Asked by: Sally Jameson (Labour (Co-op) - Doncaster Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of financial support provided to parents trying to enter back into the workforce that are currently in (a) education and (b) training.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
An assessment has not been made on these parameters, however in DWP’s Get Britain Working White Paper, published November 2024, we set out our aspirations backed by a £55million investment for 2025/26, to transform Jobcentre Plus. This transformation will create a new service across Great Britain that will enable everyone to access support to find good, meaningful work, and to help people to progress in work, including through an enhanced focus on skills and careers.
The Get Britain Working White Paper also committed DWP to supporting and providing all areas in England with resource to produce a local Get Britain Working Plans. We are asking local areas to develop detailed plans that address the challenges related to labour force participation (employment, unemployment, and economic inactivity) and progression in work. Local Get Britain Working plans will enable all areas to take the lead in shaping a coherent offer of support for their local citizens, including the offer of support for parents, across work, health, and skills.
Parents claiming Universal Credit have existing support from Work Coaches, who provide individual, tailored help to all customers across the country, this includes supporting the development of skills needed to look for and obtain sustained employment, advice to parents on childcare support and funding through Flexible Support Fund to remove immediate barriers to employment.
We are also considering how we can improve our support to help parents into work as part of our manifesto commitment to tackle child poverty. This is an urgent priority for this Government, and we will bring forward the Child Poverty Strategy as soon as we are able.
Asked by: Sally Jameson (Labour (Co-op) - Doncaster Central)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what data his Department holds on the number of jobs (a) related and (b) dependent on the net zero transition in South Yorkshire; and if he will make an estimate of how much private investment this work attracts to South Yorkshire.
Answered by Kerry McCarthy - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The net zero transition is the economic opportunity of the century—supporting hundreds of thousands of good quality jobs across the UK, including in South Yorkshire. The UK has made significant progress in attracting investment into green sectors. According to analysis by the CBI, the net zero sector is growing three times faster than the overall UK economy and the GVA of the net zero economy grew by 10% in 2024. Around the 2024 International Investment Summit £34.8bn of private investment into low carbon sectors was announced. Government also supports local areas to attract investment – including funding the North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub.
Asked by: Sally Jameson (Labour (Co-op) - Doncaster Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of ensuring that a permanent access agreement is reached for Brineura as a treatment for patients with neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2 (CLN2).
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is currently developing guidance for the National Health Service on whether cerliponase alfa, also known as Brineura, can be recommended for routine NHS funding, considering real-world evidence collected during a period of managed access. NICE and NHS England are actively engaging with the company, BioMarin, as well as other stakeholders in the development of the guidance to secure continued access for NHS to Brineura at a cost-effective price. These discussions are complex and given the nature of this evaluation and the potential impact on patients and their families, it is essential that they take the necessary care to reach the best possible outcome. All parties are also committed to providing updates to stakeholders, notwithstanding the necessity that discussions are undertaken in a confidential setting.
Asked by: Sally Jameson (Labour (Co-op) - Doncaster Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will hold discussions with relevant stakeholders on providing access to Brineura for patients with neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2 (CLN2).
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is currently developing guidance for the National Health Service on whether cerliponase alfa, also known as Brineura, can be recommended for routine NHS funding, considering real-world evidence collected during a period of managed access. NICE and NHS England are actively engaging with the company, BioMarin, as well as other stakeholders in the development of the guidance to secure continued access for NHS to Brineura at a cost-effective price. These discussions are complex and given the nature of this evaluation and the potential impact on patients and their families, it is essential that they take the necessary care to reach the best possible outcome. All parties are also committed to providing updates to stakeholders, notwithstanding the necessity that discussions are undertaken in a confidential setting.
Asked by: Sally Jameson (Labour (Co-op) - Doncaster Central)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of English Devolution on investment in creative health as a solution to local health inequalities.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As set out in the English Devolution White Paper, the government is introducing a new bespoke duty in relation to health improvement and health inequalities. This is intended to support Strategic Authorities to be active leaders and drive a “health in all policies” approach in line with our Mission government approach.
The duty will ensure Strategic Authorities have regard to the need to improve health, and the need to reduce health inequalities, in the exercise of their functions, and give them a clear stake in improving local health outcomes. This will complement the existing health improvement duty held by upper-tier Local Authorities. The government will engage Strategic Authorities, Local Authorities and the NHS as we take this forward.
Asked by: Sally Jameson (Labour (Co-op) - Doncaster Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of ensuring social workers have more time for relationship-based work.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is the responsibility of employers to ensure that social workers in their organisation have time for relationship-based work. The Department recognises and values the importance of relationship-based work for social workers in adult social care, and for the people they are providing care and support to. The Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (AYSE) is a 12-month, employer led and employment-based programme of support and assessment for newly qualified social workers. The ASYE Knowledge and Skills Statement for Social Workers in Adult Services standards state that social workers need to apply a wide range of knowledge and skills to understand and build relationships, and work directly with individuals, their families and carers to enable and empower them to achieve best outcomes. The Knowledge and Skills Statement sets out what a social worker working with adults should know and be able to do by the end of the ASYE, and this includes relationship-based work.
Asked by: Sally Jameson (Labour (Co-op) - Doncaster Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve the recruitment and retention of social workers; and what plans he has for a national social work recruitment campaign.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We support the supply of social workers with the right skills, knowledge, and values to support vulnerable adults, children and families. We currently fund the Social Work Bursary, Education Support Grant and the mental health graduate programme Think Ahead to support the recruitment of social workers and the Assessed Year in Employment to support retention of newly qualified social workers.
There are presently no plans for a national social worker specific recruitment campaign. However, the Local Government Association, SOLACE, regional employers organisations, and councils across the country launched the ‘Make a Difference, Work for your Local Council’ campaign and Social Work England runs the ‘Change the Script’ campaign, which support recruitment and retention of social workers.
Asked by: Sally Jameson (Labour (Co-op) - Doncaster Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the administrative burden on social workers.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We recognise and value the vital contribution of social workers, who are predominantly employed by local authorities. To support the administrative burden on social workers, the Department for Education has launched the Support for Social Workers virtual hub, providing tools and resources to help local authorities to retain child and family social workers and implement the Agency Rules Statutory Guidance. Much of the content in this is also relevant to social workers working with adults. The Department for Education is also carefully considering the report from the National Workload Action Group, who are providing insights and solutions for reducing unnecessary workloads for social workers in child social care.
Asked by: Sally Jameson (Labour (Co-op) - Doncaster Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Creative Health Review's report, published in December 2023.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department recognises the value that the creative arts can play in supporting peoples’ health and wellbeing. As part of the work on our missions, we will be reviewing the evidence and recommendations set out by stakeholders, including those in the Creative Health Review.
Asked by: Sally Jameson (Labour (Co-op) - Doncaster Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will implement a national workforce strategy for social work developed in partnership with the sector.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We know the challenges facing adult social care, from inconsistent standards of care to an undervalued and overstretched workforce, and that is why we are launching an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service.