Jess Asato MP: written questions

Written questions

• Counselling: Domestic Abuse and Sexual OffencesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72186More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of (a) current waiting times and (b) levels of access to specialist counselling support for survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence f

  Answer: We know that too many people, including survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence, are not receiving the mental health care they need, and that waits for mental health services are too long. We are determined to change that, which is why we have cho...

  Answered 19 Sept 2025

  Original Parliament record
• Schools: NeurodiversityDepartment for EducationTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 70119More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the extension of the PINS programme on children with developmental language disorder.

  Answer: The partnerships for inclusion of neurodiversity in schools (PINS) programme covers all neurodivergence and so includes developmental language disorder. An independent evaluation of the PINS programme is underway. This evaluation will thoroughly explore t...

  Answered 4 Sept 2025

  Original Parliament record
• Assistance AnimalsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 70099More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to give emotional support animals the same legal status as guide dogs.

  Answer: Standards for assistance dogs are currently and historically maintained on the basis of a voluntary regulatory framework. There is no specific legislation for the regulation of assistance dogs and no legislation is planned. There are recognised standards ...

  Answered 2 Sept 2025

  Original Parliament record
• Running: Gender Based ViolenceHome OfficeTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69476More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the report entitled Abuse of women runners: implications for the violence against women and girls policy agenda, published by the University of Manchester in November 2024, whether s

  Answer: This Government has been clear that the level of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in our country is intolerable, and we are treating it as the national emergency that it is. Everyone should both be and feel safe whilst going about their day-to-day ...

  Answered 17 Oct 2025

  Original Parliament record
• Pupils: AbsenteeismDepartment for EducationTabled 16 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68496More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of publishing annual statistics on the number of children who miss education due to long term illness; and if she will publish statistics on the child's (a

  Answer: The department collects data on children missing education from local authorities. The latest data, including breakdowns by geography, characteristic and length of time missing education, is published here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov...

  Answered 12 Aug 2025

  Original Parliament record
• Pupils: AbsenteeismDepartment for EducationTabled 16 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68495More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department’s statutory guidance entitled Children missing education: statutory guidance for local authorities, published August 2024, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits

  Answer: Local authorities do have a statutory duty under section 19 of the Education Act 1996 to arrange suitable and (normally) full-time education for children of compulsory school age who, because of exclusion, illness or other reasons, would not receive suita...

  Answered 22 Jul 2025

  Original Parliament record
• Pupils: AbsenteeismDepartment for EducationTabled 16 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68494More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department’s statutory guidance entitled Children missing education - Statutory guidance for local authorities, updated August 2024, when she plans to update the guidance; and if she will

  Answer: The department conducted a call for evidence from 18 May to 20 July 2023 on ‘Improving support for children missing education’ to understand the sector’s current approach to identifying and supporting children missing education (CME), and to inform any ch...

  Answered 23 Jul 2025

  Original Parliament record
• Teachers: Flexible WorkingDepartment for EducationTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68152More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans her Department has to support schools to develop timetabling expertise in order to enable more flexible working patterns for teachers (a) who are mothers and (b) generally.

  Answer: The department is taking action to support and promote flexible working in schools for all teachers and leaders. We have published non-statutory guidance alongside our flexible working toolkit, which includes practical resources to help leaders implement ...

  Answered 23 Jul 2025

  Original Parliament record