Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley Central)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when her Department plans to table secondary legislation to implement the Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Act 2023.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government was pleased to support the Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Act, which received Royal Assent on 24th May 2023. Regulations under this Act to deliver additional redundancy protection for pregnant women and new parents were laid on 11th December.
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2024/9780348254846/pdfs/ukdsi_9780348254846_en.pdf
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley Central)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what her planned timetable is for publishing guidance on the implementation of the Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Act 2023.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
As part of our efforts to communicate the changes which are being introduced under the Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Act 2023, the Government will be producing guidance. The guidance will be published in the New Year to support the commencement of the regulations.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made a recent assessment of the impact of children (a) not eating breakfast and (b) having access to a school breakfast club on educational outcomes.
Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government is committed to continuing support for school breakfasts. The department is investing up to £30 million in its national school breakfast programme until the end of the summer term in 2024. This funding will support up to 2,700 schools in disadvantaged areas and is currently supporting approximately 350,000 children a day from low-income families with free nutritious breakfasts to better support their attainment, wellbeing, and readiness to learn.
Alongside the department’s national programme, there are a number of organisations such as FareShare, Magic Breakfast, Kellogg’s and Greggs providing valuable support to schools with a breakfast provision.
The 2019 breakfast evaluation report conducted by the Education Endowment Foundation found that Year 2 children in breakfast club schools made the equivalent of two months’ additional progress compared to Year 2 children in the business-as-usual control group. Additionally, pupil behaviour improved in breakfast club schools, therefore enhancing their readiness to learn and improving classroom environments.
At the end of this iteration of the programme the department will be working with its delivery partner Family Action to produce and publish an impact report which will include analysis such as how a school breakfast club has impacted children’s educational outcomes.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will include scope and fees in the review of civil legal aid.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Ministry of Justice is currently undertaking a Review of Civil Legal Aid to identify evidence-based options for moving to a more effective, efficient, and sustainable system for legal aid providers and the people who rely on legal aid.
The Review will consider the civil legal aid system in its entirety: how services are procured, how well the current system works for users, how civil legal aid impacts the wider justice system, and whether the civil legal aid system offers a financially viable business option for legal aid providers. It will also consider the overall fee structures of the civil legal aid system. The scope of legal aid is not within the Review’s remit.
In the interim, we are continuing to make improvements across the sector to ensure legal aid is available to those who need it. From 1 August 2023, the scope of legal aid was expanded, enabling people facing the loss of their home to receive early legal advice on housing, debt, and welfare benefits issues as well as representation in court. This means an increase in funding of up to £10m each year.
In addition, we recently laid secondary legislation to bring Special Guardianship Orders brought in private law proceedings within scope of legal aid, injecting a further £13m into family legal aid per year. We have also broadened the evidence requirements for victims of domestic abuse applying for legal aid, making it easier for victims to evidence their claims. This will deliver on our commitments to support victims of domestic abuse and allow special guardians to access legal aid.
Eligibility for legal aid was considered in the Legal Aid Means Test Review. The Ministry of Justice published the Government Response to the Review’s consultation exercise in May 2023, which set out the detailed policy decisions underpinning the new means-testing arrangements. When implemented, we estimate that spending on legal aid will rise by circa £25 million. This will increase the number of people eligible for civil legal aid in England and Wales by an additional 2.5 million.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of his decision not to include (a) eligibility and (b) fees as part of his review of civil legal aid.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Ministry of Justice is currently undertaking a Review of Civil Legal Aid to identify evidence-based options for moving to a more effective, efficient, and sustainable system for legal aid providers and the people who rely on legal aid.
The Review will consider the civil legal aid system in its entirety: how services are procured, how well the current system works for users, how civil legal aid impacts the wider justice system, and whether the civil legal aid system offers a financially viable business option for legal aid providers. It will also consider the overall fee structures of the civil legal aid system. The scope of legal aid is not within the Review’s remit.
In the interim, we are continuing to make improvements across the sector to ensure legal aid is available to those who need it. From 1 August 2023, the scope of legal aid was expanded, enabling people facing the loss of their home to receive early legal advice on housing, debt, and welfare benefits issues as well as representation in court. This means an increase in funding of up to £10m each year.
