Written questions by O'Brien.

What the average height was for state school pupils in (a) reception and (b) year six in each academic year since 2005-06; what the average height was for state school pupils in each ethnic group in those academic years in that period; and how many state school pupils were in each ethnic group in those academic years in that period.

The height of state school pupils in Reception and Year 6 is measured in the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP). The following table shows the average height in centimetres of boys and girls aged five and 11 years old, in the academic years from 2008 to 2024:AgeAcademic yearMean height for girlsMean height for boys52008 to 2009109.2cm110.0cm52009 to 2010109.2cm110.1cm52010 to 2011109.2cm110.1cm52011 to 2012109.3cm110.2cm52012 to 2013109.2cm110.1cm52013 to 2014109.3cm110.2cm52014 to 2015109.3cm110.2cm52015 to 2016109.3cm110.2cm52016 to 2017109.3cm110.3cm52017 to 2018109.3cm110.3cm52018 to 2019109.3cm110.3cm52019 to 2020109.4cm110.4cm52020 to 2021109.8cm110.9cm52021 to 2022109.7cm110.7cm52022 to 2023109.3cm110.4cm52023 to 2024109.3cm110.3cm112008 to 2009145.7cm145.0cm112009 to 2010145.8cm145.0cm112010 to 2011145.9cm145.1cm112011 to 2012145.9cm145.1cm112012 to 2013146.0cm145.1cm112013 to 2014146.1cm145.3cm112014 to 2015146.2cm145.3cm112015 to 2016146.3cm145.5cm112016 to 2017146.3cm145.5cm112017 to 2018146.4cm145.6cm112018 to 2019146.5cm145.6cm112019 to 2020146.6cm145.7cm112020 to 2021148.0cm146.5cm112021 to 2022148.0cm146.4cm112022 to 2023147.8cm146.3cm112023 to 2024147.5cm146.4cmSource: data is from the NCMP, with further information available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/obesity-profile-november-2024-updateHeight data has not been published for the years 2005 to 2008. Height data by ethnic group of pupil is not available, but is due to be published by the Department on 4 February 2025, and will be available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/announcements/obesity-profile-february-2025-updateThe Department for Education publishes information on the number of state school pupils by ethnicity. This information can be found in the Schools, pupils, and their characteristics publication on GOV.UK website, which is based on January school census data. Statistics from May 2010 onwards are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-school-and-pupil-numbersData is not published for Reception and Year 6 children specifically. Statistics from 2005 to 2009 are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-pupil-and-their-characteristics-2002-to-2009-data

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of scholarships offered by the Chinese Government for universities in the UK on freedom of speech.

The UK welcomes international partnerships and students, including from China, who make a very positive impact on the UK’s higher education (HE) sector, our economy and society as a whole. However, we will always protect our national security interests, human rights and values.All registered English HE providers have a duty to protect freedom of speech under the Education (No.2) Act 1986. They are also subject to registration conditions from the Office for Students (OfS) which requires them to uphold public interest governance principles, including securing freedom of speech within the law, academic freedom and accountability, such as operating openly and with integrity. The OfS can take action if it identifies a breach of this provision.The UK government is carrying out an audit to examine the UK's interests with respect to China to improve our ability to understand and respond to the challenges and opportunities China poses. The audit is being conducted as a cross-government exercise, led by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

On what occasions a Contract Change Note has been issued for contracts for asylum accommodation and support services since 2021.

