Written questions by Hayes.

What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her Department's polices of trends in the level of costs for (a) family and (b) close friends of victims of crime for attending (i) trials and (i) sentencing.

The Government is committed to ensuring that victims and survivors have the information and support they need. This involves understanding how best to support victims, survivors and witnesses throughout their interactions with the Criminal Justice System, including navigating court processes. The Ministry of Justice commissions a National Witness Service which provides emotional and practical support to both prosecution and defence witnesses to enable them to give their best evidence in court. This support includes providing an explanation of the court process and updates on the progress of a trial. The support is also available to families bereaved by crime. In 2023/2024, the National Witness Service supported approximately 80,000 witnesses, about 44% of whom were also victims and survivors. Where witnesses are called to give evidence in prosecutions conducted by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the CPS is responsible for paying allowances and expenses. The CPS, at their own discretion, may pay allowances and expenses for other people, where it is believed that it would assist the witness in giving best evidence. This should be agreed in advance of attendance. Examples include parents accompanying child witnesses and people accompanying elderly witnesses and survivors.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of public funding for specialist domestic abuse services.

We have set out our mission to halve violence against women and girls within a decade. The Government understands the vital role that the domestic abuse sector plays in supporting victims.The Minister for Safeguarding regularly meets with the sector to discuss the Government’s approach to tackling violence against women and girls, including the role of funding and specialist domestic abuse services, most of which does not sit in the Home Office.All decisions on funding will be made in due course as part of the Spending Review.

What steps her Department is taking to support children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in mainstream settings.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs, restoring parents’ trust that their child will get the support they need. We want to drive a consistent and inclusive approach to supporting children and young people with SEND through early identification, effective support, high quality teaching and effective allocation of resources. The department will listen to, and work with, families and sector partners to fix this, which includes taking wider opportunities on accountability, the curriculum, workforce and more.The department will strengthen accountability on mainstream settings to be inclusive including through Ofsted, support the mainstream workforce to increase their SEND expertise, and encourage schools to set up Resourced Provision or special educational needs (SEN) units to increase capacity in mainstream schools.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to take steps to ensure that tenants with permission to keep pets are able to keep those pets throughout their tenancy.

The Renters' Rights Bill will prevent landlords from unreasonably denying tenants' requests to keep pets. Once a landlord has consented to a pet, it will be an implied term of that tenancy and so consent cannot be withdrawn without agreement from both parties. We believe that by strengthening tenants' rights, we will see an increase in pet-friendly properties and a positive shift in landlords' attitudes to pet ownership.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to take steps to (a) prevent landlords from not considering prospective tenants that have pets and (b) support people with pets to find somewhere to rent.

The Renters' Rights Bill will prevent landlords from unreasonably denying tenants' requests to keep pets. Once a landlord has consented to a pet, it will be an implied term of that tenancy and so consent cannot be withdrawn without agreement from both parties. We believe that by strengthening tenants' rights, we will see an increase in pet-friendly properties and a positive shift in landlords' attitudes to pet ownership.

Media and Sport, if she will take steps to include provisions on banning leveraged buyouts of football clubs in the Football Governance Bill.

The Football Governance Bill was introduced to Parliament on 24 October 2024. The Bill delivers on our manifesto commitment to establish the independent football regulator and a new set of rules to protect clubs, empower fans and keep clubs at the heart of their communities.As part of the test for prospective new club owners, they will have to provide the Regulator with evidence they have sufficient financial resources to acquire a club. The Regulator will not approve a takeover if the acquiring party does not have sufficient funds and an appropriate plan to finance a club.

Media and Sport, if she will make it her policy to prevent football club (a) grounds and (b) other assets from being sold for other uses.

The Football Governance Bill was introduced to Parliament on 24 October 2024. The Bill delivers on our manifesto commitment to establish the independent football regulator and a new set of rules to protect clubs, empower fans and keep clubs at the heart of their communities.This includes a requirement for clubs to seek the Regulator’s approval for a stadium sale or relocation. The potential sale of a club’s home ground must not undermine the financial sustainability of the club.The home ground is often the most important economic and heritage asset of a club so has been given specific protections. The Regulator will assess the wider assets of a club as part of the financial regulation regime.

Media and Sport, if she will make it her policy to regulate football clubs to prevent clubs being relocated away from local communities without fan approval.

The Football Governance Bill was introduced to Parliament on 24 October 2024. The Bill delivers on our manifesto commitment to establish the independent football regulator and a new set of rules to protect clubs, empower fans and keep clubs at the heart of their communities.The Bill includes a requirement for clubs to seek the Regulator’s approval for a stadium sale or relocation. Clubs will not be able to relocate from their stadium unless it makes financial sense and does not compromise the heritage of the club. Clubs will also be required to consult their fans on the move, prior to the Regulator giving approval.

