Written questions by Turner.

What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her Department's policies of the Office for Statistics Regulation's publication entitled OSR’s statement on the Labour Force Survey-derived estimates and Annual Population Survey-derived estimates, published on 12 December 2024.

Data from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) remains subject to a number of quality concerns following a fall in response rates and are currently badged as official statistics in development. As set out in its December 2024 Labour Market Overview,[1] the Office for National Statistics (ONS) recommend using LFS data alongside other labour market indicators, including Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Real-Time Information (RTI) and Workforce Jobs (WFJ). The ONS are continuing to improve the quality of the LFS, as described in its latest report LFS performance and quality monitoring report,[2] and have carried out a reweighting of LFS estimates, detailed in its December 2024 article[3], that has brought them into line with the ONS’ latest population numbers. The ONS is continuing to develop the Transformed Labour Force Survey (TLFS) as the long-term solution for collecting labour market data [4]. 1 https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/uklabourmarket/december20242 LFS performance and quality monitoring report: July to September 20243 https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/articles/impactofreweightingonlabourforcesurveykeyindicators/december20244 https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/articles/labourmarkettransformationupdateonprogressandplans/july2024

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department's policies of the Office for Statistics Regulation's publication entitled OSR’s statement on the Labour Force Survey-derived estimates and Annual Population Survey-derived estimates, published on 12 December 2024.

The Department uses the data and outputs from both the Labour Force Survey and Annual Population Survey to feed into some of our own statistical products. We recognise the importance of these surveys, and whilst it is disappointing that the accredited official statistics status has been removed from these two surveys, we understand these products continue to follow statistical best practice where possible.The reduced sample size in the Annual Population Survey means there may be more uncertainty around some of our estimates at a local authority level, and there may be a gap in some of our data at local authority level in the short term. We will continue to work with the Office for National Statistics to ensure that any implications for our own evidence is clearly understood and explained to our users, in line with the Statistics Code of Practice.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department's policies of the Office for Statistics Regulation's publication entitled OSR’s statement on the Labour Force Survey-derived estimates and Annual Population Survey-derived estimates, published on 12 December 2024.

Putting the best evidence at the heart of policy development is critical to achieving the Department’s objective of supporting businesses to invest, grow and export, creating jobs and opportunities across the country. The Department has been engaging with the Office for Statistics Regulation on quality concerns with the Labour Force Survey, so have noted their statement and welcome the clarity it provides. We will continue to work closely with the OSR and the ONS on their next steps to ensure that our labour market data is as strong as possible.

What information her Department holds on the number of legal cases against schools for claimed (a) disability discrimination and (b) a failure to make reasonable adjustments.

Information about appeals to the First-tier Tribunal for Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND), which includes disability discrimination in schools, is published at: www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics.Failure to make reasonable adjustments is not recorded as a separate category of disability discrimination.Those claims will be included in the “uncategorised” data set.

With reference to page 120 of Network Rail North West and Central's publication entitled West Midlands Strategic Advice, published in October 2022, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of the proposed (a) Longbridge Interchange project and (b) extension of Camp Hill services to Longbridge railway station.

The Government funds rail upgrades through the 'Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline'. Network Rail, or a third party, such as Midlands Connect or West Midlands Rail Executive, can bring forward proposals and make the case for development funding through this process, and schemes are assessed on alignment with the Government's priorities, value for money, and affordability.

Pursuant to the Answer of 02 December to Question 15995, on Kings Norton Station, whether that £123m to design the first phase of the Midlands Rail Hub programme included any capital funding for (a) the reinstatement of the island platforms at Kings Norton Station and (b) track works for the purpose of extending Camp Hill services to Kings Norton station.

The funding for Midlands Rail Hub includes designs for the reinstatement of the island platforms at Kings Norton, which, subject to a future ‘Decision to Deliver’, could be constructed by the early 2030s. Camp Hill line trains will serve Kings Norton from their introduction, currently scheduled for late-2025.

With reference to Q44 of the oral evidence given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to the Transport Select Committee on 4 December 2024, HC 437, what the average waiting time for driving tests is in Birmingham Northfield constituency.

The average car practical test waiting time for Driving Test Centres that serve the Birmingham Northfield constituency can be found in the table below:Driving test centreAverage car practical driving test waiting time (Nov 2024)Kingsheath24 weeksShirley22.8 weeksThe average waiting time for Vocational tests 3a and 3b, for Garretts Green test centre which serves the Birmingham Northfield constituency, can be found in the table below:Type of Vocational testAverage test waiting time (Nov 2024)Vocational 3a6.5Vocational 3b2.8With regards to part 2 and 3 approved driving instructor tests, these types of tests are not booked the same way as other types of tests, and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency is not able to record how long waiting times are at any given test centre.