In addition, we recently laid secondary legislation to bring Special Guardianship Orders brought in private law proceedings within scope of legal aid, injecting a further £13m into family legal aid per year. We have also broadened the evidence requirements for victims of domestic abuse applying for legal aid, making it easier for victims to evidence their claims. This will deliver on our commitments to support victims of domestic abuse and allow special guardians to access legal aid.
Eligibility for legal aid was considered in the Legal Aid Means Test Review. The Ministry of Justice published the Government Response to the Review’s consultation exercise in May 2023, which set out the detailed policy decisions underpinning the new means-testing arrangements. When implemented, we estimate that spending on legal aid will rise by circa £25 million. This will increase the number of people eligible for civil legal aid in England and Wales by an additional 2.5 million.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information his Department holds on how many people are listed as Politically Exposed Persons.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Money Laundering Regulations 2017 require businesses within the regulated sector (such as banks) to treat individuals who are entrusted with prominent public functions as PEPs. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) provides guidance to businesses within the regulated sector on which customers should be regarded as PEPs under the Money Laundering Regulations, and how a proportionate risk-based based approach to these customers (and their known close associates and family members) should be applied. It is for each business within the regulated sector to decide which of its customers are PEPs, in accordance with this guidance. The Government does not maintain a register of PEPs, and does not hold information on the number of people designated by regulated businesses as PEPs.
The FCA guidance on the treatment of politically exposed persons for anti-money laundering purposes is available at https://www.fca.org.uk/publications/finalised-guidance/fg17-6-treatment-politically-exposed-persons-peps-money-laundering The Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 committed the FCA to conduct a review into financial institutions’ adherence to its guidance on PEPs, and the appropriateness of that guidance. This review is currently underway.
Asked by: Janet Daby (Labour - Lewisham East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of ensuring that all secondary school pupils have an opportunity to undertake work experience on (a) disadvantaged children and (b) inclusivity.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Every pupil should have first hand experiences of the workplace through work visits, work shadowing and/or work experience to help their exploration of career opportunities and expand their networks. Experiences of the workplace should be tailored to the individual needs of the pupils involved and can demonstrate the capabilities of these pupils while providing them with first hand knowledge of the working environment.
Research evidence analysed for The Careers & Enterprise Company suggests that work experience, supported internships or employment, employee preparation programmes, self determination training and family involvement are effective in enabling pupils and young adults with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) to make a successful move from school to further or higher education, training, employment, or self-employment.
Research has also shown that disadvantaged pupils, who have fewer connections and social networks, disproportionately benefit from high quality interactions with employers. The Department knows that pupils who have had four or more encounters with employers, are 86% less likely to become not in education, employment or training (NEET), and they are likely to go on to earn 18% more.
The Careers & Enterprise Company works with employers to open experiences of the workplace with the benefit of improving the career outcomes for pupils. Employers who take an active role in the careers process of pupils, can realise a whole host of benefits, from identifying a diverse range of skills and abilities they need within their own business, to improving their employee engagement and development.
Secondary schools and colleges are expected to adopt the Government’s careers framework, the Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance, to develop and improve their careers programmes. The benchmarks describe eight aspects of high quality careers guidance based on international evidence. The proportion of schools and colleges fully achieving Gatsby Benchmark 6, experiences of the workplace, has increased from 37% in 2017/18 to 52% in 2021/22. Recent analysis also shows that 93% of students in reporting schools and colleges had at least one employer encounter last academic year, up from 82% in 2018/19. This shows that pupils are gaining more opportunities for work and the skills they need to succeed.
The Department’s grant funding arrangement with The Careers & Enterprise Company represents good value for money to the public purse, at around £30 million this year. This funding is provided to support schools and colleges in delivering high quality careers programmes, in line with the Gatsby Benchmarks and including support for schools and colleges to facilitate experiences for the workplace for pupils.
The current delivery model, working towards the eight Gatsby Benchmarks with support from The Careers & Enterprise Company, encourages schools and colleges to take a strategic approach to employer engagement, ensuring careers provision is embedded and sustainable in the long term.
