Written questions by Turner.

What recent progress her Department has made on the preparation of a third cycling and walking investment strategy.

The Department’s officials are scoping out options for the third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, and the Department will say more on this in due course. The Department will also consult stakeholders before the publication of the Strategy, as required by the 2015 Infrastructure Act, and will report to Parliament later this year on the delivery of the second Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy.

What the average full-time salary was for (a) classroom and (b) all teachers in (i) academies, (ii) free schools, (iii) local authority maintained schools and (iv) all publicly-funded schools in 2023.

Information on the school workforce is published in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical publication, which is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.The attached table provides the full-time equivalent median average salary for classroom teachers and all teachers in academy schools, free schools, local authority maintained schools and all state-funded schools in England, as at November 2023.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2025 to Question 21859, on Flexible Working Taskforce, on what dates that taskforce met in each year from 2018 to 2022.

The Flexible Working Taskforce met on fourteen occasions between 2018 and 2022.The dates of these meetings were:29 March 2018; 09 May 2018; 11 July 2018; 12 September 2018; 16 November 2018; 16 January 2019; 27 March 2019; 02 July 2019; 22 September 2020; 14 April 2021; 27 April 2021; 07 July 2021; 13 October 2021; 07 February 2022.The Government is committed to regular engagement with stakeholders on the topic of flexible working and other related issues.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of how her Department processes visa applications submitted by Arab citizens of Israel.

Mr Speaker, applications submitted by citizens of Israel, Arab or otherwise, are assessed against the requirements of the Immigration Rules on their individual merits.As part of any visa application assessment, consideration is given in cases involving compelling, compassionate, and exceptional circumstances.Those who wish to travel to the UK can do so via the existing range of visa routes available to visit, work, study or join family in the UK.

With reference to section 7.2.12 of her Department's publication entitled School workforce census guide 2024: Guide for schools including academies within a Multi Academy Trust, published on 11 October 2024, how many and what proportion of teacher posts in publicly-funded schools in England were paid on each pay range record for which data was returned in the most recent workforce census period broken down by (a) academy schools, (b) free schools, (c) local authority maintained schools and (d) all publicly-funded schools.

Information on the school workforce is published in the ‘School Workforce in England’ statistical publication, which is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.The attached table provides the pay ranges reported for teacher contracts broken down by school type in the November 2023 school workforce census, which is the latest data available.

What recent progress she has made on enactment of the socio-economic duty under Section 1 of the Equality Act 2010.

The Government is committed to commencing the socio-economic duty in the Equality Act 2010. The duty will require public bodies, when making strategic decisions, to consider actively how their decisions might help to reduce the inequalities associated with socio-economic disadvantage.We will work closely with public authorities and civil society in order to ensure effective implementation of the duty and will provide an update on our work in due course.

With reference to the CQC's publication of 27 November 2024 entitled CQC finds improvement in CAMHS wards at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, when the CQC plans to publish the full report.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) carried out an assessment of Child and Adolescent Mental Health wards at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust in September 2024. The report of that assessment was published on the CQC’s website on 28 November 2024, and is available at the following link:https://www.cqc.org.uk/provider/RQ3/reports/AP2111/child-and-adolescent-mental-health-wards

What the average processing time was for applications to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme by people resident in Birmingham in each of the last five years.

The table below shows the average time for decisions to be made on applications* for criminal injuries compensation by people resident in Birmingham**. Calendar Year of CICA decisionAverage time (days)20203352021440202249020233812024372 * The table does not include archived bereavement applications because the address of the applicant is not retained. In most cases, applications are archived three years after the case has been closed. ** The above table includes all awards where the applicant named Birmingham as the city in their home address in their application.

With reference to the Standards and Testing Agency's publication of 20 July 2022, entitled Information: primary assessments in the 2022/23 academic year, for what reason it was decided not to undertake further science sampling tests at Key Stage 2.

Statutory teacher assessment of science is undertaken annually at the end of key stage 2 for all pupils in the relevant cohort. Between 2014 and 2020, biennial national science sampling tests were used to supplement this teacher assessment data, with a nationally representative sample of key stage 2 pupils participating in these tests to monitor the performance and attainment in science at national level.The science sampling test scheduled to take place in 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and, due to resource pressures on the department, the previous government decided not to recommence science sampling thereafter. The ongoing Curriculum and Assessment Review is considering the current assessment system and will make its recommendations later in the year.

How many air cleaning units were provided to education facilities in (a) Birmingham Northfield constituency, (b) Birmingham, (c) the West Midlands and (d) England since 2020.

Between January 2022 and April 2023, the department provided over 9,000 air cleaning units to over 1,300 education and childcare settings that had been identified with poor ventilation.Four air cleaning units were provided to education settings in the Birmingham Northfield constituency, 269 units were provided to education settings in the Birmingham City Council area and 996 units were provided to education settings in the West Midlands. In total, 8,848 air cleaning units were delivered to education settings in England. These figures do not include units provided to early years settings.The department has published guidance on how to use CO2 monitors and air cleaning units, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/using-co-monitors-and-air-cleaning-units-in-education-and-care-settings.