Since 2021, Contract Change Notices have been issued for the Asylum Accommodation and Support contracts on the following occasions:Serco MEECCN Number Date Effective006.0201/03/2021006.0412/11/2021006.0706/01/2022006.0801/04/2022006.1024/05/2022006.1224/08/2022006.1431/10/2022006.1612/01/2023006.1812/01/2023006.2007/03/2023006.2227/03/2023006.2406/04/2023006.2624/05/2023006.2827/06/2023006.3020/07/2023006.3203/08/2023006.3420/10/2023006.3620/10/2023008.0014/12/2021008.0101/04/2022008.0216/11/2022008.0327/11/2022009.0001/01/2021011.0001/05/2022012.0024/05/2022014.0014/02/2022015.0001/09/2022017.0010/01/2023018.0001/01/2022019.0001/01/2023019.1011/08/2023020.0011/08/2023022.0003/08/2023022.1006/11/2023022.2005/01/2024022.3005/03/2024022.4005/06/2024022.5005/08/2024023.0004/07/2023023a08/09/2023023b18/09/2023023c18/09/2023024.0007/08/2023024.1007/08/2023025.0006/10/2023026.0008/12/2023027.0001/10/2024 Serco NWCCN NumberDate Effective00523/11/2021006.0128/01/2021006.0313/07/2021006.0512/11/2021006.0606/01/2022006.0901/04/2022006.1124/05/2022006.1324/08/2022006.1431/10/2022006.1531/10/2022006.1712/01/2023006.1912/01/2023006.2107/03/2023006.2327/03/2023006.2506/04/2023006.2724/05/2023006.2927/06/2023006.3120/07/2023006.3303/08/2023006.3520/10/2023006.3720/10/202300906/01/202201101/05/202201224/05/202201311/05/2022013.124/06/202201411/02/202201710/01/202301801/01/202201901/01/2023019.0101/04/202402011/08/202302506/10/202302618/12/202302701/10/2024 Mears NEYHCCN NumberDate Effective01323/02/202101401/03/202101521/05/202101606/09/202201925/02/202202206/04/202202304/11/202202401/01/202302527/02/202302611/07/202302730/08/202302817/11/202302914/09/202303005/01/2023030A20/02/202403108/12/202303308/01/202403401/01/202403501/02/202403608/03/202403715/03/202403829/06/202403924/07/202404031/08/202404129/09/202404201/11/202404317/11/202404401/10/202404801/12/202404913/12/2024 Mears NICCN NumberDate Effective00917/01/202201217/01/202201304/04/202201623/08/202301909/02/202402001/02/202402101/10/202402213/12/2024 Mears ScotlandCCN NumberDate Effective01015/01/202101123/02/202101201/03/202101315/01/202101425/02/202201504/04/202201615/01/202101715/01/202101815/01/202301915/01/202102023/08/2023020A23/08/202302115/01/202102201/02/202402301/10/202402418/11/202402518/11/202402601/10/202402713/12/2024 CRH SouthCCN NumberDate Effective006e22/03/2022006f25/10/202201028/01/202101131/03/202101202/12/202101311/02/202201428/01/202201501/04/202201603/11/2022016a10/11/2022016b11/12/2022016c12/03/2023016d12/06/2023016e12/09/2023016f12/12/202301722/11/202201801/10/202101901/01/202302025/04/202302111/06/202302206/06/202302326/07/202302427/11/202302513/11/202302629/11/202302823/07/2024 CRH WalesCCN NumberDate Effective01028/01/202101202/12/202101311/02/2022

With reference to the Answer of 1 May 2024 to Question 19413 on NHS: Expenditure, how much (a) NHS England, (b) clinical commissioning groups and (c) integrated care boards spent in aggregate on (i) mental health services, (ii) acute health services, (iii) social care services, (iv) primary medical services, (v) specialised services, (vi) NHS continuing healthcare and (vii) all other recorded spending categories in each financial year since 2015-16; and how much those organisations plan to spend in aggregate in each of those areas in the 2024-25 financial year.

The attached table sets out the spend categories for the specified services commissioned by NHS England, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and integrated care boards (ICBs) between 2015/16 and 2023/24.Information for 2024/25 is unvalidated and not quality assured. In-year data is not routinely reported on the methodology used for this answer and would be subject to material change between plan and outturn as a result.Purchase of Social care expenditure is an accounts category within the Operating Expense note of the NHS England Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24, with consolidated group expenditure for 2022/23 totalling £1,196,487,000 and that for 2023/24 totalling £1,024,918,000. Most of this expenditure, namely 76.2%, falls under the ‘Community’ category in the analysis provided. The report is available at the followed link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6709344a92bb81fcdbe7b728/nhs-england-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-to-2024.pdf

What estimate he has made of the average time taken for deaths to be reviewed under the national medical examiner system since 9 September 2024; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the time taken for deaths to be reviewed on the time taken to arrange funerals.

The Government is monitoring the impact of the death certification reforms, which came into legal effect on 9 September 2024. The median time taken to register a death since the introduction of the statutory medical examiner system in England and Wales is eight days. This figure is for all deaths, as it includes those certified by a doctor and those investigated by a coroner. The median time taken to register a death varies depending on the type of certification. Deaths certified by a doctor, that comprise approximately 80% of deaths registered each week, had a median time to registration of seven days. The Department has not conducted a separate review of the time taken to arrange funerals, which can depend on a number of external factors.The core purposes of the death certification reforms are to introduce scrutiny of the cause of death to detect and deter malpractice, to improve reporting, and crucially to put the bereaved at the centre of the process by offering a conversation with the medical examiner about the cause of death. The expectation on doctors and medical examiners is clear, that they should complete certification as quickly and efficiently as possible, and the Department is working with all stakeholders to make sure this is the case.

