Asked by: Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat - Harrogate and Knaresborough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the financial impact on families of disabled young people when the costs of post-16 transport are not met by local authorities, including the impact on parental employment.
Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department recognises that transport can enable young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to participate in education and training, and that transport arrangements and costs vary between local areas. Local authorities are not under a general duty to provide free post-16 transport. However, they must make arrangements they consider necessary to facilitate attendance and publish these in annual transport policy statements.
The government does not plan to introduce a universal statutory entitlement. Instead, we are considering targeted options to improve awareness of available support, promote independent travel and improve access where transport is a barrier. This work responds to concerns such as the Public Accounts Committee’s findings about the post-16 “cliff edge”, as well as the effects of transport provision on participation, families and affordability.
The 16 to 19 bursary fund may be used to meet essential participation costs, including travel, with institutions assessing individual need. The department does not hold data identifying the number or proportion of students with SEND whose bursary awards are used specifically for transport costs.
Asked by: Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat - Harrogate and Knaresborough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of variations between local authorities in the eligibility criteria and level of transport support available to 16 to 19-year-olds with SEND.
Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department recognises that transport can enable young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to participate in education and training, and that transport arrangements and costs vary between local areas. Local authorities are not under a general duty to provide free post-16 transport. However, they must make arrangements they consider necessary to facilitate attendance and publish these in annual transport policy statements.
The government does not plan to introduce a universal statutory entitlement. Instead, we are considering targeted options to improve awareness of available support, promote independent travel and improve access where transport is a barrier. This work responds to concerns such as the Public Accounts Committee’s findings about the post-16 “cliff edge”, as well as the effects of transport provision on participation, families and affordability.
The 16 to 19 bursary fund may be used to meet essential participation costs, including travel, with institutions assessing individual need. The department does not hold data identifying the number or proportion of students with SEND whose bursary awards are used specifically for transport costs.
Asked by: Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat - Harrogate and Knaresborough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of post-16 transport provision on participation in education and training among young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department recognises that transport can enable young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to participate in education and training, and that transport arrangements and costs vary between local areas. Local authorities are not under a general duty to provide free post-16 transport. However, they must make arrangements they consider necessary to facilitate attendance and publish these in annual transport policy statements.
The government does not plan to introduce a universal statutory entitlement. Instead, we are considering targeted options to improve awareness of available support, promote independent travel and improve access where transport is a barrier. This work responds to concerns such as the Public Accounts Committee’s findings about the post-16 “cliff edge”, as well as the effects of transport provision on participation, families and affordability.
The 16 to 19 bursary fund may be used to meet essential participation costs, including travel, with institutions assessing individual need. The department does not hold data identifying the number or proportion of students with SEND whose bursary awards are used specifically for transport costs.
Asked by: Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat - Harrogate and Knaresborough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to commit to making transport provision for 16 to 19-year-old students with special educational needs and disabilities a statutory duty.
Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department recognises that transport can enable young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to participate in education and training, and that transport arrangements and costs vary between local areas. Local authorities are not under a general duty to provide free post-16 transport. However, they must make arrangements they consider necessary to facilitate attendance and publish these in annual transport policy statements.
The government does not plan to introduce a universal statutory entitlement. Instead, we are considering targeted options to improve awareness of available support, promote independent travel and improve access where transport is a barrier. This work responds to concerns such as the Public Accounts Committee’s findings about the post-16 “cliff edge”, as well as the effects of transport provision on participation, families and affordability.
The 16 to 19 bursary fund may be used to meet essential participation costs, including travel, with institutions assessing individual need. The department does not hold data identifying the number or proportion of students with SEND whose bursary awards are used specifically for transport costs.
Asked by: Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat - Harrogate and Knaresborough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress the Government has made in addressing the Public Accounts Committee’s concerns about the “cliff edge” in transport provision for young people with special educational needs and disabilities when they move into post-16 education.
Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department recognises that transport can enable young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to participate in education and training, and that transport arrangements and costs vary between local areas. Local authorities are not under a general duty to provide free post-16 transport. However, they must make arrangements they consider necessary to facilitate attendance and publish these in annual transport policy statements.
The government does not plan to introduce a universal statutory entitlement. Instead, we are considering targeted options to improve awareness of available support, promote independent travel and improve access where transport is a barrier. This work responds to concerns such as the Public Accounts Committee’s findings about the post-16 “cliff edge”, as well as the effects of transport provision on participation, families and affordability.
The 16 to 19 bursary fund may be used to meet essential participation costs, including travel, with institutions assessing individual need. The department does not hold data identifying the number or proportion of students with SEND whose bursary awards are used specifically for transport costs.
Asked by: Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat - Harrogate and Knaresborough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her Department holds on the number and proportion of students with special educational needs and disabilities who receive 16 to 19 Bursary Fund support towards transport costs.
Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department recognises that transport can enable young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to participate in education and training, and that transport arrangements and costs vary between local areas. Local authorities are not under a general duty to provide free post-16 transport. However, they must make arrangements they consider necessary to facilitate attendance and publish these in annual transport policy statements.
The government does not plan to introduce a universal statutory entitlement. Instead, we are considering targeted options to improve awareness of available support, promote independent travel and improve access where transport is a barrier. This work responds to concerns such as the Public Accounts Committee’s findings about the post-16 “cliff edge”, as well as the effects of transport provision on participation, families and affordability.
The 16 to 19 bursary fund may be used to meet essential participation costs, including travel, with institutions assessing individual need. The department does not hold data identifying the number or proportion of students with SEND whose bursary awards are used specifically for transport costs.
Asked by: Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat - Harrogate and Knaresborough)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether damages for harm caused by a breach of the Human Rights Act 1998, including psychological harm from the use of restraint, are treated as compensation for personal injury for the purposes of Universal Credit.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
Where damages are awarded for a physical injury or a recognised psychological injury, including psychological harm, they should be treated as compensation for personal injury and disregarded. However, where damages are awarded solely to recognise that a person's rights have been breached and are not linked to a physical or psychological injury, they may not be treated as compensation for personal injury.
Asked by: Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat - Harrogate and Knaresborough)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether a sum held in the Court Funds Office continues to be treated as administered by the court under regulation 75(5) of the Universal Credit Regulations 2013 after a deputy for property and financial affairs has been appointed by the Court of Protection; and what guidance his Department gives decision makers on this.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
Where a deputy for property and financial affairs has been appointed by the Court of Protection, the effect on the application of regulation 75(5) will depend on whether the funds continue to be administered by the court or remain subject to disposal only by direction of the court. This is a matter for decision makers to determine on the facts of the individual case, having regard to the relevant court orders, the legislation and the nature of the arrangements in place. Departmental decision makers are provided with guidance on the consideration of capital and the application of the Universal Credit Regulations.
Asked by: Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat - Harrogate and Knaresborough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of public funding for and investment in cancer research on cancer treatment outcomes and survival rates.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Government funding plays a crucial role in supporting cancer research and clinical trials and is at the heart of our National Cancer Plan to improve diagnosis, treatment, and care for cancer patients. We work in partnership with charities, foundations, and other key stakeholders to support research and innovation.
Asked by: Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat - Harrogate and Knaresborough)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of water abstraction licences on water availability in Yorkshire; and what process is available to amend or restrict such licences when Yorkshire moves into drought status.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
On abstraction licensing strategies, I refer the Hon Member to the information available on GOV.UK. Abstraction licences can be restricted during drought, allowing us to better protect the environment and public water supplies quickly and improve access to water when flows recover.