Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the take-up of creative arts disciplines has been in each year since 2014-15.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Government is clear that the EBaccalaureate (EBacc) should be studied as part of a broad and balanced curriculum. It has been designed to be limited in size in order to allow pupils to continue to study additional subjects that reflect their individual interests and strengths, including arts subjects.
The attached table shows that the proportion of young people taking at least one arts GCSE since 2010 has fluctuated across years, but has remained broadly stable. According to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport’s Taking Part Survey, in 2017/18, 96% of children aged 5-15 had engaged with the arts in the past 12 months[1].
[1] Arts covers music activities, theatre, drama, reading, writing, arts crafts and design, film/video/media/radio activities, dance activities, street arts/circus/carnival/festival activities.
Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish Ministerial Submission Ref Army/Sec/21/02/80551; and if he will make a statement on the sale of Kneller Hall.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
It is a long standing convention that advice to Ministers is not published as to do so would be likely to prohibit the free and frank provision of advice and inhibit the effective conduct of Government. Members of this House affected by the decision to vacate Kneller Hall have been informed about the future plans for it and I wrote to the right hon. Member on 28 February 2019 setting out this detail.
Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what representations he has received from charities on travel insurance for disabled people and people with existing conditions in the event that the arrangements in place for the European Health Insurance Card come to an end after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
On 19 March 2019, I laid a written ministerial statement (HCWS1429) on the Department’s plans for the continuity of reciprocal healthcare arrangements in the event we exit the European Union without a deal. This statement includes specific guidance on European Health Insurance Cards (EHICs).
The Department recognises that people with some pre-existing conditions rely on the EHIC to be able to travel. In a no deal scenario, these may no longer be valid in some EU Member States, and in European Free Trade Association (EFTA) states for those visitors not in scope of the EFTA Citizens’ Rights Agreements and travelling after exit day.
The United Kingdom Government has proposed to EU Member States and EFTA states that we should maintain the existing healthcare arrangements, including an EHIC type arrangement with similar benefits, in a no deal scenario until 31 December 2020, with the aim of minimising disruption to UK nationals and EU and EFTA state citizens’ healthcare provision. However, it is not possible for the UK Government to guarantee access unilaterally to healthcare abroad, as this depends on reciprocity from Member States.
The Department has advised UK nationals living in or travelling to EU Member States to check up to date information on GOV.UK and NHS.UK and ensure they have taken the necessary steps to prepare. This information is available on the following links:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/overseas-living-in-guides
It is already the case that we advise people to obtain comprehensive travel insurance when working, studying or travelling to the EU and the rest of the world. This will remain our advice in all circumstances. When travelling abroad, individuals are responsible for ensuring their travel insurance covers their healthcare needs.
The Department has engaged closely with partners such as the Association of British Travel Insurers and organisations representing people with long-term health conditions, such as Kidney Care UK and the British Lung Foundation, to understand the impacts on some patient groups with long-term conditions, as well as to help develop the Healthcare (European Economic Area and Switzerland Arrangements) Act 2019. This legislation will provide us with the power to fund and implement comprehensive reciprocal healthcare arrangements after we leave the EU.
Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
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 ensure the affordability of travel insurance for (a) disabled people and (b) people with existing conditions in the event that UK citizens are no longer eligible for the European Health Insurance Card after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
On 19 March 2019, I laid a written ministerial statement (HCWS1429) on the Department’s plans for the continuity of reciprocal healthcare arrangements in the event we exit the European Union without a deal. This statement includes specific guidance on European Health Insurance Cards (EHICs).
The Department recognises that people with some pre-existing conditions rely on the EHIC to be able to travel. In a no deal scenario, these may no longer be valid in some EU Member States, and in European Free Trade Association (EFTA) states for those visitors not in scope of the EFTA Citizens’ Rights Agreements and travelling after exit day.
The United Kingdom Government has proposed to EU Member States and EFTA states that we should maintain the existing healthcare arrangements, including an EHIC type arrangement with similar benefits, in a no deal scenario until 31 December 2020, with the aim of minimising disruption to UK nationals and EU and EFTA state citizens’ healthcare provision. However, it is not possible for the UK Government to guarantee access unilaterally to healthcare abroad, as this depends on reciprocity from Member States.
The Department has advised UK nationals living in or travelling to EU Member States to check up to date information on GOV.UK and NHS.UK and ensure they have taken the necessary steps to prepare. This information is available on the following links:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/overseas-living-in-guides
It is already the case that we advise people to obtain comprehensive travel insurance when working, studying or travelling to the EU and the rest of the world. This will remain our advice in all circumstances. When travelling abroad, individuals are responsible for ensuring their travel insurance covers their healthcare needs.
The Department has engaged closely with partners such as the Association of British Travel Insurers and organisations representing people with long-term health conditions, such as Kidney Care UK and the British Lung Foundation, to understand the impacts on some patient groups with long-term conditions, as well as to help develop the Healthcare (European Economic Area and Switzerland Arrangements) Act 2019. This legislation will provide us with the power to fund and implement comprehensive reciprocal healthcare arrangements after we leave the EU.
Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the salary exemption for nurses under Tier 2 visas will be extended to EEA citizens.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
We have been clear that we want all EU nationals, including those working in the NHS and the care sector, to stay in the UK after we leave the EU.
In their report, EEA migration in the UK, the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) recommended maintaining the existing system of salary thresholds.
The Government has been clear that we will undertake an extensive programme of engagement with a wide range of stakeholders across the UK, including with the private, public and voluntary sector and local government, as well as industry representatives and individual businesses before taking a final decision on the level of salary thresholds.
Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions he has had with his French counterpart on that country's visa plans for UK business travellers.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
Policy on short stay visitors, such as business visitors, is an EU competence, rather than a Member State competence.
The EU has proposed that UK nationals would be able to enter the EU visa-free for short periods after the country’s exit, provided EU nationals enjoy the same conditions when travelling to the UK.
Whether we leave the EU with or without a deal, the Home Secretary has announced that EEA and Swiss nationals will be able to continue to travel to the UK for holidays or short-term trips, without needing a visa.
Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions he has had with his French counterpart on plans that country has for a centralised biometric database when processing UK business travellers.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
Policy on short stay visitors, such as business visitors, is an EU competence, rather than a Member State competence.
The Visa Information System (VIS) is the system that Schengen states use to exchange visa data for short-stay visas. This includes the capability to match biometric data.
The EU has proposed that UK nationals would be able to enter the EU visa-free for short periods after the country’s exit, provided EU nationals enjoy the same conditions when travelling to the UK. The Home Secretary has announced that EEA and Swiss nationals will be able to continue to travel to the UK for holidays or short-term trips without needing a UK visa.
Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his French counterpart on plans that country has for a centralised biometric database when processing UK business travellers.
Answered by Alan Duncan
As this is a matter for the Home Secretary, I have not discussed this with my French colleagues.
Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent conversations he has had with his French counterpart on that country's visa plans for UK business travellers.
Answered by Alan Duncan
As this is a matter for the Home Secretary, I have not discussed this with my French colleagues.
Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he plans to have with Cabinet colleagues on ensuring that the upcoming spending review provides funding is adequately weighted towards special needs provision.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
Ministers and officials from the department hold regular discussions with colleagues at Her Majesty's Treasury and other government departments on all aspects of schools funding, including funding for special educational needs (SEN). We will of course be looking to secure the right outcome for children and young people with SEN in the forthcoming Spending Review.