Written questions by Bance.

Whether her Department plans to take steps to review taxi licensing in the context of the findings of the National Audit on Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.

The Department for Transport will legislate to address the important issues raised in Baroness Casey’s report, tackling the inconsistent standards of taxi and private hire vehicle driver licensing. We will work as quickly as possible and consider all options – including out of area working, national standards and enforcement – seeking the best overall outcomes for passenger safety.In the interim we will act urgently to make improvements, including consulting on making local transport authorities, including combined authorities, responsible for taxi and private hire vehicle licensing, and determining how existing statutory guidance can be strengthened to further protect the public. We are also reviewing authorities’ compliance with existing guidance and will hold those who do not follow it to account.Some important protections have already been put in place since earlier inquiries into Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation. All licensing authorities in England now undertake extensive driver background checks, and since 2023they are required to use a single database to prevent a driver refused a licence in one area on safety grounds going elsewhere. Careful consideration of the options is needed as we do not want any change to decrease the availability of highly vetted licensed drivers and vehicles and inadvertently increase the use of those offering illegal services that evade these licensing checks.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of pay transparency for (a) staff and (b) nursing staff working in GP surgeries.

The Government looks to the independent pay review bodies for a pay recommendation for National Health Service staff, including both contractor and salaried general practitioners (GPs). They consider a range of evidence from organisations including the Government, the NHS, and trade unions to reach their recommendations.The independent review body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) has recommended an uplift of 4% to the pay ranges for salaried GPs, and to GP contractor pay. As with last year, we are accepting the DDRB’s pay recommendation and we will provide a 4% uplift to the pay elements of the GP Contract. As self-employed contractors to the NHS, it is up to GP practices how they distribute pay and benefits to their staff. We expect this funding to be passed on to salaried practice staff, including nursing staff.This award is above forecast inflation over the 2025/26 pay year, meaning that the Government is delivering a real-terms pay rise, on top of the one provided last year, underlining the extent to which we value our GPs, practice nurses, and other GP staff.Earlier in the year we announced that we are investing an additional £889 million in GPs through the GP Contract for 2025/26 to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion. This is the biggest increase in over a decade.Following the DDRB’s recommendation, we will provide a further uplift to the pay elements of the contract on a consolidated basis, on top of the provisional 2.8% uplift already provided, to bring it up to 4%.The Government has committed to a new substantive GP Contract within this Parliamentary cycle, and we will continue to engage constructively with the General Practitioners Committee England on issues such as staffing.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing a recovery mechanism in incidents of NHS pay uplifts not being provided to (a) nursing staff and (b) other general practice staff by general practice employers.

The Government looks to the independent pay review bodies for a pay recommendation for National Health Service staff, including both contractor and salaried general practitioners (GPs). They consider a range of evidence from organisations including the Government, the NHS, and trade unions to reach their recommendations.The independent review body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) has recommended an uplift of 4% to the pay ranges for salaried GPs, and to GP contractor pay. As with last year, we are accepting the DDRB’s pay recommendation and we will provide a 4% uplift to the pay elements of the GP Contract. As self-employed contractors to the NHS, it is up to GP practices how they distribute pay and benefits to their staff. We expect this funding to be passed on to salaried practice staff, including nursing staff.This award is above forecast inflation over the 2025/26 pay year, meaning that the Government is delivering a real-terms pay rise, on top of the one provided last year, underlining the extent to which we value our GPs, practice nurses, and other GP staff.Earlier in the year we announced that we are investing an additional £889 million in GPs through the GP Contract for 2025/26 to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion. This is the biggest increase in over a decade.Following the DDRB’s recommendation, we will provide a further uplift to the pay elements of the contract on a consolidated basis, on top of the provisional 2.8% uplift already provided, to bring it up to 4%.The Government has committed to a new substantive GP Contract within this Parliamentary cycle, and we will continue to engage constructively with the General Practitioners Committee England on issues such as staffing.

By how much will the pay of general practice staff, including nursing staff, increase for the financial year 2025-26.

