Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the quality of health and social care services for disabled children.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The commissioning of health and social care services is the responsibility of clinical commissioning groups and local authorities respectively. Local commissioners are best placed to assess the needs of the local population, and commission accordingly. While waiting times for accessing some individual services for children are reported, there is no overall waiting time measure for access to services for disabled children.
Information is collected on wheelchair services; the latest published data for quarter four 2017/18 shows 82% of children whose episode of care was closed in that period received their equipment in 18 weeks or less. NHS England is working with clinical commissioning groups to understand what is contributing to waits above 18 weeks, and consider what actions will help to reduce these.
In 2014, the Government introduced a new statutory framework requiring local authorities and clinical commissioning groups to jointly commission services for children with special educational needs and disability, across health, social care and education. Since 2014, £327 million has been given to local areas to support implementation of these new arrangements, in addition to the high needs budget for placements for pupils with complex special educational needs which is £6 billion this year – the highest it has ever been. Every local area’s arrangements are being inspected jointly by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission, in addition to their role inspecting providers.
The 2015 Spending Review made available more than £200 billion until 2020 for councils to deliver services to local communities, including for provision of social care services for disabled children. The Government is conducting a review of the relative needs and resources of local authorities that will develop a robust, up-to-date approach to distributing funding across all local authorities in England at Local Government Finance Settlements, including for children’s services.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)
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 trends in waiting times for disabled children to access health and social care services in each of the last five years.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The commissioning of health and social care services is the responsibility of clinical commissioning groups and local authorities respectively. Local commissioners are best placed to assess the needs of the local population, and commission accordingly. While waiting times for accessing some individual services for children are reported, there is no overall waiting time measure for access to services for disabled children.
Information is collected on wheelchair services; the latest published data for quarter four 2017/18 shows 82% of children whose episode of care was closed in that period received their equipment in 18 weeks or less. NHS England is working with clinical commissioning groups to understand what is contributing to waits above 18 weeks, and consider what actions will help to reduce these.
In 2014, the Government introduced a new statutory framework requiring local authorities and clinical commissioning groups to jointly commission services for children with special educational needs and disability, across health, social care and education. Since 2014, £327 million has been given to local areas to support implementation of these new arrangements, in addition to the high needs budget for placements for pupils with complex special educational needs which is £6 billion this year – the highest it has ever been. Every local area’s arrangements are being inspected jointly by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission, in addition to their role inspecting providers.
The 2015 Spending Review made available more than £200 billion until 2020 for councils to deliver services to local communities, including for provision of social care services for disabled children. The Government is conducting a review of the relative needs and resources of local authorities that will develop a robust, up-to-date approach to distributing funding across all local authorities in England at Local Government Finance Settlements, including for children’s services.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of funding for the provision of (a) equipment and (b) treatment for disabled children.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The commissioning of health and social care services is the responsibility of clinical commissioning groups and local authorities respectively. Local commissioners are best placed to assess the needs of the local population, and commission accordingly. While waiting times for accessing some individual services for children are reported, there is no overall waiting time measure for access to services for disabled children.
Information is collected on wheelchair services; the latest published data for quarter four 2017/18 shows 82% of children whose episode of care was closed in that period received their equipment in 18 weeks or less. NHS England is working with clinical commissioning groups to understand what is contributing to waits above 18 weeks, and consider what actions will help to reduce these.
In 2014, the Government introduced a new statutory framework requiring local authorities and clinical commissioning groups to jointly commission services for children with special educational needs and disability, across health, social care and education. Since 2014, £327 million has been given to local areas to support implementation of these new arrangements, in addition to the high needs budget for placements for pupils with complex special educational needs which is £6 billion this year – the highest it has ever been. Every local area’s arrangements are being inspected jointly by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission, in addition to their role inspecting providers.
The 2015 Spending Review made available more than £200 billion until 2020 for councils to deliver services to local communities, including for provision of social care services for disabled children. The Government is conducting a review of the relative needs and resources of local authorities that will develop a robust, up-to-date approach to distributing funding across all local authorities in England at Local Government Finance Settlements, including for children’s services.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on investing in digital technologies to help integrate SEN children into mainstream schooling.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The Department for Education is interested in and aware of the opportunities technology presents throughout education, includingthe ways in which assistive technologies can support special educational needs (SEN) pupils, and is exploring how best to support schools in realising these opportunities.
Mainstream schools have a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments for children and young people who are disabled, which includes many of those who have SEN. This means that if pupils require specific technical equipment to enable them to access education on the same basis as their peers, schools must provide that equipment.
Decisions about investment in technologies for children and young people with SEN are made locally, by schools and local authorities.
Schools are expected to meet the first £6,000 of support for children with SEN from their budget. If costs are in excess of this amount, schools can apply to their local authority for top-up funding. Where a pupil has an Education, Health and Care plan, local authorities work with health and social care partners to deliver the special educational provision specified in the plan.
Asked by: Baroness Bertin (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the 2014 report published by the British Healthcare Trades Association on the economic benefits of improved provision of equipment for disabled and terminally ill children.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
The report by the British Healthcare Trades Association concluded that the costs of medical care would be significantly reduced through more effective provision of equipment, and the National Health Service is continually seeking to improve equipment provision and use. NHS England is leading work to improve wheelchair commissioning and posture services through the development and dissemination of its wheelchair service specification and by working with commissioners to eliminate 18 week waits for wheelchairs by the end of 2018/19. Since 2016, the Department has funded sports activity prostheses for children who have suffered limb loss or congenital limb deficiency.