If she will list (a) all the contracts for asylum accommodation and support services the Department has agreed since 2017 and (b) the (i) value of, (ii) regions covered by and (iii) period covered by each contract.

The Asylum Accommodation and Support Services agreements and the details sought have been published on Contracts Finder and can be found at:AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract MEE - Contracts FinderAASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract NEYH - Contracts FinderAASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract Wales - Contracts FinderAASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract South - Contracts FinderAASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract Wales - Contracts FinderAASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract NW - Contracts FinderAASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract Scotland - Contracts FinderAASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract NI - Contracts Finder

How many people were referred by job centre advisors to a course to improve their English language skills in each year since 2015.

The requested information is not held by the Department for Work and Pensions.

When she plans to publish a response to the consultation on Faith school designation reforms.

The consultation on faith school designation closed on 20 June. The department is analysing the responses and we will respond in due course.

How many and what proportion of (a) primary and (b) secondary schools secured academy status in each year since 2010; and how many of these were in a multi-academy trust.

The attached information details the current number of open academies and free schools, by phase and their respective year of opening, as well as the proportion of state-funded schools this represents.Of the 11,224 open academies and free schools as of 1 December 2024, 10,352 are part of a multi-academy trust.

When she plans to update the LGB asylum data tables, last updated on 25 August 2022.

The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on asylum claims relating to sexual orientation are published in the ‘Asylum claims on the basis of sexual orientation tables’. The latest data on claims and initial decisions relates to 2023 and was updated as part of the year ending June 2024 release in August 2024. The next planned update is in August 2025.

How many visas were granted to (a) people and (b) family dependents in each quarter since January 2021.

The Home Office publishes data on entry clearance visas in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on visas granted, by quarter, visa route and applicant type, are published in table Vis_D02 of Entry clearance detailed dataset. Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. The latest data relate up to the end of September 2024.

How many people seeking (a) asylum and (b) humanitarian protection are in accomodation on his Department's property.

There are currently no people seeking asylum or humanitarian protection accommodated on the Defence Estate. The Secretary of State for Defence recently made an announcement regarding the Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP). The ARP is a cross-government delivery programme that will improve efficiency, value for money and outcomes across Afghan Resettlement. This Government has always supported the aims of the Afghan resettlement schemes and we will deliver its commitments to those in Afghanistan who are eligible to relocate and resettle in the UK. As part of this, the use of the Defence Estate for transitional accommodation will reduce over time however it is currently providing temporary and long-term accommodation to over 5,600 Afghans.

When he plans to publish the work his Department commissioned from the Adult Social Care Research Unit on updating the 2013 Adult Social Care Relative Needs Formula.

The Department of Health and Social Care funds independent research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR). This project is funded through the NIHR Adult Social Care Policy Research Unit.The publication of research is led by the research team and in line with NIHR commitments to the transparent and independent publication of high-quality research will be made available on the Adult Social Care Policy Research Unit Website. The views expressed in outputs of the research are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.The Department of Health and Social Care is still considering this research as part of its ongoing policy work. We are working closely the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the role of a specific Adult Social Care funding formula is considered within the consultation ‘Local authority funding reform: objectives and principles’, published on 18 December 2024. We will update further in due course.

How many people were working in the Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence team in (a) total, (b) the East of England, (c) the East Midlands, (d) the North West, (e) the North East, (f) the South East, (g) London, (h) the South West, (i) the West Midlands and (j) Yorkshire and the Humber on 10 December 2024.

On 10 December 2024, the number of civil servants working in the Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence teams were as follows. These numbers represent staff headcount, not full time equivalent.a) Total: 35b) East of England: 4c) East Midlands: 4d) North West: 3e) North East: 4f) South East: 4g) London: 5h) South West: 4i) West Midlands: 4j) Yorkshire and the Humber: 3

Pursuant to the Answer of 2 December 2024 to Question 15704 on Jobcentres and Universal Credit: Telephone Services, how many calls were translated by language code since 2021; and what the cost was of translating calls by language code.

Following consultation with the supplier, we consider that the release of the information requested would prejudice commercial interests.

How many and what proportion of new claimants of (a) Universal Credit, (b) Employment Support Allowance, (c) Personal Independence Payment, (d) Jobseeker's Allowance and (e) income support had (i) Level 1 and (ii) Level 2 English Language proficiency in each year since 2010.