What steps her Department is taking to (a) increase and (b) improve training on SEND in the (i) teacher and (ii) classroom assistant training (A) curriculum and (B) classroom practice.

High quality teaching is the single most important in-school factor in improving outcomes for children and it is particularly important for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds and pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).The department’s recruitment and retention reforms will support all teachers and we are committed to ensuring that all pupils can achieve and receive excellent support from their teachers.The Teachers’ Standards set clear expectations that teachers must understand the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities. The Teachers’ Standards include Standard 1, which requires teachers to set goals that stretch and challenge young people of all backgrounds and abilities, and Standard 5, which requires teachers to adapt teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils.Consideration of SEND underpins both the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Core Content Framework (CCF) and Early Career Framework (ECF) which have been designed around how to support all pupils to succeed, including those pupils identified within the four areas of need set out in the SEND Code of Practice.The department recently reviewed the mandatory ITT CCF alongside the ECF and particular attention was given to the needs of trainees and early career teachers when supporting pupils with SEND. The new framework includes significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting all pupils with SEND.The department has also launched a National Professional Qualification for Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (NPQ for SENCOs) where teachers develop the essential knowledge and skills needed to set the strategic direction of SEN policy in a school and the conditions in which pupils with SEND can thrive.The availability of training and career progression opportunities for teaching assistants helps ensure schools have the skilled staff they need to deliver high quality education. The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) has recently approved a new Level 5 Specialist Teaching Assistant apprenticeship, allowing teaching assistants to specialise in one of three areas, including: SEND, social and emotional wellbeing or curriculum provision. The apprenticeship will be available for candidates to undertake in 2025.

If she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the availability of school places in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council area.

The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places sits with local authorities. The department engages with councils on a regular basis to review their plans for creating additional places and to consider alternatives where necessary. When local authorities are experiencing difficulties, the department supports them to find solutions as quickly as possible. Where local authorities are failing in their duty, the government will intervene. The department provides capital funding through the basic need grant to support local authorities to provide school places, based on their own pupil forecasts and school capacity data. They can use this funding to provide places in new schools or through expansions of existing schools and can work with any school in their local area, including academies and free schools. Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council will receive just over £561,000 in the 2025/26 financial year to support the provision of new school places needed by September 2026.

What steps he has taken to improve children's health.

The Government is committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever. We have already begun work to ensure that every child has a healthy, happy start to life. To tackle obesity, we have committed to implementing a 9:00pm television watershed and a 24-hour ban on paid-for advertising of less healthy food and drink products, coming into force on 1 October 2025.We will also be introducing the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, to protect future generations from becoming hooked on nicotine. Additionally, to reduce tooth decay in children, we are developing a supervised tooth-brushing scheme for three- to five-year-olds, targeting areas of highest need.To improve children's mental health, we are working to recruit 8,500 additional staff across children and adult mental health services and introduce a specialist mental health professional in every school.

If he will make it his policy to reform the Mental Health Act 1983 to ensure that people have an automatic right to (a) assessment and (b) treatment.

The Mental Health Bill will deliver the Government’s commitment to modernise the Mental Health Act 1983. It will give patients enhanced rights and support, whilst maintaining the right balance to ensure that people get the treatment they need when necessary for their own protection, or that of others.However, we recognise the long-standing gap between demand and supply for mental health treatment, which is why we will fix the broken system to ensure we give mental health the same attention and focus as physical health and that people can be confident of accessing high quality mental health support when they need it. The Mental Health Bill will be published when Parliamentary time allows.

What steps his Department is taking to help tackle misinformation on (a) migrant access to NHS services and (b) the accommodation of asylum seekers.

I refer my Hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 17 October 2024 to Question 8361.

What his planned timetable is for publishing the Mental Health Bill.

The Mental Health Bill will deliver the Government’s commitment to modernise the Mental Health Act 1983. It will give patients enhanced rights and support, whilst maintaining the right balance to ensure that people get the treatment they need when necessary for their own protection, or that of others.However, we recognise the long-standing gap between demand and supply for mental health treatment, which is why we will fix the broken system to ensure we give mental health the same attention and focus as physical health and that people can be confident of accessing high quality mental health support when they need it. The Mental Health Bill will be published when Parliamentary time allows.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department's polices of recent trends in levels of unmet need for mental health support.