Asked by: Mike Hill (Labour - Hartlepool)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, under what conditions parents of disabled children are given blue badges.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Blue Badges are issued to disabled people, and not family members unless accompanying a disabled person. Children can qualify for a badge under the general criteria if they:
Additional, specific criteria, apply to children not more than 3 years old who, on account of a condition:
Asked by: Catherine McKinnell (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne North)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will review the mobility component of disability living allowance to ensure that children under the age of three are eligible.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Families with children under the age of three are able to claim the care component of Disability Living Allowance where the child’s care needs are substantially in excess of the needs of a child of the same age without a disability or long term health condition.
From 9 April 2001, the age condition for entitlement to the higher rate mobility component was lowered from 5 years to 3 years. In deciding to set the lower age limit, the department considered views of medical advisors and independent research; while the development of walking ability varies from child to child, by age 3 it was felt that it is realistically possible in the majority of cases to make an informed decision as to whether an inability to walk is the result of disability or long term health condition.
We do however appreciate the difficulties that some families with severely disabled children aged under 3 face particularly those whose reliance on bulky medical equipment makes transportation difficult. We have met stakeholders at both Ministerial and official level to hear their concerns first-hand, and are continuing to consider this issue. As part of this, we have been in discussion with Motability to explore options for helping this group of children. Any further progress on this matter will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will extend Disability Living Allowance to children under the age of three who suffer from severe medical conditions which require them to have bulky medical equipment with them at all times.
Answered by Lord Freud
Families with children under the age of three are able to claim the care component of Disability Living Allowance where the child’s care needs are substantially in excess of the needs of a child of the same age without a disability.
From 9 April 2001, the age condition for entitlement to the higher rate mobility component was lowered from 5 years to 3 years. In deciding to set the lower age limit, the department considered views of medical advisors and independent research; while the development of walking ability varies from child to child, by age 3 it was felt that it is realistically possible in the majority of cases to make an informed decision as to whether an inability to walk is the result of disability.
We do however appreciate the difficulties that some families with severely disabled children aged under 3 face. We have met stakeholders at both Ministerial and official level to hear their concerns first-hand and are continuing to consider the matter.
Asked by: Joan Ryan (The Independent Group for Change - Enfield North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which (a) Israeli and (b) Palestinian non-governmental organisations and projects receive how much funding from his Department.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The following Israeli and Palestinian non-governmental organisations and projects are funded from the bilateral programme budget during the current financial year (2016/17). These are projected spend figures so are subject to change.
- Burj Alluqluq Centre Society - This project aims to prevent conflict through the creation of extra-curricular programmes that enable youth to have alternatives to being on the street, reducing the likelihood of violence and countering extremism in the most marginalised areas in Occupied East Jerusalem. Through academic and leadership training, this project will improve employment prospects and build the skills of vulnerable youth. - £49,324
- El Hakawati - Promoting stability in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs), and preserving the cultural and physical viability of the two-state solution. Supporting the preservation of Palestinian identity and culture in Occupied East Jerusalem. - £10,000
- Sharek Youth Forum - Promoting democratic engagement and good governance in West Bank by building capacity of politically-engaged youth leaders from different political and geographical backgrounds to advocate and engage politically with Palestinian Authority. - £48,000
- Nawa for Culture and Arts Association - Tackling the risk of extremism and countering those seeking to radicalize youth in Gaza by providing alternative extra-curricular opportunities. Supporting the human rights of vulnerable and at-risk children in an area of Gaza. - £9,400
-Palestinian Marine Navigators Association - Reducing the risk of conflict and encouraging greater stability with Israeli naval forces by providing equipment and training to vulnerable fishermen in Gaza Strip contributing to the safety and economic prosperity of Gazan fishermen. - £19,500
- Society for the Care of Disabled Families (SOCADIF) -Promoting stability in OPTs, and physical viability of the two-state solution. Building on UK leadership by providing vocational/professional training to disabled women in Rafah, supporting their human rights and economic viability. - £9,000.
Asked by: Lord Bruce of Bennachie (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what support they provide to deaf people in developing countries.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
People with disabilities are the largest minority group globally. An estimated one billion people have a disability globally, 80% of whom live in developing countries. People with disabilities are often the poorest in their community and many face considerable levels of stigma, discrimination and persecution.
DFID follows a ‘twin-track’ approach to disability inclusion. This means we aim to attach priority to disability in all our policies and programmes as well as supporting disability-targeted programmes.
Over the last two years, DFID has strengthened our capacity to work on disability inclusion, including by appointing a director-level champion, employing three full-time staff to work solely on disability, and developing a group of Internal Disability Expert Advisers from across our organisation.
DFID’s efforts to date have included:
For example, two projects in the UK’s flagship Girls Education Challenge are exclusively focused on addressing the issue that girls with disabilities are less likely to access education. Specific interventions include provision of assistive devices and scholastic materials for girls with hearing impairments and improvement of teacher skills to enable them to communicate in sign language, which has encouraged parents to enrol their children in schools.