With reference to the Answer of 10 December 2020 to Question 126005, on Classroom Assistants: Pay, if she will provide the same salary data for (a) 2020, (b) 2021, (c) 2022, and (d) 2023.

Information on the school workforce is published in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical publication, which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.The attached table provides the average salary for all full-time general teaching assistants, higher level teaching assistants and all teaching assistants in local authority maintained schools, academy schools and free schools in England, as at November each year.Support staff may have more than one contract, therefore individuals may be counted more than once.School support staff play a vital role in children’s education and development. The department values and recognises the professionalism of the entire school workforce and will address recruitment and retention challenges by reinstating the School Support Staff Negotiating Body.This body will be tasked with establishing a national terms and conditions handbook, training and progression routes, ensuring that schools can recruit and retain the staff needed to deliver high quality, inclusive education.

If he will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of producing impact assessments for the Employment Rights Bill.

The publication of Impact Assessments for the Employment Rights Bill meets our requirements under the Better Regulation Framework to provide analysis of the impacts on businesses, households, and the wider economy. This is important to support ministerial decision making, enable parliamentary scrutiny and ensure transparency. The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) does not routinely collate information on the specific departmental cost of producing impact assessments. Information on civil servants employed by DBT and payroll data are available at: DBT’s headcount and payroll data for March 2024 - GOV.UK

Whether her Department plans to respond to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme Review 2020, published on 16 July 2020.

The previous Government held three consultations, in 2020, 2022 and 2023, as part of its review of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012. It did not publish a response to these consultations prior to the 2024 election.This Government is looking at how we can best support victims of crime. As part of this we are considering the previous review of the Scheme, and further updates will be provided in due course.

Pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2024 to Question 15053 on Roads: Suicide, if she will publish the operational data with a description of the data quality issues for each of the last ten years.

National Highways understand that suicide is not inevitable, it is preventable, with the vision that no one attempts to take their life on our roads. National Highways uses its Post Collision Fatal Reporting (PCFR) process to internally report fatal incidents, including suspected suicides on the Strategic Road Network. However, unless a coroner rules National Highways does not know if these numbers are correct and the coronial process can take many months to complete. National Highways therefore cannot be confident that every suspected suicide recorded was a confirmed suicide. Unvalidated operational data from PCFR covering the period of 2016 – 2024 is as follows: YearNumber of Suspected SuicidesComments201615From May onwards201731201841201940202039202159202259202359202456Up to November 28th

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of (a) UK and (b) other sanctions on Russian economic performance.

Our Russia sanctions are restricting Putin's war machine and degrading his military. Sanctions have deprived Russia of over $400 billion since February 2022, equivalent to four more years of funding for the invasion. We have sanctioned 73 vessels forming part of Russia's 'Shadow Fleet', more than any other country. Many of these ships have been left idling at sea, and have struggled to fully re-enter the Russian oil trade. In September 2024 we sanctioned carriers transporting Russian Liquified Natural Gas (LNG), followed by a second set of vessels sanctioned in October. These carriers were involved in the shipping of LNG from Russia's Arctic LNG 2 project which has recently been forced to cease production as a result of sanctions, denying Russia a key source of revenue. The FCDO regularly reviews the effectiveness and impact of our sanction regimes and remains committed to continuing to impose and enforce sanctions, alongside our partners, to constrain Russia's remaining sources of revenue.

Pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2024 to Question 15056 on Non-teaching Staff: Pay, if she will provide a version of that table further broken down by (a) local authority maintained, (b) academy and (c) free school employer status.

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 attached table provides the pay ranges reported for support staff post contracts broken down by school type in the November 2023 school workforce census, which is the latest data available.Support staff may have more than one contract, therefore individuals may be counted more than once.School support staff play a vital role in children’s education and development. The department values and recognises the professionalism of the entire school workforce and will address recruitment and retention challenges by reinstating the School Support Staff Negotiating Body.This Body will be tasked with establishing a national terms and conditions handbook, training and progression routes, thereby ensuring that schools can recruit and retain the staff needed to deliver high-quality, inclusive education.

With reference to the report by her Department entitled Academic year 2022/23: Key stage 4 destination measures, published on 24 October 2024, how many and what proportion of students who left key stage 4 study in each year between 2015-16 and 2020-21 in (a) Birmingham, (b) West Midlands and (c) England progressed to a sustained (i) education, (ii) employment and (iii) apprenticeships, broken down by whether those students received (A) an education, health and care plan, (B) SEN Support provision and (C) no SEND provision.

