Every parliamentary written question tabled by Ben Coleman this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 61–80 of 166 · this parliament
What recent assessment he has made of the cost of ending the existing Find a Job digital service and transitioning to a new in-house replacement digital service for the new Jobs and Careers Service.
The full contract for running the Find a job and Disability Confident services includes exit fees, and is available online at: Find a Job Service extension - Find a Tender - GOV.UK
How many people living with a (a) form of arthritis and (b) musculoskeletal condition are waiting for a decision on their Access to Work claim.
The Department does not hold data on the number of individuals living with (a) a form of arthritis or (b) a musculoskeletal condition who are currently awaiting a decision on their Access to Work claim. Health conditions are only identified once an application has been allocated for assessment.
Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to take steps to protect tenants who will be served a Section 21 notice prior to the provisions of the Renters' Rights Act coming into effect in May 2026.
The Renters' Rights Act delivers the government's manifesto commitment to overhaul the regulation of the private rented sector, including by abolishing Section 21 'no fault' evictions. We want to see tenants benefit from these reforms as quickly as possible.From 1 May 2026, the new tenancy system provided for by the Act will apply to all private tenancies – existing tenancies will become periodic, and any new tenancies will be governed by the new rules. We will work closely with tenants groups and the landlord and lettings sector to ensure a smooth implementation.The government has no plans to introduce additional protections before 1 May 2026. Tenants at risk of eviction can seek advice from specialist providers such as Shelter and Citizens Advice.£644.17 million in funding through the Homelessness Prevention Grant has been made available to local authorities in 2025/26 to support them to deliver services to prevent and respond to homelessness. This includes an uplift of £203.8 million compared to 2024 to 2025.
What data his Department holds on the number of children living with DIPG each year; and what resources has the Government allocated to research into the causes of and treatment of DIPG.
The Department is committed to furthering investment in research into the causes and treatment of brain tumours. Between 2018/19 and 2023/24, the Department’s research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), invested £11.8 million, and United Kingdom Research and Innovation invested £46.8 million in this area. In September 2024, the NIHR launched a package of support to deliver a step-change in brain cancer research through:establishing a national NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium to bring together researchers from different disciplines to drive scientific advancements in how to prevent, detect, manage and treat brain tumours;a dedicated funding call for research into care, support and rehabilitation for people living with brain tumours; andthe Allied Health Professionals Brain Tumour Research Fellowship programme, a partnership with the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission. The Department does not hold specific data on the number of children living with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) each year. The National Disease Registration Service (NDRS) collects diagnosis, treatment and outcome data on cancer patients in England. The most recent published data on registrations of cancer including cancer incidence and mortality in the Accredited Official Statistics on Cancer Registrations covering 2023 is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/cancer-registration-statistics DIPG is not currently one of the cancer groups routinely published against, however work will be undertaken by the NDRS to understand whether there are any improvements needed in registration to accurately identify DIPG moving forwards.
What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the current fee levels for family legal aid on the retention and recruitment of legal practitioners undertaking work in private law (a) children and (b) domestic abuse cases.
It is vital that those who need legal aid – including some of the most vulnerable people in society - can access it wherever they live.Between January 2023 and March 2025, the Ministry of Justice undertook a comprehensive Review of Civil Legal Aid (RoCLA) to identify issues facing the system and improve its sustainability. The review has concluded, and all reports are available at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/civil-legal-aid-review, this includes a deep dive on legal aid in family law cases.According to the RoCLA Provider Survey, a higher proportion of family legal aid providers reported being profitable compared to providers in all other categories of law. Family legal aid providers were also significantly less likely to report that they would leave the sector in the next five years. On the other hand, the evidence from the review also indicated that the housing and debt, and immigration and asylum sectors face particularly more acute challenges with service provision and high demand. Therefore, following a consultation, we announced uplifts to housing and debt, and immigration and asylum legal aid fees, which will inject £20 million into the sector each year once fully implemented. This investment will help the Government to reduce the asylum backlog, end hotel use, increase returns and ensure the most vulnerable can access justice. The evidence gathered by RoCLA informed this consultation and the review will continue to shape future policy direction.The Ministry of Justice is looking at other potential changes that could support providers and aid recruitment and retention. This includes, (civil) contractual requirements regarding provider offices and limits to the provision of remote legal aid that providers say are burdensome. Any changes would aim to give providers more autonomy in meeting client need, while maintaining effective in-person provision for clients who need this. We are committed to supporting the recruitment and retention of legal aid practitioners and have provided up to £1.4 million in 2024 and up to a further £1.7 million in 2025 to meet the costs of accrediting and reaccrediting caseworkers to conduct immigration and asylum legal aid work, and we have provided £1.5 million in grant funding for the recruitment of trainee housing solicitors.The Legal Aid Agency regularly reviews available supply to make sure there is adequate provision for legal aid, in all categories of law, and works with the Ministry of Justice to take operational action where it can respond to market pressures that may arise.
