Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to improve literacy rates in prison; what estimate he has made of illiteracy levels among prisoners (a) in 2022 and (b) in 2017; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
We are working to deliver a Prisoner Education Service that equips prisoners with the numeracy, literacy, and skills they need to get jobs after they leave custody.
Since we introduced more consistent initial assessments in 2019, data has been relatively stable and indicates that many prisoners arrive with low levels of literacy. Our latest published data shows that, from April 2021 to March 2022, 61% of English initial assessment outcomes were at the entry levels 1-3 (equivalent to primary school). Data for 2022 will be published next year.
Improving functional skills is a significant element of education provision and we set ambitious targets for education providers regarding learners successfully obtaining qualifications.
We have also made progress on actions following Ofsted and HM Inspectorate of Prisons recent review of reading in prisons, including ensuring appropriate functional skills qualifications are delivered, increasing the scrutiny of library provision and piloting reading assessment tools.
To improve support for prisoners with additional learning needs we have started to recruit new support managers for prisoners with conditions such as learning disabilities, autism, acquired brain injury or ADHD and we are trialling the use of new reading assessment tools.
We are also trailing new approaches to encourage literacy including embedding literacy in workshops and vocational training as well as in football coaching via the Twinning project.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent steps his Department has taken to improve the (a) literacy and (b) numeracy of people in prison.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Prisons Strategy White Paper sets out the government’s ambition to equip all prisoners with the literacy and numeracy skills they need to get jobs on release. To support this, HMPPS has introduced new performance measures for English and maths, and we are holding Governors and providers to account for progress.
The delivery of face-to-face education was constrained by the pandemic but the numbers of enrolments on literacy and numeracy courses are now back up to, and in some cases exceeding pre-pandemic levels.
The joint report by HM Inspectorate of Prisons and Ofsted on Prison education: a review of reading education in prisons highlighted the need to improve literacy education in prisons. To address its recommendations, we are reviewing the current mechanisms for assessing and recording the levels of prisoners’ reading, improving the curriculum guidance given to governors to ensure they prioritise the teaching of reading, and reviewing teacher capability to ensure that all providers have staff who are properly qualified to teach reading.
To improve support for prisoners with additional learning needs we have started to recruit new support managers for prisoners with conditions such as learning disabilities, autism, acquired brain injury or ADHD
We are also planning to develop a Literacy Innovation Scheme to encourage new providers to work with us to trial new approaches to teaching reading with the aim of driving up quality and improving outcomes across the estate.
Asked by: Steve Reed (Labour (Co-op) - Croydon North)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he has taken with the relevant stakeholders to develop a method to assess the maturity of offenders entering the justice system up to the age of 21.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Her Majesty’s Prisons and Probation Service (HMPPS) has developed a maturity screening tool for young adult men. This tool is available for use with all men aged 18-25 years of age within the prison and probation population. This maturity tool is a screening tool which is designed to identify those with the lowest levels of maturity, establish likely demand for services and interventions and to help practitioners to identify those individuals with lower levels of maturity who are most in need of support. The screening tool came into use in November 2018, however, has not yet been validated for use with female prisoners and work is ongoing to confirm if it can be used.
We are also currently working with senior civil servants in DHSC to improve screening for neurodivergent conditions/disorders/differences and Acquired Brain Injury, which are often associated with lower levels of maturity.
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many new prisoners have been screened for acquired brain injury since April 2021.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
The information requested is not held centrally. Each arrival at a prison, whether sentenced or remanded, should receive a first night health screen. This screening tool contains questions on acquired brain injury which, if answered in the affirmative, would result in a referral for a specific assessment.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
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 health and social care services for people with neurological conditions.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
The National Neurosciences Advisory Group (NNAG) is currently developing optimal clinical pathways for people with neurological conditions. The pathways aim to support the improvement of treatment, care and support services and enable better commissioning of neurological services locally and nationally. The Neuroscience Services Transformation Programme will use these pathways to inform its workplan and support integrated care systems to improve outcomes.
The NNAG has publish two toolkits on progressive neurological conditions and epilepsy. The toolkits prioritise faster and more accurate diagnoses, collaborative working between different disciplines and increased availability of neurorehabilitation, reablement, and psychosocial support. NHS England and NHS Improvement plan to recruit a National Clinical Director for Neurology to provide clinical leadership and advice across neurology. The Department has announced the development of a cross-Government strategy on acquired brain injury. The strategy will be informed by a call for evidence inviting views on whether other related neurological conditions should also be included in its scope. We will also set out plans for dementia services in England in a strategy which will be published later this year.
Asked by: Alec Shelbrooke (Conservative - Elmet and Rothwell)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has had discussions with representatives of the Professional Football Association on the support and care required by former footballers affected by Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
My Department has discussed a range of issues with the Professional Footballers Association (PFA), including around instances of concussion and brain injury within football.