Lord Darzi’s independent review of the National Health Service in England found that too many people were waiting too long for mental health support from the NHS, with approximately 1 million people waiting for mental health services as of April 2024.As part of our mission to build an NHS that is fit for the future and that is there when people need it, the Government will recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers to reduce delays and provide faster treatment, which will also help ease pressure on busy mental health services. We will also modernise the Mental Health Act, introduce a specialist mental health professional in every school in England, and roll out open access Young Futures hubs in every community.However, we know wider change is needed and we have launched a national conversation, called Change NHS: help build a health service fit for the future, to develop the 10-Year Health Plan. We are inviting people to share their ideas on what needs to change across the health and care system, including:how the NHS could change to deliver high quality care more effectively;how other parts of the health and care system and other organisations in society could change to promote better health and improve the way health and care services work together; andhow individuals and communities could do things differently in the future to improve people’s health.

What steps her Department has taken to help people with mental health conditions to (a) enter employment and (b) increase their hours.

Appropriate work is generally good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. We want people to avoid poverty, and for this to happen we must ensure that disabled people and people with health conditions have the opportunity to work and save for as long as they wish and are able to. Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals, including people with mental health conditions, to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems. Measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres, Access to Work grants and the Work and Health Programme, as well as joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies and Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care. Employers play a key role in increasing employment opportunities and supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, to thrive as part of the workforce. Our support to employers includes increasing access to Occupational Health, a digital information service for employers and the Disability Confident scheme. As part of the get Britain working plan, more disabled people and those with health conditions will be supported to enter and stay in work, by devolving more power to local areas so they can shape a joined-up work, health, and skills offer that suits the needs of the people they serve. People on low, or no income or earnings who have a health condition or disability which restricts the amount of work they can do, can claim UC and are referred for a work capability assessment (WCA). The WCA is a functional assessment which assesses what a customer can do as well as what they cannot do. A healthcare professional provides the outcome of the assessment to a DWP Decision Maker, who, using the evidence available, determines if the customer:has limited capability for work (LCW), orhas limited capability for work- and work-related activity (LCWRA), ordoes not have LCW – meaning the customer is fit for work. Where it has been decided that customers have LCW or LCWRA, they will be entitled to a work allowance, and in couple claims where one is working, access to help with childcare costs.   Those customers that have been determined to have LCWRA may be entitled to the award of an additional amount of benefit – the LCWRA addition – which is £416.19 per month (2024-25 rates). Universal Credit provides incentives for workless households to take up jobs, including at a low number of hours per week. Part-time jobs could be important in helping individuals who have spent long periods in unemployment take steps into the labour market. To strengthen incentives to move into work and progress in work, UC withdraws support at a steady rate allowing customers to see their income increase and their Universal Credit award is reduced by less than they are earning. Although their Universal Credit award reduces, they will still benefit from their income.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of poor mental health on educational (a) attainment and (b) inequality.

The department has not made a formal assessment of the impact of poor mental health on educational attainment and inequality, but the department is aware of a wide range of evidence that identifies an association between mental health and educational outcomes and that educational inequality is likely to be exacerbated by poor mental health.A study published in British Medical Journal in 2019 suggested that, controlling for a range of other factors, mental health difficulties in Key Stage 3 were associated with lower attainment at GCSE. Pupils with previous atypical mental health scores were 2.7 times more likely to not achieve five A* to C grades than those measured in the normal range.The Mental Health of Children and Young People in England 2021 survey published by NHS Digital shows that over half of children with special educational needs (SEN) have a probable mental health disorder (56.7%) compared to 12.5% of children with no identified SEN. Additionally, the 2022 follow up survey found that children and young people with a probable mental disorder are seven times as likely to have missed more than 15 days of school as those unlikely to have a mental disorder (12.6% and 3.9% respectively). The 2023 follow up survey also found that children aged 8 to 16 years with a probable mental disorder were more than twice as likely to live in a household that had fallen behind with rent, bills or mortgage (18.7%) than those unlikely to have a mental disorder (6.8%).This is why the government has set a bold ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children in history, giving mental health the same attention as physical health. The government is reforming NHS services and has committed to providing access to specialist mental health professionals in every school, removing barriers to opportunity and helping children to thrive.

What recent progress his Department has made increasing the levels of recruitment of mental heath staff.

The latest data shows that, as of June 2024, there are 152,533 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff in the mental health workforce. This includes only those people who work directly on mental health across National Health Service trusts and other core organisations.June 2024 figures show over 8,800 more FTE staff in the mental workforce compared to June 2023, a 6.1% increase, and over 43,400, or 39.8%, more than since the March 2016 baseline.

Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to publish guidance on when landlords may refuse a request from tenants to have a pet.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 9679 on 24 October 2024.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of mental health issues on young people becoming involved in crime.

A multiagency approach to divert young people away from becoming involved in crime is pivotal. This includes partners that play a role in young people’s mental health. This is why the Government is creating the Young Futures Programme to identify young people at risk and the most effective interventions to support them.These Young Futures Hubs will bring together services to help improve the way young people can access the support they need. We will be engaging with local communities, the police, charities, and other key partners to support the design of the hubs and explore options for their delivery.