What steps his Department is taking to ensure that fee levels for family legal aid are sufficient to maintain a (a) sustainable and (b) geographically accessible network of providers.
It is vital that those who need legal aid – including some of the most vulnerable people in society - can access it wherever they live.Between January 2023 and March 2025, the Ministry of Justice undertook a comprehensive Review of Civil Legal Aid (RoCLA) to identify issues facing the system and improve its sustainability. The review has concluded, and all reports are available at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/civil-legal-aid-review, this includes a deep dive on legal aid in family law cases.According to the RoCLA Provider Survey, a higher proportion of family legal aid providers reported being profitable compared to providers in all other categories of law. Family legal aid providers were also significantly less likely to report that they would leave the sector in the next five years. On the other hand, the evidence from the review also indicated that the housing and debt, and immigration and asylum sectors face particularly more acute challenges with service provision and high demand. Therefore, following a consultation, we announced uplifts to housing and debt, and immigration and asylum legal aid fees, which will inject £20 million into the sector each year once fully implemented. This investment will help the Government to reduce the asylum backlog, end hotel use, increase returns and ensure the most vulnerable can access justice. The evidence gathered by RoCLA informed this consultation and the review will continue to shape future policy direction.The Ministry of Justice is looking at other potential changes that could support providers and aid recruitment and retention. This includes, (civil) contractual requirements regarding provider offices and limits to the provision of remote legal aid that providers say are burdensome. Any changes would aim to give providers more autonomy in meeting client need, while maintaining effective in-person provision for clients who need this. We are committed to supporting the recruitment and retention of legal aid practitioners and have provided up to £1.4 million in 2024 and up to a further £1.7 million in 2025 to meet the costs of accrediting and reaccrediting caseworkers to conduct immigration and asylum legal aid work, and we have provided £1.5 million in grant funding for the recruitment of trainee housing solicitors.The Legal Aid Agency regularly reviews available supply to make sure there is adequate provision for legal aid, in all categories of law, and works with the Ministry of Justice to take operational action where it can respond to market pressures that may arise.
What steps his Department is taking to ensure (a) consistency and (b) transparency in Access to Work funding decisions in different types of (i) disability and (ii) employment sectors.
For the last year, we have worked to improve decision-making throughout the Scheme by ensuring that guidance is applied with greater consistency, helping to provide a fairer process.
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the accessibility of the Access to Work application process for people with (a) learning disabilities, (b) mental health conditions and (c) neurodivergent needs; and what steps his Department is taking to simplify the process.
As part of the application process for Access to Work, we encourage individuals to provide as much information about their circumstances as possible, to help us understand how best to offer support which is tailored to their needs. There is a variety of accessible contact methods which customers can utilise when making applications. These include telephone, textphone, Video Relay Service and email as a reasonable adjustment. Where a customer would like to use email to contact the department as a reasonable adjustment, they should let the Access to Work team know so the Case Manager can follow the appropriate procedure to ensure we can try to accommodate the request. Details can be found at Access to Work: factsheet for customers - GOV.UK We will be reviewing all aspects of the Scheme now that the consultation has closed.
Hat steps his Department is taking to ensure timely payments to Access to Work support providers.
We are continuing to streamline delivery practices and have increased the number of staff processing claims. Since May 2024, 118 additional staff have been redeployed to support Access to Work. We also prioritise customers starting a job in four weeks. We are reviewing all aspects of Access to Work as we develop plans for reform following the conclusion of the consultation.
What steps he is taking to help support tenants with the cost of rent in the social housing sector.
There is support through the social security system for low-income households living in the social rented sector which is paid through either the housing element of Universal Credit or through Housing Benefit. The level of housing support received is based on the full eligible rent the tenant pays, unless the benefit cap or the removal of the spare room subsidy (RSRS) apply. There is further support available for people entitled to Housing Benefit or Universal Credit who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs. They can apply to their local authority for Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs).
Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to help support councils to increase the supply of affordable housing in Chelsea and Fulham constituency.
I refer the hon. Members to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 2 July (HCWS771).
Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that (a) repairs in social housing are carried out (i) promptly and (ii) effectively and (b) sufficient (A) funding and (B) oversight of repairs are in place.
Alongside delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding a generation, the government is committed to driving a transformational and lasting change in the safety and quality of homes. Social housing tenants deserve to live in safe and decent homes, to be treated with fairness and respect, and to have their problems quickly resolved. All registered providers of social housing are required to meet the outcomes of the regulatory standards set by the independent Regulator of Social Housing. This includes providing an effective, efficient, and timely repairs service for the homes and communal areas they are responsible for, including setting timescales for completion, and communicate this to tenants. The Regulator has a series of powers at its disposal when it identifies serious failings in the way a landlord is delivering the outcomes of their standards. On 2 July 2025, we launched consultations on an updated and modernised Decent Homes Standard and on a new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard. These new standards would be binding on registered providers of social housing. The government will bring Awaab’s Law into force for the social rented sector on 27 October. Awaab’s Law is vital legislation that will empower social tenants to hold their landlords to account using the full force of the law if they fail to investigate and fix hazards within their homes within set timescales. It will also allow tenants to access the Housing Ombudsman if their landlord does not adhere to strict timelines for action. New requirements relating to electrical safety will also require social landlords to carry out electrical safety checks at least every five years, as well as mandatory appliance inspections on all electrical appliances that are provided by the landlord. Registered providers rely on income from social housing rents in order to manage and maintain their homes to the required standards.
Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to help reduce waiting lists for social housing.
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 2 July 2025 (HCWS771).
Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking with (a) local councils and (b) housing associations to help tackle homelessness in Chelsea and Fulham constituency.
The Government is committed to getting back on track to ending all forms of homelessness across the country. Our cross-Government homelessness strategy will set out the actions needed across central and local government and the homelessness sector to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping. The Government is supporting people at risk of and experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping across the country with more than £1 billion funding, a £316 million increase on last year. This includes £84 million new funding announced on 10 October 2025. Councils are able to use this funding to meet the needs of people in their area, and local authority allocations are published on gov.uk.
Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that all disabled people in social housing have personal emergency evacuation plans.
We are committed to improving systems that enable fire safety and evacuation of disabled and vulnerable residents in all high-rise and higher-risk residential buildings. On 4 July, the government laid The Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 in Parliament, which will come into force on 6 April 2026.Under the new regulations, residents with disabilities or impairments will be entitled to personal assessments designed to identify necessary equipment and adjustments that aid their fire safety and evacuation. Fire and Rescue Services will also receive information on vulnerable residents, where the individual resident agrees to the information being shared, in case they need to support their evacuation.The government has committed funding this year to support social housing providers to deliver Residential PEEPs for their renters. Future years’ funding will be confirmed in due course.
Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that social housing meets (a) decent and (b) safe living standards.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 81035 on 20 October 2025.
What steps her Department is taking to ensure disadvantaged children in early years settings have access to healthy, nutritious meals.
The department is committed to giving every child the best possible start in life. Good nutrition in the early years is essential for children’s health and long-term development, which is why we recently introduced new nutrition guidance in the early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework.The new guidance, developed in collaboration with nutrition experts and sector representatives, will help early years providers understand how to meet the existing EYFS requirements.Pupils attending a local authority, maintained, academy or free school nursery are entitled to free school meals (FSM), as long as they are either in full-time education or receive education both before and after lunch and meet the benefits-based FSM eligibility criteria.From September 2026, the department will extend FSM to all children in households receiving Universal Credit, including those in state-funded school-based nurseries and maintained nursery schools.
What steps her Department is taking to ensure that early years practitioners are (a) trained and (b) supported to meet the needs of disadvantaged and vulnerable children.
The department is committed to giving every child the best start in life through high-quality early years education.We are investing in programmes that support children’s development where it is needed most, including online child development training, more national professional qualification places, and new professional development for educators and leaders.Stronger Practice Hubs will double from 18 to 36, expanding access to evidence-based training and resources. Early years initial teacher training places are increasing, alongside a new degree apprenticeship route, with incentives to attract and retain teachers in under-served communities.The department is funding 1,000 level 3 special educational needs coordinators this year and investing £3.4 million in the Early Language Support for Every Child programme. Early maths and language leads will offer hands-on support, ensuring all children, regardless of background, benefit from high-quality early education.
If she will publish data on the take-up of funded early years places by disadvantaged children by local authority.
The latest accredited official statistics release entitled ‘Funded early education and childcare’ for January 2025 was published on 17 July 2025. A minor correction was made on 31 July, as noted on the publication page. Dataset 3 in this release shows national, regional and local authority level information on the number of children registered for funded early years provision according to whether the child was in receipt of the early years pupil premium. Dataset 3 is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/funded-early-education-and-childcare.Of all 3 and 4 year-olds who are registered for the universal entitlement, one third of those are in state-funded reception classes. Therefore, dataset 3 also includes figures for these children on free school meal eligibility.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) including key skilled early years professional roles where there is a shortage to the skilled worker visa route and (b) easing the visa process for skilled early years workers on the early years workforce.
The department recognises the huge contribution the early years workforce makes to young children’s lives. The workforce is at the heart of the government’s mission to give every child the best start in life and deliver the Plan for Change. Workforce numbers increased by 6% between 2023 and 2024.Various early years roles are included in the list of occupations eligible for Skilled Worker visas. Settings can use this route if the salary threshold (£41,700) is met. Nursery education teaching professionals on national pay scales are subject to a lower threshold (£25,000).The Migration Advisory Committee advises government on migration issues and regularly considers the case for changes. Data on numbers of workers on Skilled Worker Visas are held by the Home Office, while the recruitment of individual staff is conducted by settings.The department is supporting providers to recruit domestically by attracting talented staff into the sector, supporting the recruitment and retention of childminders, and making careers as accessible and rewarding as possible.