To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will amend the terms of reference for the independent review of HS2 to include consideration of commencing construction of Phase 2b to Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds before Phase 1 is completed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will amend the terms of reference for the independent review of HS2 to include consideration of commencing construction of Phase 2b to Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds before Phase 1 is completed.

My Lords, the department does not collect the data requested in the specified format. However, the number of people with a personalised health budget is calculated on a quarterly basis within each financial year, which ends on 31 March. Currently, 53,143 people benefit from a personal health budget nationally. I shall write to the noble Lord this afternoon with a full breakdown of all the data that we collect in relation to Sheffield and place a copy of the letter in the Library.

My Lords, the department does not collect the data requested in the specified format. However, the number of people with a personalised health budget is calculated on a quarterly basis within each financial year, which ends on 31 March. Currently, 53,143 people benefit from a personal health budget nationally. I shall write to the noble Lord this afternoon with a full breakdown of all the data that we collect in relation to Sheffield and place a copy of the letter in the Library.

I am grateful to the Minister. Can she help me with a very practical question relating to the county council’s publication last week, and that of the Institute for Government today, in respect of the funding of social and the interim grant that was due to run out at the end of March next year, which constituted a third of government spending? Can we presume that the amount announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer this afternoon is in addition to renewing that temporary grant? If it is, is it not a strange paradox that it is half a billion pounds less than the amount that he announced in respect of a no-deal arrangement with the European Union?

I am grateful to the Minister. Can she help me with a very practical question relating to the county council’s publication last week, and that of the Institute for Government today, in respect of the funding of social and the interim grant that was due to run out at the end of March next year, which constituted a third of government spending? Can we presume that the amount announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer this afternoon is in addition to renewing that temporary grant? If it is, is it not a strange paradox that it is half a billion pounds less than the amount that he announced in respect of a no-deal arrangement with the European Union?

The noble Lord has asked a very important question and I am pleased that the Prime Minister has followed through on his commitment to improve the situation for local authorities and for social care, not only by increasing funding for social care by £1 billion today but by increasing funding for local authorities. This is a welcome change for local authorities, which need to ensure that they can fund the commitments that we have. In addition to the letter that I shall place in the Library, I

shall be happy to follow up on the specific challenge that the noble Lord raised regarding Sheffield following Questions.

The noble Lord has asked a very important question and I am pleased that the Prime Minister has followed through on his commitment to improve the situation for local authorities and for social care, not only by increasing funding for social care by £1 billion today but by increasing funding for local authorities. This is a welcome change for local authorities, which need to ensure that they can fund the commitments that we have. In addition to the letter that I shall place in the Library, I

shall be happy to follow up on the specific challenge that the noble Lord raised regarding Sheffield following Questions.

My Lords, personal healthcare budgets and payments from the Independent Living Fund can offer an individual freedom and choice, but will the Minister tell the House what advocacy support accompanies these payments, so that members of the public can be well informed and choose the best providers for their needs?

My Lords, personal healthcare budgets and payments from the Independent Living Fund can offer an individual freedom and choice, but will the Minister tell the House what advocacy support accompanies these payments, so that members of the public can be well informed and choose the best providers for their needs?

Personal health budgets play a really important role, not only in supporting individuals to have personalised care but by making sure that we can seek support from social prescribing and community care, just as the noble Baroness mentioned. These plans are designed not only between the general practitioner and the supporter, but with the patient; therefore, the right information is provided to the patient in an open and transparent manner so that they can ensure they get the right care. It is important to note that those in receipt of this care have an 87% satisfaction that they are receiving the care they want in a much more effective way than they were before.

Personal health budgets play a really important role, not only in supporting individuals to have personalised care but by making sure that we can seek support from social prescribing and community care, just as the noble Baroness mentioned. These plans are designed not only between the general practitioner and the supporter, but with the patient; therefore, the right information is provided to the patient in an open and transparent manner so that they can ensure they get the right care. It is important to note that those in receipt of this care have an 87% satisfaction that they are receiving the care they want in a much more effective way than they were before.

My Lords, NHS continuing healthcare is supposed to provide a lifeline when older people and their families are at their most vulnerable and face sky-high costs as the result of chronic health conditions. However, this system is confusing and the rules arbitrary, resulting in a significant postcode lottery. Since 2015 more than 4,000 adults have died while awaiting a decision on their care to be made. What action are the Government taking to ensure that every person in need gets the support they need promptly, regardless of where they live?