Asked by: Janet Daby (Labour - Lewisham East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of providing work experience for all secondary school pupils.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Every pupil should have first hand experiences of the workplace through work visits, work shadowing and/or work experience to help their exploration of career opportunities and expand their networks. Experiences of the workplace should be tailored to the individual needs of the pupils involved and can demonstrate the capabilities of these pupils while providing them with first hand knowledge of the working environment.
Research evidence analysed for The Careers & Enterprise Company suggests that work experience, supported internships or employment, employee preparation programmes, self determination training and family involvement are effective in enabling pupils and young adults with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) to make a successful move from school to further or higher education, training, employment, or self-employment.
Research has also shown that disadvantaged pupils, who have fewer connections and social networks, disproportionately benefit from high quality interactions with employers. The Department knows that pupils who have had four or more encounters with employers, are 86% less likely to become not in education, employment or training (NEET), and they are likely to go on to earn 18% more.
The Careers & Enterprise Company works with employers to open experiences of the workplace with the benefit of improving the career outcomes for pupils. Employers who take an active role in the careers process of pupils, can realise a whole host of benefits, from identifying a diverse range of skills and abilities they need within their own business, to improving their employee engagement and development.
Secondary schools and colleges are expected to adopt the Government’s careers framework, the Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance, to develop and improve their careers programmes. The benchmarks describe eight aspects of high quality careers guidance based on international evidence. The proportion of schools and colleges fully achieving Gatsby Benchmark 6, experiences of the workplace, has increased from 37% in 2017/18 to 52% in 2021/22. Recent analysis also shows that 93% of students in reporting schools and colleges had at least one employer encounter last academic year, up from 82% in 2018/19. This shows that pupils are gaining more opportunities for work and the skills they need to succeed.
The Department’s grant funding arrangement with The Careers & Enterprise Company represents good value for money to the public purse, at around £30 million this year. This funding is provided to support schools and colleges in delivering high quality careers programmes, in line with the Gatsby Benchmarks and including support for schools and colleges to facilitate experiences for the workplace for pupils.
The current delivery model, working towards the eight Gatsby Benchmarks with support from The Careers & Enterprise Company, encourages schools and colleges to take a strategic approach to employer engagement, ensuring careers provision is embedded and sustainable in the long term.
Asked by: Janet Daby (Labour - Lewisham East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many people aged 18 and under have undertaken work experience in each year since 2013.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Every pupil should have first hand experiences of the workplace through work visits, work shadowing and/or work experience to help their exploration of career opportunities and expand their networks. Experiences of the workplace should be tailored to the individual needs of the pupils involved and can demonstrate the capabilities of these pupils while providing them with first hand knowledge of the working environment.
Research evidence analysed for The Careers & Enterprise Company suggests that work experience, supported internships or employment, employee preparation programmes, self determination training and family involvement are effective in enabling pupils and young adults with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) to make a successful move from school to further or higher education, training, employment, or self-employment.
Research has also shown that disadvantaged pupils, who have fewer connections and social networks, disproportionately benefit from high quality interactions with employers. The Department knows that pupils who have had four or more encounters with employers, are 86% less likely to become not in education, employment or training (NEET), and they are likely to go on to earn 18% more.
The Careers & Enterprise Company works with employers to open experiences of the workplace with the benefit of improving the career outcomes for pupils. Employers who take an active role in the careers process of pupils, can realise a whole host of benefits, from identifying a diverse range of skills and abilities they need within their own business, to improving their employee engagement and development.
Secondary schools and colleges are expected to adopt the Government’s careers framework, the Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance, to develop and improve their careers programmes. The benchmarks describe eight aspects of high quality careers guidance based on international evidence. The proportion of schools and colleges fully achieving Gatsby Benchmark 6, experiences of the workplace, has increased from 37% in 2017/18 to 52% in 2021/22. Recent analysis also shows that 93% of students in reporting schools and colleges had at least one employer encounter last academic year, up from 82% in 2018/19. This shows that pupils are gaining more opportunities for work and the skills they need to succeed.