The requested information is not held by the Department for Work and Pensions. Information relating to claimant qualifications is not routinely captured by the Department for Work and Pensions.

What proportion of (a) apprenticeship courses started and (b) apprenticeship levy spent were for (i) Level 6 and (ii) Level 7 apprenticeships in each year since 2016.

The proportions of apprenticeships starts at level 6 and level 7, as a percentage of total apprenticeship starts at all levels, are provided in the table below for each academic year between 2015/16 and 2023/24.Academic YearProportion of total starts at Level 6 (%)Proportion of total starts at Level 7 (%)2015/16 0.10%<0.05%2016/17 0.30%<0.05%2017/18 1.70%1.20%2018/19 2.80%3.00%2019/20 4.70%4.80%2020/21 6.10%6.10%2021/22 6.70%5.60%2022/23 7.40%6.50%2023/24 7.70%7.00% Further information on numbers of apprenticeship starts by detailed level can be found at: https://content.explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/api/releases/bfd06312-7732-41bc-97e7-94a6d85d2400/files/1ff3ab06-a956-4baa-921c-7166db33c723.The apprenticeship levy was introduced in 2017, from which the department is allocated an apprenticeships budget for England. This budget is used to fund training and assessment for new apprenticeship starts in apprenticeship levy and non-levy paying employers, and to cover the ongoing costs of apprentices already in training and any additional payments made to employers and providers.The table below shows total spend on level 6 and level 7 apprenticeships, in both levy-paying and non-levy paying employers in England, as a proportion of the total spend on the apprenticeship programme since the 2017/18 financial year.Financial yearLevel 6 spend (£million)Level 7 spend (£million)Total apprenticeships spend (£million)Proportion of total spend at Level 6 (%)Proportion of total spend at Level 7 (%)2017/1850121,5863%1%2018/1971501,7384%3%2019/201141031,9196%5%2020/211721651,8639%9%2021/222962362,45512%10%2022/233492342,45814%10%2023/243872382,50915%9% Spend is rounded to the nearest million and proportions to the nearest whole number.

With reference to paragraph 2.41 of the Autumn Budget, published on 24 October 2024, what estimate he has made of the potential cost to the public purse of the increase in the employment allowance in each year of the forecast period.

The Government has protected the smallest businesses from the impact of the increase to Employer National Insurance by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500, which means that 865,000 employers will pay no NICs at all next year, more than half of employers will see no change or will gain overall from this package, and all eligible employers will be able to employ up to four full-time workers on the National Living Wage and pay no employer NICs. The estimated cost of the increase to the Employment Allowance is set out in the table below: (£m)2025-262026-272027-282028-292029-30Cost of increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,5003,7303,5553,5703,6003,630

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 November 2024 to Question 14487 on Private Education: Special Educational Needs, if she will publish the information that informed her Department's assessment of the potential impact of applying VAT to private school fees on pupils with SEND in private schools moving to state schools.

HM Treasury (HMT) is responsible for VAT policy and publishing the impacts of the policy.HMT has published an assessment of the impacts of removing the VAT exemption that applied to private school fees. This can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-on-private-school-fees/ac8c20ce-4824-462d-b206-26a567724643#who-is-likely-to-be-affected.Additionally, HMT published policy costings for applying the standard rate of VAT to private schools alongside the Autumn Budget 2024 on 30 October, which can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6721d2c54da1c0d41942a8d2/Policy_Costing_Document_-_Autumn_Budget_2024.pdf.As the impact assessment publication sets out, the government estimates that only a very small minority of private school pupils (6%) will move and that most school moves will occur at natural transition points, which will reduce overall disruption. Longer term impacts on this group may be lessened by revenue raised by this measure being used to help the 94% of children who attend state schools, including over one million children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).There is no separate assessment by SEND. It is important to note that pupils who need a local authority-funded place in a private school will not be impacted by the changes. To protect pupils with special educational needs that can only be met in a private school, local authorities and devolved governments that fund these places will be compensated for the VAT they are charged on those pupils’ fees.

What recent estimate her Department has made of the average cost of a child receiving SEND support in a state school.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.The department does not have the data to make an estimate of the average cost of a child receiving SEND support because no information is collected from schools on how much they spend on SEND support for individual children. To require schools to provide such information would involve placing significant burdens on schools. To calculate such costs, schools would need to apportion between pupils with SEND the time and attention teachers and other staff give to those pupils, and costs for other forms of support they receive individually, in groups or as part of whole class teaching.