The Government looks to the independent pay review bodies for a pay recommendation for National Health Service staff, including both contractor and salaried general practitioners (GPs). They consider a range of evidence from organisations including the Government, the NHS, and trade unions to reach their recommendations.The independent review body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) has recommended an uplift of 4% to the pay ranges for salaried GPs, and to GP contractor pay. As with last year, we are accepting the DDRB’s pay recommendation and we will provide a 4% uplift to the pay elements of the GP Contract. As self-employed contractors to the NHS, it is up to GP practices how they distribute pay and benefits to their staff. We expect this funding to be passed on to salaried practice staff, including nursing staff.This award is above forecast inflation over the 2025/26 pay year, meaning that the Government is delivering a real-terms pay rise, on top of the one provided last year, underlining the extent to which we value our GPs, practice nurses, and other GP staff.Earlier in the year we announced that we are investing an additional £889 million in GPs through the GP Contract for 2025/26 to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion. This is the biggest increase in over a decade.Following the DDRB’s recommendation, we will provide a further uplift to the pay elements of the contract on a consolidated basis, on top of the provisional 2.8% uplift already provided, to bring it up to 4%.The Government has committed to a new substantive GP Contract within this Parliamentary cycle, and we will continue to engage constructively with the General Practitioners Committee England on issues such as staffing.

Whether general practice employers in England will be required to provide a 4% pay uplift to (a) nursing staff and (b) other general practice staff in line with the NHS pay award for the financial year 2025-26.

The Government looks to the independent pay review bodies for a pay recommendation for National Health Service staff, including both contractor and salaried general practitioners (GPs). They consider a range of evidence from organisations including the Government, the NHS, and trade unions to reach their recommendations.The independent review body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) has recommended an uplift of 4% to the pay ranges for salaried GPs, and to GP contractor pay. As with last year, we are accepting the DDRB’s pay recommendation and we will provide a 4% uplift to the pay elements of the GP Contract. As self-employed contractors to the NHS, it is up to GP practices how they distribute pay and benefits to their staff. We expect this funding to be passed on to salaried practice staff, including nursing staff.This award is above forecast inflation over the 2025/26 pay year, meaning that the Government is delivering a real-terms pay rise, on top of the one provided last year, underlining the extent to which we value our GPs, practice nurses, and other GP staff.Earlier in the year we announced that we are investing an additional £889 million in GPs through the GP Contract for 2025/26 to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion. This is the biggest increase in over a decade.Following the DDRB’s recommendation, we will provide a further uplift to the pay elements of the contract on a consolidated basis, on top of the provisional 2.8% uplift already provided, to bring it up to 4%.The Government has committed to a new substantive GP Contract within this Parliamentary cycle, and we will continue to engage constructively with the General Practitioners Committee England on issues such as staffing.

How many people who receive (a) enhanced daily living Personal Independence Payment awards and (b) standard daily living Personal Independence Payment awards did not score four or more points on any individual activity descriptor in 2024-25 in Tipton and Wednesbury constituency.

The requested information is not readily available. Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course, and some information was published alongside the Spring Statement. These publications can be found in ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’. A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.

If she will place in the Library of the House of Commons a table setting out (a) whether it is a maintained school or an academy trust, (b) by which local authority it is maintained, or to which trust it belongs, (c) the URN of the school, (d) the name of the school, (e) the Parliamentary constituency in which that school is located and (f) the most recent single headline grade which that school was given by Ofsted for every school in the English schools system which was most recently inspected by Ofsted before 1 September 2024.

The data requested is available on the Get Information About Schools (GIAS) webpage and can be accessed at: https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Groups/Search?tok=8UqndC6e and https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Establishments/Search?tok=8UqkAM1u.GIAS is a live database. Schools, colleges and academy trusts can make changes to it at any time. The data can be downloaded via the ’Downloads’ link at the top of the page.GIAS links to each institution’s Ofsted page rather than presenting their overall effectiveness grade, however, a spreadsheet containing all school and colleges’ grades as at 31 August 2024 can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/state-funded-schools-inspections-and-outcomes-as-at-31-august-2024.

If she will place in the Library of the House of Commons a table setting out (a) the name of the trust and (b) the company number of that trust under which it is registered with Companies House for every academy trust in the English schools system.

The data requested is available on the Get Information About Schools (GIAS) webpage and can be accessed at: https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Groups/Search?tok=8UqndC6e and https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Establishments/Search?tok=8UqkAM1u.GIAS is a live database. Schools, colleges and academy trusts can make changes to it at any time. The data can be downloaded via the ’Downloads’ link at the top of the page.GIAS links to each institution’s Ofsted page rather than presenting their overall effectiveness grade, however, a spreadsheet containing all school and colleges’ grades as at 31 August 2024 can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/state-funded-schools-inspections-and-outcomes-as-at-31-august-2024.

Whether he has had recent discussions with Oscar Mayer on their employment practices.