The Department’s grant funding arrangement with The Careers & Enterprise Company represents good value for money to the public purse, at around £30 million this year. This funding is provided to support schools and colleges in delivering high quality careers programmes, in line with the Gatsby Benchmarks and including support for schools and colleges to facilitate experiences for the workplace for pupils.
The current delivery model, working towards the eight Gatsby Benchmarks with support from The Careers & Enterprise Company, encourages schools and colleges to take a strategic approach to employer engagement, ensuring careers provision is embedded and sustainable in the long term.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many open family cases there are in each Designated Family Judge area for public and private family law; and what proportion of those cases in each area involve litigants in person.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Count of the Private and Public Law Open Caseload as at the 31st March 2023 broken down to include cases without a representative | ||||
DESIGNATED FAMILY JUDGE AREA | Public Law Open Caseload | Private Law Open Caseload | ||
Unrepresented1 | Total Cases | Unrepresented1 | Total Cases | |
Birmingham | 57 | 280 | 1211 | 1696 |
Blackburn/Lancaster | 80 | 373 | 751 | 1063 |
Bournemouth and Dorset | 17 | 91 | 202 | 335 |
Brighton | 36 | 270 | 946 | 1353 |
Bristol (A, NS and G) | 55 | 330 | 822 | 1190 |
Business Centres | 0 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
Carlisle | 14 | 114 | 131 | 220 |
Central London | 187 | 666 | 2691 | 3485 |
Cleveland and South Durham | 82 | 371 | 289 | 461 |
Coventry | 27 | 131 | 513 | 778 |
Derby | 36 | 223 | 461 | 711 |
Devon | 92 | 347 | 615 | 994 |
East London | 189 | 676 | 2313 | 3412 |
Essex and Suffolk | 68 | 374 | 2051 | 2939 |
Guildford | 31 | 149 | 559 | 854 |
Humberside | 74 | 297 | 372 | 570 |
Leicester | 23 | 186 | 451 | 679 |
Lincoln | 18 | 127 | 292 | 474 |
Liverpool | 200 | 799 | 959 | 1532 |
Luton | 28 | 172 | 520 | 704 |
Manchester | 234 | 882 | 1658 | 2483 |
Medway and Canterbury | 127 | 421 | 1291 | 1759 |
Milton Keynes | 53 | 272 | 604 | 923 |
North Wales | 39 | 144 | 183 | 310 |
North Yorkshire | 14 | 83 | 201 | 356 |
Northampton | 24 | 152 | 410 | 558 |
Northumbria and North Durham | 95 | 503 | 551 | 934 |
Norwich | 26 | 187 | 527 | 793 |
Nottingham | 47 | 246 | 705 | 1039 |
Peterborough and Cambridge | 26 | 145 | 423 | 650 |
Portsmouth (Hampshire and IOW) | 82 | 291 | 974 | 1362 |
Reading | 37 | 212 | 566 | 921 |
South East Wales | 73 | 284 | 645 | 1084 |
South Yorkshire | 70 | 391 | 418 | 705 |
Stoke on Trent | 68 | 320 | 653 | 965 |
Swansea | 39 | 155 | 351 | 713 |
Swindon | 15 | 93 | 291 | 435 |
Taunton | 21 | 113 | 251 | 412 |
Truro | 12 | 97 | 191 | 326 |
Watford | 13 | 90 | 566 | 847 |
West London | 96 | 524 | 1813 | 2556 |
West Yorkshire | 164 | 706 | 1079 | 1639 |
Wolverhampton | 99 | 471 | 947 | 1417 |
Worcester | 17 | 111 | 318 | 525 |
Grand Total | 2805 | 12873 | 31767 | 47165 |
Unrepresented1 data is a subset of Publish Management Information. This is Management Information; the data is taken from a live management information system and can change over time and may differ from previously published data.
1. Unrepresented' refers to parties where no representative is recorded. Therefore, they should be considered as parties without a recorded representative, rather than 'litigants in person'.
Although care is taken when processing and analysing the data, the details are subject to inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale case management system.