To restore high streets, we have recently announced measures to tackle organised crime, cut business rates for pubs, and stop the spread of vape shops and gambling outlets

Erewash is also supported by the £24.8m Long Eaton Town Deal which is funding high street redevelopment projects, public realm improvements, an active travel network, and a new leisure hub.

Later this year, the Government will publish a national High Streets Strategy, setting out the longer-term plan to further support town centres.

My hon. Friend and I have discussed this on many occasions. She has doggedly campaigned for the closure of these centres as well as supported the steps that we are taking as a Government to stop the boats in the first place. I will be happy to have further conversations with her, but she has my assurance that we are working as fast as possible to clear all hotels, including those in her constituency.

Despite repeated assurances from the Dispatch Box and it being nearly eight months since I first raised the issue with the Minister, the Home Office continues to operate two wholly inappropriate accommodation centres in my constituency, putting an unbearable strain on public services. Will my right hon. Friend expedite a clear timetable to close the centres permanently and restore the hotels to their intended purposes?

Information on the school workforce in England, including subjects taught in state funded secondary schools, is collected as part of the annual School Workforce Census each November. Information is published in the ‘School Workforce in England’ statistical publication, available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.

The total number of hours taught for each subject are available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/38de2951-c92c-46e4-39fb-08db371965b6.

The proportion of those hours that were taught by teachers without a relevant A level or higher level qualification are available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/ee831a35-e304-4821-bb6a-08db371944c7.

Timetabled teaching is reported for a typical week in November, as determined by the school. It does not cover an entire year of teaching. If there are variations in timetabling across the year, this is not covered in the data available to the Department. To reduce the burden during the COVID-19 pandemic, schools and Local Authorities were not required to provide information on teacher qualifications in the 2020 census.

Data on the subject taught is only collected from secondary schools that use electronic timetabling software that can produce data in the format required. Data is then weighted to provide national totals. Breakdowns by Local Authority and parliamentary constituency are, therefore, not available.

Information on the school workforce in England is published in the annual ‘School Workforce in England’ national statistics release, available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.

The number of teachers without qualified teacher status in all state funded schools in England, including a breakdown by primary and secondary, and by local authority, is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/29d83b82-2aba-44c7-bb82-08db371944c7.

Data relating to schools in individual constituencies can be found in the ‘teacher and support staff numbers by school’ file, within the additional supporting files section, available at: https://content.explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/api/releases/0728fb07-f014-492c-aac9-fd11bb441601/files/2dfcc772-c410-46ac-cb9d-08da713e9200.

There are 24,000 more teachers now than in 2010. The quality of teaching is the most important in school factor in improving outcomes for children, especially for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Evidence is clear that high quality professional development can lead to improved pupil attainment.

The Department has invested in transforming training for teachers and head teachers. Every teacher and head teacher now has access to high quality, evidence based training and professional development at every stage of their career, starting with initial teacher training (ITT).

By 2024, a reformed ITT provider market will be delivering quality assured training leading to qualified teacher status (QTS) that places a greater emphasis than ever before on embedding structured practice into courses, ensuring trainees are ready to thrive in the classroom.

A new system of higher quality training provider partnerships will be supported by £36 million to introduce new Quality Requirements, including better training for mentors and the delivery of new, cutting edge, intensive training, and practice activity. Every teaching school hub will be involved in ITT to ensure that training places are available across the country.

QTS is considered desirable for teachers in most schools in England. In some schools, including academies, free schools, and independent schools, QTS is not a legal requirement. Academies have a fundamental freedom to employ talented people who do not necessarily have QTS.

Most teachers in all schools, including academies, have QTS and have undertaken initial teacher training. In the 2021/22 academic year, the latest data available, 14,771 teachers (headcount) did not have qualified teacher status, equivalent to 2.9% of teachers.

The Condition Data Collection (CDC) is one of the largest and most comprehensive data collection programmes in the UK’s public sector. It collected data on the building condition of government funded schools in England. It provides a robust evidence base to enable the Department to target capital funding for maintaining and rebuilding school buildings.

The key, high level findings of the CDC programme were published in May 2021 in the ‘Condition of School Buildings Survey: Key Findings’ report. This is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/989912/Condition_of_School_Buildings_Survey_CDC1_-_key_findings_report.pdf.

Individual CDC reports have been shared with every school and their responsible body to use alongside their existing condition surveys to plan maintenance schedules and investment plans. The Department plans to publish detailed school level CDC data. The Department is still preparing the data and will publish it as soon as possible.

Well maintained, safe school buildings are a priority for the Department. Our funding is directed both to maintaining the condition of the school estate and rebuilding schools. The Department has allocated over £13 billion for improving the condition of schools since 2015, including £1.8 billion committed this financial year.

The ten year School Rebuilding Programme (SRP) is condition led. 400 of the 500 available places on the programme have been provisionally allocated. A list of these schools and the methodology used to select them is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-rebuilding-programme-schools-in-the-programme.

The following table shows the constituencies specified that have schools or colleges selected for the SRP:

The 239 schools announced in December 2022 will enter delivery at a rate of approximately 50 per year, over a five year period from 2023. The Department is currently undertaking due diligence on these schools prior to scheduling them, with schools prioritised according to the condition of their buildings, readiness to proceed, and efficiency of delivery. The scope and funding for each project will be confirmed following detailed feasibility studies and condition surveys of buildings.

Where a school identifies significant safety issues with a building, that cannot be managed within local resources, the Department considers additional support on a case-by-case basis. This includes applications for Urgent Capital Support (UCS) from eligible institutions. Schools eligible for Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) can apply for UCS where there are urgent health and safety issues that threaten school closure and cannot wait until the next CIF bidding round.