The department publishes information on the destinations of pupils from state-funded mainstream schools in the year following completion of key stage 4, which shows the numbers and percentages of pupils continuing to a sustained education, employment or apprenticeship destination in England.The tables in the links below contain the data requested.Data pertaining to England can be accessed here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/0b20e9b5-2fef-47b9-7106-08dd0ae16946.Data pertaining to Birmingham and the West Midlands can be accessed here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/775f4fb7-7c15-495d-f93a-08dd0adc50ad.

With reference to the report by her Department entitled Academic year 2022/23: Progression to higher education or training, published on 24 October 2024, how many and what proportion of students who left 16-to-18 study in each year between 2015-16 and 2020-21 in (a) Birmingham, (b) West Midlands and (c) England progressed to a sustained level 4 or higher destination, broken down by whether those students received (i) an education, health and care plan, (ii) SEN Support provision and (iii) no SEND provision.

The department publishes information on the percentage of level 3 pupils continuing to a sustained education or training destination at level 4 or higher, such as degrees, higher apprenticeships and higher national diplomas.The data in the links below contain the data requested.Data pertaining to England can be accessed here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/7eb58822-e8ec-4240-f93b-08dd0adc50ad.Data pertaining to Birmingham and West Midlands can be accessed here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/dd7c6d4b-5aff-4639-f93f-08dd0adc50ad.The data provided is for state-funded mainstream schools and state-funded mainstream colleges. Special educational needs (SEN) status is only recorded for students leaving schools. Students in colleges are recorded as learners with learning difficulties and disabilities. The definitions differ from SEN recorded by schools and so the data is therefore presented separately to the data for SEN. Breakdowns by education health and care plan and SEN support are not readily available in the progression to higher education or training data so only “identified SEN” and “no identified SEN” have been provided.

With reference to the Answer of 10 May 2024 to Question 24203 on Youth Endowment Fund, whether it remains her Department's policy to (a) fund and (b) promote the alternative provision specialist taskforce programmes.

The alternative provision specialist taskforces (APST) programme has placed multi-professional teams, including youth workers, family workers and speech and language therapists, within alternative provision (AP) in 22 areas in England. The objective of the APST is to holistically respond to the needs of children requiring AP, which includes some of the country’s most disadvantaged children, to address the multiple barriers preventing them engaging in education, achieving and thriving and being safe.The department is sharing learning on APST to benefit areas outside of the pilot which may wish to adopt the approach, to strengthen provision for children within AP or on the cusp of permanent exclusion. This information can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/alternative-provision-specialist-taskforces-apst.The APST pilot is jointly funded by the department and the government Shared Outcomes Fund until March 2025. Departmental officials will continue to support pilot areas, including Birmingham, on planning for March 2025 onward.

With reference to page 8 of the Network Rail publication entitled 2022 Delivery Plan Update: North West and Central, published in May 2022, what was the outturn proportion of investment milestones that were missed in that region in (a) 2022-23 and (b) 2023-24; and what were the investment milestones that were missed in that region by each item in (i) 2022-23 and (ii) 2023-24.

There were no milestones missed for (a) Financial Year 22/23. For (b) 23/24, the outturn as a percentage for missed milestones was 2%. The two missed milestones were: · Worcester Shrub Hill Canopies, which was the delivery of the scope of buildings work The programme was delayed by site access and safety issues, including visibility of signals and the scope of works was increased as the assets were in a worse condition than anticipated. · The Three Arch bridge between Cuddington and Delamere stations, which was a renewal of a 3-span bridge. Further inspection of the asset showed that it was not in as bad condition as expected and it was deemed an inefficient use of public funds to progress with the work.

Whether capital funding was allocated to restore disused platforms at Kings Norton railway station before 4 July 2024.

Proposals to bring the island platforms at Kings Norton station back into use are part of the Midlands Rail Hub programme. In March this year £123m was allocated to design the first phase, which includes Kings Norton.However, the Chancellor has been clear about the state of the nation's finances and launched a multi-year Spending Review. This includes a thorough review of plans to ensure our transport infrastructure portfolio drives economic growth and delivers value for money for taxpayers.

What her Department's timetable is for the delivery of rolling stock for Phase 1 of HS2.

The rolling stock programme for Phase 1 of HS2 will support the target delivery-into-service of Birmingham Curzon Street to London Old Oak Common of 2029 to 2033.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2024 to Question 14413 on Road Traffic Control: Complaints, how many objections were made to Traffic Regulation Orders in (a) Birmingham, (b) the West Midlands and (c) England in each of the last five years.

Whilst the Department holds information on Temporary Traffic Regulation Orders, there would be a disproportionate cost to provide this information for the timeframes and the areas requested within the deadline set for answering this question.