Written questions by Sollom.

How many and what proportion of school rebuilding projects have (a) been completed, (b) been completed within their intended time frame and (c) have passed their original deadline.

As of 31 December 2024, buildings have been handed over at 23 schools. Of these, demolition and ground works are complete at nine schools, with a further six forecast to reach practical completion this financial year.The programme started in 2020, with the first projects announced in 2021. In line with initial expectations for the programme, just under half of School Rebuilding Programme projects have commenced various stages of delivery activity, despite some market challenges caused by significant global events. The remaining projects have been given indicative start dates for delivery over the next few years based on a prioritisation of need, with building projects taking up to five years from commencement to complete.

How much funding has been allocated in total for the school rebuilding programme.

School buildings are integral to high and rising standards and need to be fit for the future.We have committed to rebuilding or refurbishing 518 schools and sixth form colleges through the School Rebuilding Programme (SRP).The Autumn Budget 2024 included £1.4 billion for the 2025/26 financial year to drive the ongoing delivery of the current programme. Future capital funding for schools beyond 2025/26 will be confirmed following the next multi-year phase of the Spending Review.Annual capital budgets to date for the SRP are published within the Supplementary and Main Estimates on parliament.uk. These budgets are combined with the legacy Priority School Building Programme.The department also publishes information on all contracts awarded over £10,000, including rebuilding projects, normally within 30 days of the contract being signed. These are published on GOV.UK at: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search.

What the cost to the public purse has been of the school rebuilding programme broken down by spending on (a) completed projects and (b) ongoing projects.

School buildings are integral to high and rising standards and need to be fit for the future.We have committed to rebuilding or refurbishing 518 schools and sixth form colleges through the School Rebuilding Programme (SRP).The Autumn Budget 2024 included £1.4 billion for the 2025/26 financial year to drive the ongoing delivery of the current programme. Future capital funding for schools beyond 2025/26 will be confirmed following the next multi-year phase of the Spending Review.Annual capital budgets to date for the SRP are published within the Supplementary and Main Estimates on parliament.uk. These budgets are combined with the legacy Priority School Building Programme.The department also publishes information on all contracts awarded over £10,000, including rebuilding projects, normally within 30 days of the contract being signed. These are published on GOV.UK at: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search.

Which contractors have been chosen to carry out works under the school rebuilding programme; and on what criteria these contractors were chosen.

The department procures contractors from its frameworks to deliver the vast majority of projects, including the School Rebuilding Programme. Information on the contractors on its frameworks, including the criteria for selecting contractors for individual projects, can be found on GOV.UK, and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-buildings-construction-framework-2021/appendix-d-framework-contractors.

How many temporary classrooms are currently in use in schools across England, broken down by number in use in (a) primary schools (b) secondary schools and (c) special schools.

It is the responsibility of those who run schools, academy trusts, local authorities and voluntary aided school bodies, to manage the maintenance of their schools and alert the department if there is a concern with a building. Local authorities and academy trusts do not need to report the use of temporary classrooms to the department, therefore, the department does not hold this data. The department does provide support on a case-by-case basis, working with the sector, if it is alerted to a serious safety issue. The department always puts the safety and wellbeing of children and staff in schools and colleges at the heart of its policy decisions.

If his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of compulsory walking aid return and reuse schemes for NHS trusts.

The National Health Service is committed to reducing its environmental impact, and in 2020, published its Delivering a Net Zero NHS strategy, committing to reach net zero by 2045.The NHS recognises that reusing walking aids, such as crutches, frames, and ...

What steps his Department is taking to (a) promote patient awareness of walking aid return and reuse schemes, (b) promote NHS staff awareness of the possibility of establishing those schemes and (c

The National Health Service is committed to reducing its environmental impact, and in 2020, published its Delivering a Net Zero NHS strategy, committing to reach net zero by 2045.The NHS recognises that reusing walking aids, such as crutches, frames, and ...

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 December 2024 to Question 15843 on Child Maintenance Service: Courts, how many liability orders have been (a) applied for by the Child Maintenance Service and (b) granted by

In response to question (a) the Child Maintenance Service applied for approximately;17,800 liability orders between October 2023 and September 2024,15,100 liability orders between October 2022 and September 2023, and11,300 liability orders between October...

Whether she is taking steps to improve staffing levels in the Child Maintenance Service.

As more customers apply to the Child Maintenance Service (CMS), demand for the service increases. To allow us to meet this demand and provide an efficient service we continuously look at the resources we have and where we should focus our efforts to get t...

Whether she plans to prevent transgender women being placed in male population prisons while their cases are reviewed.

Transgender women that have a history of violent and/or sexual offences, or retain their birth genitalia, are initially allocated to the men’s prison estate. Arrangements are made to keep them and other prisoners safe ahead of risk assessments that consid...

Pursuant to the Answer of 25 November to Question 14520 on Compulsorily Detained Psychiatric Patients, how many people have been held in Section 136 suites for over 24 hours in the last five years;

The Department does not hold the information in the format requested. Information on the number of uses of section 136 suites, collected by NHS England, is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistica...

Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to speed up the pace of repairs to damaged broadband cables in rural areas.

The Department works with Ofcom and communication providers to ensure broadband services are resilient and reliable. All communication providers have statutory obligations to maintain their networks and services. Ofcom has the power to investigate, rectif...

Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to help support people in areas where (a) there is damage to broadband cables and (b) other repairs are required to access to broadband services.

The Department works with Ofcom and communication providers to ensure broadband services are resilient and reliable. All communication providers have statutory obligations to maintain their networks and services. Ofcom has the power to investigate, rectif...

What steps she is taking to (a) increase awareness and (b) raise the status with (i) universities and (ii) employers of the Level 3 Core Maths qualification.

High and rising school standards, including in mathematics, are at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best life chances. Our Core Maths suite of qualifications is designed to prepare studen...

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of encouraging the Joint Council for Qualifications to include the Level 3 Core Maths qualification within the A level and Level 3 results documents to

High and rising school standards, including in mathematics, are at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best life chances. Our Core Maths suite of qualifications is designed to prepare studen...

What steps she is taking to help resolve pay disputes with non-academised sixth forms who were not included in the 5.5% pay award announced for teachers.

The government does not set or recommend pay in further education (FE) providers, which have the freedom to make their own arrangements in line with their local circumstances. This government recognises the vital role that FE teachers and providers play i...

If she will undertake a review of further education funding, in the context of the pay dispute with teachers at non-academised sixth forms.

This government recognises the vital role that further education (FE) teachers and providers play in equipping learners with the opportunities and skills that they need to succeed in their education, and will consider workforce sufficiency and what this m...

What steps her Department is taking to support the education of pupils at non-academised sixth forms in the context of planned industrial action.

This government recognises the vital role that further education (FE) teachers and providers play in equipping learners with the opportunities and skills that they need to succeed in their education, and will consider workforce sufficiency and what this m...

With reference to his Department's press release entitled Establishing the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme in Regulations, published on 23 August 2024, what his planned timetable is to publish the second set

Subject to Parliamentary approval, the Government is aiming for the second set of Regulations to be in place by 31 March 2025 to support our intention that people who are affected can start receiving payment next year.

If her Department will publish an evaluation of the pilot scheme on the use of single-named caseworkers by the Child Maintenance Service.

The Child Maintenance Service takes the support of survivors of domestic abuse very seriously. In response to recommendation 4 of Dr Callan’s independent review, the Single Caseworker Team pilot was set up on 23rd January 2024 to deal with complex domesti...