With reference to the Answer of 11 December 2014 to Question 217660 on Teachers, whether the programme of talks referred to is ongoing.

Following the 2024 general election, the Programme of Talks forum was stood down to enable the department to develop new and improved ways of working with employer organisations, unions and other key stakeholders. This government is committed to resetting the relationship with the sector, where we work together on priority areas for reform, building on decades of the sector’s experience and excellence. Tackling high workload for school staff remains a key focus for this government.

How many people in Birmingham received awards under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and what the value of those awards was.

The table below provides the number of compensation awards paid in each of the last five calendar years to applicants living in Birmingham. Number of compensation awards paid to applicants living in Birmingham* **:Calendar YearNumber of awards paidTotal value of those awards2020340£2,746,6702021294£3,055,4412022248£2,624,2862023347£3,866,5072024294£3,074,242 * The above table includes all awards where the applicant named Birmingham as the city in their home address in their application. **The table does not include archived bereavement applications because the address of the applicant is not retained. In most cases, applications are archived three years after the case has been closed.

What the net cost to the public purse was of Schedule 4 and Schedule 8 compensation to operators for disruption on the rail network in 2023-24.

Schedule 4 and Schedule 8 compensation transactions are primarily between bodies whose costs and revenues are included in the Department for Transport’s group budgets, therefore these have no net cost to the exchequer.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2024 to Question 20334 on Flexible Working, on what dates the Flexible Working Taskforce met in 2023.

The Flexible Working Taskforce met once in 2023, on April 24th. The government has continued to engage with stakeholders on a regular basis to discuss flexible working and related issues.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending the provision of air cleaning units to education facilities.

The department regularly reviews its guidance to ensure that it aligns with best practice and industry standards, to deliver high-quality school environments.Between January 2022 and April 2023, the department provided over 9,000 air cleaning units to over 1,300 settings that had been identified with poor ventilation. The department has published guidance on how to use CO2 monitors and air cleaning units, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/using-co-monitors-and-air-cleaning-units-in-education-and-care-settings.The department also publishes non-statutory guidance on indoor and outdoor air quality in ‘Building Bulletin 101: Guidelines on ventilation, thermal comfort and indoor air quality in schools’ (BB101), which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-bulletin-101-ventilation-for-school-buildings.

What progress her Department has made on the guidance for schools on mitigating poor air quality.

The department regularly reviews its guidance to ensure that it aligns with best practice and industry standards, to deliver high-quality school environments.Between January 2022 and April 2023, the department provided over 9,000 air cleaning units to over 1,300 settings that had been identified with poor ventilation. The department has published guidance on how to use CO2 monitors and air cleaning units, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/using-co-monitors-and-air-cleaning-units-in-education-and-care-settings.The department also publishes non-statutory guidance on indoor and outdoor air quality in ‘Building Bulletin 101: Guidelines on ventilation, thermal comfort and indoor air quality in schools’ (BB101), which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-bulletin-101-ventilation-for-school-buildings.

With reference to page 98 of the Education and Skills Funding Agency's publication entitled Annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024, published on 29 July 2024, if she will break down the table entitled Financial outcomes: error / suspected fraud by (a) academy trusts, (b) further education colleges and (c) independent training providers.

The information requested can be found in the attached table.

What information her Department holds on the (a) number and (b) proportion of school support staff in state-funded schools in England who are employed on (i) zero-hour and (ii) term time-only contracts.

Information on the school workforce is published in the ‘School Workforce in England’ statistical publication here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.The school workforce census does not collect figures on zero-hour contracts and does not directly identify term time-only contracts. In November 2023, the latest information available, there were 71,000 school support staff contracts for between 37 and 40 weeks, the likely duration of term time-only contracts, in state-funded schools in England. This equates to 13% of support staff contracts where a duration was reported.Support staff may have more than one contract, so individuals may be counted more than once.

What payments her Department has made to Birmingham City Council in support of the Birmingham roads PFI contract in each financial year from 2020-21 to 2024-25; and what was the total value of payments to the primary contractor under that contract in each of those years.

The Department has paid Birmingham City Council (BCC) a little over £50 million a year, broken down into quarterly payments of £12.6 million, from 2020-21 to 2024-25 in support of its PFI contract for its local highways. Payments from the council to its primary contractor are a matter for BCC.

Which organisations are represented on his Department's Flexible Working Taskforce; and on what dates that taskforce has met.

The Flexible Working Taskforce last met on 26 Jan 2024. It was comprised of business groups, charities and trade unions and was co-chaired by the Chartered Institute for Professional Development (CIPD) and the government. It met at regular intervals between 2018 and 2024. The Government is committed to engaging with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure that policy works for businesses, workers, and the wider economy. That is why we continue to meet with stakeholders on a regular basis to discuss flexible working and related issues.