Every parliamentary written question tabled by Laurence Turner this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 321–340 of 356 · this parliament
Whether Access to Work applicants can contact that service in writing
Individuals can apply for Access to Work assistance either online via Gov.UK or by telephone on 0800 121 7479. Once the application is assigned to a Case Manager, the customer is provided with the direct contact details of their personal case manager for the duration of the decision-making process.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the report entitled Value for money and accountability: a report on the Birmingham City Council section 114 bankruptcy, published by Sheffield University's Audit Reform Lab on 19 August 2024, if her Department will make an assessment of the the (a) findings and (b) recommendations of that report.
Commissioners at Birmingham City Council provided a response to the Audit Lab Report which is publicly available at: https://auditreformlab.group.shef.ac.uk/value-for-money-and-accountability/. The Ministry will continue to work with commissioners and the Council on the challenges faced at the authority to return it to financial stability. I also refer my Hon Friend to the answer given by my Rt Hon Friend the Member for Ashton-under-lyne to his Oral Question 900270 on 2 September 2024.
Pursuant to the Answer of 26 July 2024 to Question 266 on Roads: Birmingham and with reference to deposited paper DEP2024-0567, if she will place a copy of her Department's decision letter to Birmingham City Council dated 30 November 2023 in the House of Commons Library.
A copy of the letter will be deposited in the House of Commons Library.
Whether the draft Audit Reform and Corporate Governance Bill will contain measures to improve the quality of the auditing of public sector bodies.
The Government's manifesto committed to overhaul the local audit system to provide high quality, timely assurance to taxpayers. On 30 July, Jim McMahon, the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution, outlined to Parliament immediate actions to address the local audit backlog in England. Longer-term, he committed to reviewing the evidence (including external review recommendations) and to update the House this autumn.The draft Audit Reform and Corporate Governance Bill will tackle bad financial reporting through a strengthened regulator. It will uphold standards and independent scrutiny of companies' accounts, supporting investment and economic security.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 30 July 2024 to Question 863 on Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief, when he plans to decide on the special envoy roles.
This Government will champion freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all abroad. No one should live in fear because of what they do, or do not, believe in. Envoy roles are under Ministerial consideration and will be decided upon in due course. In the meantime, we will continue to use the strength of our global diplomatic network, including dedicated staff within the FCDO, to promote and protect FoRB around the world.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help (a) reduce hostilities and (b) secure deliveries of humanitarian aid in Darfur.
The UK is pursuing all diplomatic avenues to press the warring parties into a permanent ceasefire, allow unrestricted humanitarian access, protect civilians and commit to a sustained and meaningful peace process. We will continue to support and encourage international mediation efforts by: using our influence on the multilateral stage; direct messaging to the warring parties; and pressing for greater coordination between the different mediation tracks. We welcomed the re-opening of the Adre border on the 15 August. However, the warring parties must remove any unnecessary restrictions on trucks moving through Adre to urgently facilitate unimpeded access to those most in need. The UK called a UN Security Council session on 6 August to urgently discuss the findings by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC)'s Famine Review Committee that famine is present in Sudan's Zamzam Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Northern Darfur, and we called on the warring parties to stop the obstruction of aid.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 22 July 2024 to Question 216 on Birmingham City Council: Insolvency, whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department were informed that the decision would be made on 5 September 2023 prior to that notification being issued.
Both officials and former Ministers in the Department were notified of the decision of Birmingham City Council to issue a Section 114 report after the report had been issued by the Council’s Section 151 officer.
How many parents or young people have taken Birmingham City Council to appeal at a tribunal against an Education, Care and Health Plan decision in each of the last five years; and what (a) number and (b) proportion of those appeals were (i) determined in favour of the appellants, (ii) determined in favour of the local authority, (iii) withdrawn, (iv) conceded before the hearing, and (v) still awaiting a hearing.
Information about appeals to the First-tier Tribunal for Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) is published at: www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics.The table below sets out the number of appeals to the SEND Tribunal against decisions made by Birmingham City Council for the academic years 2019 to 2022 (the latest period for which data are available); and the numbers of those appeals that were (i) determined in favour of the appellants, (ii) determined in favour of the local authority, (iii) withdrawn, (iv) conceded before the hearing, and (v) still awaiting a hearing.Appellants would include appeals made by parents and young persons.Academic yearTotal appeals registeredTotal appeals determined in favour of the appellantsTotal appeals determined in favour of the local authorityTotal appeals withdrawnConceded before the hearingAwaiting a hearing date20202911801032650202154736731488912022525365105284122023Data is not currently published 1- Appeal data is only available for 3 years due to record retention policy.2- Appeals registered and appeals concluded will not tally due to spanning over academic years.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will resume funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency.