My Lords, NHS continuing healthcare is supposed to provide a lifeline when older people and their families are at their most vulnerable and face sky-high costs as the result of chronic health conditions. However, this system is confusing and the rules arbitrary, resulting in a significant postcode lottery. Since 2015 more than 4,000 adults have died while awaiting a decision on their care to be made. What action are the Government taking to ensure that every person in need gets the support they need promptly, regardless of where they live?

One of the actions we have taken today is increasing funding to local authorities to relieve some of the pressures on them, increasing real-terms spending on public health, and also £1 billion for social care. In addition to that, there is a clear impetus from the long-term plan to increase personal health budgets, which are a very important aspect of the solution, because it will lead to an integration of spending and an integrated assessment of NHS care and social care. This is a real gap within the solutions for those who receive this support, which is why we want to make sure that we roll this out much faster than we have before. There is a commitment to have 200,000 people on personal health budgets and we are ahead of our ambitions on that.

One of the actions we have taken today is increasing funding to local authorities to relieve some of the pressures on them, increasing real-terms spending on public health, and also £1 billion for social care. In addition to that, there is a clear impetus from the long-term plan to increase personal health budgets, which are a very important aspect of the solution, because it will lead to an integration of spending and an integrated assessment of NHS care and social care. This is a real gap within the solutions for those who receive this support, which is why we want to make sure that we roll this out much faster than we have before. There is a commitment to have 200,000 people on personal health budgets and we are ahead of our ambitions on that.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the difference in the number of people covered by personal health care budgets or Independent Living Fund payments in Sheffield between (1) January and June 2019, (2) January and June 2018, (3) January and June 2017, and (4) January and June 2015.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the difference in the number of people covered by personal health care budgets or Independent Living Fund payments in Sheffield between (1) January and June 2019, (2) January and June 2018, (3) January and June 2017, and (4) January and June 2015.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of (a) the University of Sheffield's initiative on voter registration for students and (b) mandating universities to promote students to register to vote.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of (a) the University of Sheffield's initiative on voter registration for students and (b) mandating universities to promote students to register to vote.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average number of days taken from court listing to completion at Sheffield Crown Court in each year since 2010 was.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average number of days taken from court listing to completion at Sheffield Crown Court in each year since 2010 was.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if her Department will take steps to monitor the roll out of a universal basic income pilot by Sheffield City Council; and if she will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if her Department will take steps to monitor the roll out of a universal basic income pilot by Sheffield City Council; and if she will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Forestry Commission plans to publish the results of its investigation into street tree felling in Sheffield.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Forestry Commission plans to publish the results of its investigation into street tree felling in Sheffield.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 May 2019 to Question 249824 on Railways: Sheffield, which organisation holds the information requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 May 2019 to Question 249824 on Railways: Sheffield, which organisation holds the information requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 May 2019 to Question 249824 on Railways: Sheffield, what information his Department holds on train punctuality.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 May 2019 to Question 249824 on Railways: Sheffield, what information his Department holds on train punctuality.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of trains between (a) Sheffield and London and (b) London and Sheffield arrived on time between (i) April 2017 and March 2018 and (ii) April 2018 and March 2019.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of trains between (a) Sheffield and London and (b) London and Sheffield arrived on time between (i) April 2017 and March 2018 and (ii) April 2018 and March 2019.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what additional outreach work his Department is undertaking to help claimants as a result of the closure of Eastern Avenue Job Centre in Sheffield.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what additional outreach work his Department is undertaking to help claimants as a result of the closure of Eastern Avenue Job Centre in Sheffield.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many mandatory (a) income support and (b) employment and support allowance interviews took place at the Cavendish Court Job Centre in Sheffield in the each of the last three months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many mandatory (a) income support and (b) employment and support allowance interviews took place at the Cavendish Court Job Centre in Sheffield in the each of the last three months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to allocate additional work to the Sheffield service centre once it is no longer administering employment and support allowance and work and social funds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to allocate additional work to the Sheffield service centre once it is no longer administering employment and support allowance and work and social funds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of (a) the average delay on trains between Sheffield and London St Pancras since the new timetable was introduced in May 2018 and (b) the average delay in the same period in 2017.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of (a) the average delay on trains between Sheffield and London St Pancras since the new timetable was introduced in May 2018 and (b) the average delay in the same period in 2017.