future, and as part of our internal Spending Review preparations, the Department is reviewing capital requirements. Timescales associated with the Spending Review are yet to be confirmed.

However, Warrington and Halton Hospitals have received funding through NHS England’s Targeted Investment Fund for the reconfiguration of theatres, wards, and the endoscopy unit, to deliver additional capacity and provide patients with the care they deserve.

The Government plans to tackle the challenges patients face when trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term and increase access to NHS dental care, we will reform the dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

From 1 April 2023, the responsibility for commissioning primary care dentistry to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to all integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. The NHS Cheshire and Merseyside ICB is responsible for having local processes in place to identify areas of need, and determine the priorities for investment across the ICB area. NHS Dental Statistics, published by NHS Digital, provides data on dental activity in England. The latest annual report is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-dental-statistics

The Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme is subject to annual review as part of the consultation on the GP Contract, with both professional and patient representatives. NHS England works closely with the Department to implement any changes identified as part of this process.

NHS England has made a number of recruitment and retention schemes available to boost the general practice (GP) workforce. While many newly qualified practitioners will subsequently take roles in GPs, others will contribute to the National Health Service in different ways or may choose to work elsewhere.

The Government recently announced changes to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme which allows primary care networks to recruit GPs through the scheme for 2024/25. This is an emergency measure for 2024/25 whilst the Government works with the profession to identify a longer term solution.

Speeding up the remediation of buildings is absolutely critical. Seven years on from Grenfell, action has been far too slow and the fire in Dagenham is a horrific reminder of the risk unsafe cladding still poses to far too many people. This Government will expect more from regulators to make sure action is being taken now to make homes safe, speed up remediation and ensure that buildings in the process of being remediated are managed safely for residents. Alongside taking action to increase the pace of remediation, we are also committed to better protect leaseholders from the costs of remediation. Following consideration of the phase 2 report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, we will announce further measures to accelerate remediation and protect leaseholders.

Figures relating to Section 21 eviction proceedings in individual constituencies in England are not held by the department, but we know that chronic insecurity in the private rented sector in the North West have real-life consequences for individuals and families. Tenants across England will benefit from the measures in the forthcoming Renters’ Rights Bill, including the abolition of Section 21 evictions.

Housing policy is devolved in Scotland and Wales.

Homelessness levels are far too high and too many families are living in temporary accommodation. We will take the action needed to tackle this issue and develop a long-term, cross-government strategy, through working with mayors, councils and other key stakeholders, to end homelessness for good. Critical to tackling homelessness is building more affordable homes. We will deliver the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation and deliver 1.5 million new homes over the next Parliament.

The previous Government commissioned an evaluation of the Housing First pilots, which is currently ongoing. Reports are made available here.