As the Foreign Secretary announced on 19 July, UNRWA is absolutely central to humanitarian efforts on Gaza. It also plays a critical role in the wider region in providing essential services, including healthcare and education, to Palestinian refugees. The UK is committed to supporting UNRWA's lifesaving work, and will resume funding, releasing £21 million new funding for its work in Gaza and the region.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's publication entitled Birmingham City Council: Commissioner appointment letters, published on 5 October 2023, what (a) process and (b) criteria
The previous government introduced a recruitment process to identify potential candidates for future commissioner appointments and other improvement roles.A recruitment consultant was hired to help create a high calibre, diverse pool of candidates with in...
Media and Sport, with reference to Birmingham City Council's consultation entitled Libraries Consultation 2024, published on 4 April 2024, what role officials in her Department had in the development of the options presented in that consultation.
DCMS officials have met with Birmingham City Council officers to ensure that they are aware of their responsibilities to provide a ‘comprehensive and efficient’ library service across the area as required by the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964, and to advise on superintendence processes.However, the development of options for future library service provision in Birmingham is the responsibility of the Council.
If he will make it his policy to (a) reinstate the Children's Hospice Grant for 2025-26 and (b) up-rate that funding in line with inflation.
In 2024/25, NHS England provided £25 million in funding for children and young people’s hospices. This was distributed via integrated care boards, in line with National Health Service devolution. We are currently considering the future of this important funding stream beyond 2024/25.
How many apprenticeships have started in Birmingham Northfield constituency in each of the last five years.
Apprenticeship starts by parliamentary constituency are published in the Apprenticeships Statistics publication. Figures for Birmingham Northfield constituency can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/2abb827d-653c-4a6f-5350-08dca71310d3. Note: Figures are based on parliamentary constituency boundaries as at July 2024. Further information on apprenticeship starts can be found in the Apprenticeships Statistics publication, which can be accessed at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships.
How many people have been waiting over six months to access CAMHS support in Birmingham.
The following table shows the number of referrals to Birmingham mental health services for those aged 17 years old and under, those referrals who received first contact, and those referrals who received first contact within six months of the referral date, over each of the last five years:YearReferralsReferrals who received first contactReferrals who received first contact within six months of the same year2019/2022,2658,9461,6072020/2119,9367,8801,4442021/2227,43510,5941,6812022/2325,2527,8311,4032023/2434,8797,500385Source: data taken from the Mental Health Services Dataset, published by NHS England.Notes:in some instances, it may not be expected that a first contact would be recorded, for example those received by triage teams may be closed without a contact, with a new referral being opened once triaged instead; anda cyber incident between August 2022 and March 2023 impacted several providers submitting Mental Health Services data, therefore some individual providers may not be able to submit complete data.Finally, as of March 2024 the number of referrals still waiting for first contact, having waited at least six months and regardless of when the referral started, is 15,181.
How many referrals have been accepted by Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in Birmingham in each of the last five years.
The following table shows the number of referrals to Birmingham mental health services for those aged 17 years old and under, those referrals who received first contact, and those referrals who received first contact within six months of the referral date, over each of the last five years:YearReferralsReferrals who received first contactReferrals who received first contact within six months of the same year2019/2022,2658,9461,6072020/2119,9367,8801,4442021/2227,43510,5941,6812022/2325,2527,8311,4032023/2434,8797,500385Source: data taken from the Mental Health Services Dataset, published by NHS England.Notes:in some instances, it may not be expected that a first contact would be recorded, for example those received by triage teams may be closed without a contact, with a new referral being opened once triaged instead; anda cyber incident between August 2022 and March 2023 impacted several providers submitting Mental Health Services data, therefore some individual providers may not be able to submit complete data.Finally, as of March 2024 the number of referrals still waiting for first contact, having waited at least six months and regardless of when the referral started, is 15,181.
What the average funding per pupil was in mainstream schools in (a) Birmingham Northfield constituency, (b) Birmingham, (c) the West Midlands and (d) England in each of the last five years.
