Ian Sollom MP: written questions
110 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Higher Education: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 28 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26979More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to protect the financial viability of English universities, in the context of falling numbers of international students applying for Higher Education in England.
Answer: The department acknowledges the challenging financial environment faced by the higher education (HE) sector. The Office for Students' (OfS) latest report on the HE sector's financial health, which was published in November, stated that the sector's financ...
Answered 18 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordOverseas StudentsDepartment for EducationTabled 28 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26978More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of recent trends in the number of international students studying in England on the financial viability of universities.
Answer: The department acknowledges the challenging financial environment faced by the higher education (HE) sector. The Office for Students' (OfS) latest report on the HE sector's financial health, which was published in November, stated that the sector's financ...
Answered 18 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordUniversities: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 28 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26977More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support the financial viability of universities.
Answer: The department acknowledges the challenging financial environment faced by the higher education (HE) sector. The Office for Students' (OfS) latest report on the HE sector's financial health, which was published in November, stated that the sector's financ...
Answered 18 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordMulti-sport Grassroots Facilities ProgrammeDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 27 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26625More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme projects have (a) been completed and (b) remain incomplete since the start of this Parliament.
Answer: Since 9 July 2024, a total of 637 Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities projects have been completed across the UK. Projects funded include new and upgraded artificial grass pitches, clubhouses, changing rooms, floodlights, and pitch maintenance equipment.As ...
Answered 3 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordSchools: UniformsTreasuryTabled 27 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26623More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the cost to families of VAT on school uniform for 14-16 year olds.
Answer: VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. The UK’s generous regime for children’s clothing costs approximately £2 billion a year, and we are one of only two countries in the OECD – out o...
Answered 30 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordSchool Rebuilding Programme: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 8 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 22776More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding has been allocated in total for the school rebuilding programme.
Answer: 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 ...
Answered 23 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordSchool Rebuilding ProgrammeDepartment for EducationTabled 8 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 22775More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, 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.
Answer: 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 ...
Answered 24 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordSchool Rebuilding ProgrammeDepartment for EducationTabled 8 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 22774More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, 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.
Answer: 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 th...
Answered 23 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordSchool Rebuilding ProgrammeDepartment for EducationTabled 7 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 22407More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which contractors have been chosen to carry out works under the school rebuilding programme; and on what criteria these contractors were chosen.
Answer: 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 ...
Answered 20 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordSchools: BuildingsDepartment for EducationTabled 7 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 22406More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, 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.
Answer: 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 academ...
Answered 23 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDisability Aids: RecyclingDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21172More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, 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
Answer: 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 ...
Answered 6 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDisability Aids: RecyclingDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21171More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of compulsory walking aid return and reuse schemes for NHS trusts.
Answer: 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 ...
Answered 6 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordChild Maintenance Service: CourtsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 17 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20785More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, 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
Answer: 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...
Answered 20 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordChild Maintenance Service: StaffDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 16 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20448More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she is taking steps to improve staffing levels in the Child Maintenance Service.
Answer: 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...
Answered 31 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordPrisoners: Transgender PeopleMinistry of JusticeTabled 11 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19488More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she plans to prevent transgender women being placed in male population prisons while their cases are reviewed.
Answer: 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...
Answered 18 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordCompulsorily Detained Psychiatric PatientsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19112More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, 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;
Answer: 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...
Answered 20 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordBroadband: Repairs and MaintenanceDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 6 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18429More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, 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.
Answer: 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...
Answered 16 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordBroadband: Repairs and MaintenanceDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 6 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18428More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to speed up the pace of repairs to damaged broadband cables in rural areas.
Answer: 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...
Answered 16 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordMathematics: QualificationsDepartment for EducationTabled 5 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18255More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, 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.
Answer: 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...
Answered 13 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordMathematics: QualificationsDepartment for EducationTabled 5 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18254More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, 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
Answer: 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...
Answered 13 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordSixth Form Colleges: Industrial DisputesDepartment for EducationTabled 5 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18253More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support the education of pupils at non-academised sixth forms in the context of planned industrial action.
Answer: 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...
Answered 20 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordFurther Education: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 5 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18252More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will undertake a review of further education funding, in the context of the pay dispute with teachers at non-academised sixth forms.
Answer: 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...
Answered 20 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordSixth Form Colleges: PayDepartment for EducationTabled 5 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18251More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, 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.
Answer: 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...
Answered 19 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordChild Maintenance Service: Pilot SchemesDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17935More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if her Department will publish an evaluation of the pilot scheme on the use of single-named caseworkers by the Child Maintenance Service.
Answer: 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...
Answered 12 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordInfected Blood Compensation SchemeCabinet OfficeTabled 4 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17934More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, 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
Answer: 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.
Answered 10 Dec 2024
Original Parliament record
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