Ministers meet regularly with business organisations and trade associations. Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations and individuals are published quarterly on GOV.UK. This Government has introduced the Employment Rights Bill, representing the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation. This includes day one protections from unfair dismissal, banning exploitative zero hours contracts and ending fire and rehire.

If he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the eligibility criteria for IVF for access to treatment for surrogate mothers where the intended parents are same-sex male couples.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) sets out recommendations on the criteria for referral for fertility treatment in its guideline, Fertility problems: assessment and treatment [CG156]. The NICE guideline recommends that unstimulated intrauterine insemination should be considered as an option for people in same-sex relationships as an alternative to vaginal sexual intercourse. For groups included in this recommendation, including same-sex couples, who have not conceived after six cycles of donor or partner insemination, despite evidence of normal ovulation, tubal patency, and semen analysis, the NICE guideline recommends offering a further six cycles of unstimulated intrauterine insemination before in vitro fertilization (IVF) is considered.The guideline is currently being updated, including consideration of the recommendations on the prediction of IVF success, the effectiveness of IVF versus intrauterine insemination, versus expectant management, and fertility preservation. The NICE’s draft guidance will be subject to a public consultation, at the earliest opportunity.

What information her Department holds on the number of academy trusts that have reported off-payroll arrangements for staff who are also trustees in each of the last five years.

The department collates and publishes data annually in the academies sector annual report and accounts on off-payroll arrangements in academy trusts. This includes arrangements with trustees, and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/academies-sector-annual-reports-and-accounts.The academies sector annual report and accounts is drawn from academy trusts’ accounts data. The report for 2022 to 2023 will be published shortly and the deadline for academy trusts to submit data to the department for 2023 to 2024 is 28 January 2025.

With reference to page 86 of the document entitled Academies consolidated annual report and accounts: 2021 to 2022, published on 5 February 2024, whether it is her Department's policy that off-payroll arrangements can be used for the payment of (a) headteachers, (b) governors, (c) other senior staff of schools in the maintained sector.

The School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) sets out the headteacher pay ranges and maintained schools must adhere to these statutory requirements. The STPCD also applies to other teachers in leadership, excluding some roles such as school business managers, and covers the arrangements for those on payroll. The STPCD can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-teachers-pay-and-conditions.There is no legal power for schools, local authorities or the government to pay individuals on maintained school governing bodies for their governance duties.Local authorities would be best placed to provide information on off-payroll arrangements in maintained schools.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 6735 on Temporary Accommodation: Costs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential savings to local government

The Renters’ Rights Bill will provide more security for vulnerable renters who face potential homelessness due to the service of a section 21 notice. Removing no fault evictions will have an immediate impact on preventing homelessness, as section 21 notic...

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the (a) equality of and (b) potential impact on councils in low income areas of the funding formula for local government; and whether she has plan

This Government is committed to fixing the foundations by reforming and rebuilding local government.We will work hand-in-hand with councils by moving towards multi-year funding settlements and ending competitive bidding processes.Over the coming months, w...

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department plans to take to help ensure tenants are aware of new rights created through the Renters' Rights Bill.

The Government intends to publish accessible guidance so that tenants understand their rights and responsibilities under the new system. This will be supported by a communications campaign designed to raise awareness about the changes. We will also work w...

Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of (a) section 21 evictions and (b) the provisions in the Renters' Rights Bill on (i) temporary accommodation cost

Once enacted, the Bill will ensure that local authorities owe a homelessness prevention duty to a tenant evicted under section 8 grounds. This will enable tenants to maintain access to support to prevent homelessness, in line with the principles of the Ho...

What steps her Department is taking to protect workers travelling home late at night who are at risk of sexual violence.

This Government will treat tackling violence against women and girls as a national emergency and will use every tool to target perpetrators and address the root causes of violence on our streets.We want women to feel safe and will use every lever to halve violence against women and girls in the next decade, across the whole of government, with policing and other experts.To make our streets safe, we must drastically reduce serious violent crime and violence against women and girls, increase confidence in the police, stop young people falling into crime, and make our criminal justice system work for victims.No one should ever have to face the risk of violence or harassment when travelling. This government is taking action to make sure our transport network is safe for all. The Department for Transport is working closely with transport partners, including the British Transport Police, on a range of initiatives to address the problems faced by different users, including women and girls, on the transport network.

When his Department plans to bring forward the Employment Rights Bill.

We are committed to delivering the Plan to Make Work Pay in full. Ministers are identifying the most appropriate delivery mechanisms for the commitments in the Plan, including an Employment Rights Bill. The Bill will be introduced to Parliament within 100 days of taking office.