The tables below provide average per-pupil funding from 2020/21 to 2024/25. For Birmingham, the West Midlands and England, the figures represent the funding provided through the schools block of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG). All of the figures in table one exclude growth funding but include premises and additional funding from grants. The DSG is allocated at local authority level, and as such the equivalent figures are not available for Birmingham Northfield constituency. The constituency level data for Birmingham Northfield is therefore instead calculated based on the notional schools national funding formula (NFF) allocations for all mainstream schools in the constituency. The figures in table two are not comparable to those in table one, not only because DSG funding cannot be aggregated down to constituency level, but also because the context of the funding figures are not the same. The figures in table two do not include the money that schools in the Birmingham Northfield constituency have received through additional grants, such as the Schools Supplementary Grant (SSG) and the Mainstream Schools Additional Grant (MSAG), therefore making the constituency-level funding appear to rise slower than that of the others presented. Table oneYearDSG Schools Block per-pupil fundingBirminghamWest MidlandsEngland2020-21£5,162£4,823£4,8452021-22£5,518£5,198£5,2282022-23£5,830£5,506£5,5342023-24£6,144£5,815£5,8382024-25£6,244£5,931£5,957 Table twoNFF Schools Block per-pupil funding *YearBirmingham Northfield constituency2020-21£5,4292021-22£5,5622022-23£5,7072023-24£5,9912024-25£6,304 * The allocations that schools within a constituency actually receive are determined by the local funding formula in their area.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's publication entitled Birmingham City Council: Statutory intervention update letter from Commissioners, published on 22 February 2024, whether those commissioners have submitted further updates to her Department subsequent to that letter.
In line with the practice of successive administrations, detailed minutes of ministerial meetings - even those that are declared publicly - are not normally disclosed.The first formal report from Birmingham City Council Commissioners, which was submitted to the former Secretary of State on 26 April this year, will be published on gov.uk as soon as practicable. That report was submitted six months after the start of the intervention, in line with the expectations placed on Commissioners on their appointment. I have met the Leader of Birmingham City Council and I am due to meet with the Commissioners this week. I would be happy to meet with all MPs whose constituencies are within the area of the Council.The department and former Ministers were notified of the decision by the then Section 151 Officer at Birmingham City Council to issue a Section 114 report on 5 September 2023, the day it was made and published by the Council. The Council has provided the Department with their estimate of the equal pay liability, including as part of their request for additional financial support in February 2024. That estimate is £867 million. In line with the Public Sector Equality Duty, an equalities analysis was carried out in relation to requests from councils for additional flexibility to increase council tax for 2024/25.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Ministerial Statement published on 5 February 2024, HCWS241, on Local Government Finance Update, whether her Department carried out impact analyses on allowing Birmingham City Council flexibility to increase council tax bills by an additional 5 per cent.
In line with the practice of successive administrations, detailed minutes of ministerial meetings - even those that are declared publicly - are not normally disclosed.The first formal report from Birmingham City Council Commissioners, which was submitted to the former Secretary of State on 26 April this year, will be published on gov.uk as soon as practicable. That report was submitted six months after the start of the intervention, in line with the expectations placed on Commissioners on their appointment. I have met the Leader of Birmingham City Council and I am due to meet with the Commissioners this week. I would be happy to meet with all MPs whose constituencies are within the area of the Council.The department and former Ministers were notified of the decision by the then Section 151 Officer at Birmingham City Council to issue a Section 114 report on 5 September 2023, the day it was made and published by the Council. The Council has provided the Department with their estimate of the equal pay liability, including as part of their request for additional financial support in February 2024. That estimate is £867 million. In line with the Public Sector Equality Duty, an equalities analysis was carried out in relation to requests from councils for additional flexibility to increase council tax for 2024/25.
If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed alignment of the Retail Prices Index methodology with the Consumer Prices Index, including owner occupier housing costs from February 2030 on (a) wage-setting and (b) private sector pension benefit uprating.
The alignment of the methods and data sources of the Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers’ housing costs into the Retail Price Index (RPI) reflects the flaws in RPI which can either overstate or understates price changes. The Bank of England will assess if these changes significantly impact certain index-linked gilt holders. The Government recognises the widespread use of RPI and that there are potential impacts from the reform. Whilst there is legislation around the minimum indexation requirements for defined benefit schemes, scheme rules will determine how any pensioners' benefits are increased each year. The independent Office for Budget Responsibility will publish a revised 5-year wage-growth forecast in their next Economic and Fiscal Outlook, considering all relevant factors.
How many speech and language therapists there were in (a) Birmingham and (b) the West Midlands in each of the last five years.
The table below shows the number of full-time equivalent speech and language therapists working in National Health Service trusts and other core organisations, in the Birmingham and Solihull integrated care system and the West Midlands as a whole, in March of each of the last six years:YearBirmingham and Solihull Integrated Care SystemWest Midlands201920064220202176662021224699202224373420232467402024284800Source: the Hospital and Community Health Services workforce statistics for England, published by NHS England on a monthly basis.These staff provide services in a range of settings, including in education. However, therapists will also be directly employed by other providers, including schools, independent provision, and third sector and charitable organisations, for which data is not held centrally.