On 10 December 2021 we published our report on Concussion in Sport. It outlines the steps the government will be taking to help reduce risks associated with head injuries by improving understanding, awareness, prevention and treatment of concussion in sport.
We are now working to develop a single set of shared protocols across the UK on concussion, and convening a new sports concussion research forum to identify the research questions that need answering in this important area.
On 14 March 2022, the Department for Health and Social Care launched a Call for Evidence to inform the development of the government’s Acquired Brain Injury Strategy. More information on the Call for Evidence can be found here.
The Government remains committed to working with sports stakeholders, including the PFA, to build on the positive work on concussion and brain injury that is already taking place to mitigate the causes and effects of concussion in sport.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
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 tackle unwarranted variation in (a) treatment of, (b) care and (c) support for people with neurological conditions.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) develops evidence-based guidance for healthcare professionals on best practice in the health and care system, supporting improved patient outcomes and reducing variation. NICE has produced a range of guidance on neurological conditions which clinicians and commissioners are expected to take into account.
The National Neurosciences Advisory Group (NNAG) is developing optimum clinical pathways for people with neurological conditions. The pathways will support the improvement of treatment, care and support services, setting out aspirations for good care and commissioning of neurological services locally and nationally.
The NNAG has worked with NHS RightCare to publish two toolkits, specifically on progressive neurological conditions and epilepsy. The toolkits prioritise faster and more accurate diagnoses, collaborative working between different disciplines and an increase in the availability of neuro-rehabilitation, reablement and psychosocial support. New triage processes have been introduced to ensure patients receive the care they need, with more patients now seen in outpatient settings closer to home. In addition, the Department has announced the development of a cross-Government strategy on acquired brain injury. The strategy will be informed by a call for evidence which will invite views on whether other related neurological conditions should also be included.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
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 equitable treatment, care and support for people with neurological conditions.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
The majority of services for those with neurological conditions are commissioned locally by clinical commissioning groups, with NHS England commissioning specialised care through the 25 specialised neurological treatment centres in England. NHS England’s service specification sets out what providers must have in place to deliver specialised neurological care to support equity of access to high quality services for patients.
The National Neurosciences Advisory Group are currently developing optimum clinical pathways for people with neurological conditions. The aim of these pathways is to support the improvement of services, set out aspirations for good care and enable good commissioning of neurological services locally and nationally. In addition, the Department has announced the development of a cross-Government strategy on acquired brain injury and potentially other neurological conditions.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Prime Minister's response to the hon. Member for Rhondda on 24 November 2021, Official Report, Col 341, on the development of a cross-governmental strategy on acquired brain injury and other neurological conditions, what (a) other neurological conditions and (b) other Departments will be included in the scope of that strategy.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
To inform the content of the strategy, the Department will publish a call for evidence, to seek the views of stakeholders including healthcare staff, people living with an acquired brain injury and their families and carers on what should be prioritised within the strategy and whether there are other similar or related neurological conditions which should be considered for inclusion.
The Department for Health and Social Care is working with other Government departments including the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the Department for Education and the Ministry of Justice to explore ways to strengthen the support provided to those with an acquired brain injury.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley 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 (a) support available and (b) policies for addressing the issues that additional brain injury patients experience in day to day living.
Answered by Chloe Smith
We have taken your PQ to refer to support for people with Acquired Brain Injury. People who are unable to work because they are disabled or have a health condition, including people who have Acquired Brain Injury, may be eligible for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Universal Credit (UC). Extra costs benefits, including Personal Independence Payment (PIP), are also available to help people with long-term health conditions or disabilities. PIP can be paid in addition to other benefits and support, including benefits which may help with the costs of living.
The Work Capability Assessment (WCA) determines entitlement to ESA and the additional health-related element of UC. A case discussion about the needs of claimants with Acquired Brain Injury forms part of new entrant training for all WCA assessors, who also have access to a self-directed learning module on Acquired Brain Injury which was updated this year and quality assured by Headway, the brain injury association. Headway is also a member of the WCA provider’s customer representative group.
Acquired Brain Injury is incorporated into training for PIP Health Professionals, who all have access to a Condition Insight Report on brain injury that was updated in 2020 and completed in collaboration with Headway. The PIP Forum regularly consults with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure that PIP meets the needs of its claimants.
The National Disability Strategy aims to improve disabled people’s everyday lives. Our long term vision is to transform disabled people’s day-to-day lives. The strategy offers both a positive vision for long term societal change and a wide-ranging, practical plan for action now.
Although progress has been made over recent decades on accessibility and inclusion, far too often obstacles remain. The strategy sets out probably the widest-ranging set of practical actions to improve the lives of disabled people ever developed, across jobs, housing, transport, education, shopping, culture, justice, public services, and data and evidence.