Due to the continuing unprecedented high volume of small boats arrivals and the historical pressure from COVID-19 measures on the asylum system it has been necessary to continue to use hotels to accommodate some asylum seekers to meet our immediate statutory need.

Asylum seekers granted accommodation and support whilst their applications are being considered are not detained and are free to come and go as they please. They are clearly advised of the expectations the Home Office and our accommodation providers have for them to behave responsibility while they reside in our properties and not to engage in any form of criminal or anti-social activity. All incidents are reported to the Home Office immediately by the providers; this is a contractual requirement. We then work with the provider to put additional measures in place, if required. This includes working with other statutory bodies including police to investigate any potential criminal activities. We do not comment publicly on operational arrangements at individual sites.

Community cohesion is an important aspect of using contingency sites successfully and we will continue to engage with all relevant stakeholders in multi-agency forums to understand and address any concerns appropriately as the site operates.

Let me give my hon. Friend my absolute cast-iron commitment that we want to get to grips with this problem. The best way to resolve it is to stop criminal gangs profiting from an illegal trade in human lives and the unacceptable rise in channel crossings, which is putting unsustainable pressure on our system and local services. She has my reassurance that the Home Secretary and I are working day and night to resolve the problem—not just to end the use of expensive contingency accommodation, but for more fundamental reform, so that we can finally get to grips with the issue, protect our borders and end illegal migration.

Q11

.

Maggie Throup (Erewash) (Con):

Despite a productive meeting with the Immigration Minister yesterday, the Home Office continues to house over 400 asylum seekers in two neighbouring hotels in my constituency. It is clear from my meetings with GPs and Derbyshire police that that huge influx of people in such a small area is putting local services under immense strain. Before services in Erewash hit breaking point, will my right hon. Friend commit to an immediate reduction in asylum seekers concentrated in one place, and will he intervene to set a timetable for permanent closure of accommodation centres at that location?

The department does not hold the requested data. However, the most recent Childcare and Early Years Survey of Parents provides some data on parental spend on childcare. The results of this survey can be found here: https://www.explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/childcare-and-early-years-survey-of-parents/2021.

The survey shows the average cost of childcare per week for parents of 0 to 14-year-olds by region. It also shows the cost by day for school-aged children during holiday periods. This data is not available at local authority or constituency level.

The department recognises that childcare is a key concern for parents. We are committed to improving the cost, choice, and availability of childcare. We continue to look at ways to make childcare more affordable, and to encourage families to use the government-funded support they are entitled to.

The department has spent over £3.5 billion in each of the past three years on early education entitlements and continues to support families with the cost of childcare through Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit.

At the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021, the department also announced it is investing over £200 million a year in the Holiday Activities and Food programme, which provides enriching activities and healthy meals for disadvantaged children during school holidays.

In July 2022, the department announced further measures to increase take-up of childcare support and reduce the costs and bureaucracy facing providers. This included a new £1.2 million campaign via the Childcare Choices website to ensure every parent knows about the government-funded support they are eligible for. This can be accessed at: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk.

This is a matter for His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman. I have asked her to write to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

This is a matter for His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman. I have asked her to write to the hon. Member, and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Based on the information supplied by local authorities, as of 20 October 2022[1], the attached spreadsheet provides details of the number of Sure Start children’s centre closures reported in the relevant constituencies since 2010.

In October 2021, as part of the Autumn Budget, the government announced £301.75 million to transform Start for Life and Family Hub services in 75 upper-tier local authorities across England. The 75 eligible local authorities were announced on the 2 April 2022. These were selected based on levels of disadvantage, targeting the areas with the highest levels of deprivation and disproportionately poor health and educational outcomes. Information on the names of selected local authorities can be foundhere: https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.publishing.service.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fuploads%2Fsystem%2Fuploads%2Fattachment_data%2Ffile%2F1065255%2FFamily_Hubs_and_Start_for_Life_Package_-_Transparency_Data.ods&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK. An additional 12 local authorities will be receiving funding through the Family Hubs Transformation Fund.

On 23 May 2022, the department announced the first wave of seven successful local authorities. The second wave of five local authorities will be announced in due course. The attached spreadsheet indicates which constituencies are eligible to receive funding either through the Family Hubs and Start for Life package or the first wave of the Family Hubs Transformation Fund.

The department is in the process of signing local authorities up to this programme and funding allocations for individual local authorities delivering the programme will be published once the programme’s sign-up process has been completed. For the Family Hubs Transformation Fund programme, local authorities were invited to bid for up to £1 million in funding, with up to £833,000 for programme expenditure and up to £167,000 for capital expenditure. Funding will be awarded to the local authorities listed on the basis of their bid to the department.

[1] The number of children’s centre closures is based on information supplied by local authorities as of 20 October 2022. These figures may differ from number of closures reported locally and may change again in future since local authorities may update their data at any time.

The Department has allocated over £13 billion in condition funding since 2015 for improving the condition of school buildings, including £1.8 billion in the 2021/22 financial year.

Schools, and those responsible for school buildings, receive condition funding through different routes depending upon their size and type. Local authorities, large academy trusts and large voluntary aided bodies receive school condition allocations (SCA) to invest in their schools. In addition, devolved formula capital (DFC) is allocated for individual schools and other eligible institutions to spend on capital projects that meet their own priorities.

As investment of these allocations is determined at a local level, and many responsible bodies, such as large academy trusts, cut across local boundaries, it is not possible to break total spend down to constituency level. However, allocations of SCA and DFC for the 2021/22 financial year can be accessed here: https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20210701004626/https:/www.gov.uk/guidance/school-capital-funding#funding-allocations-for-the-2021-to-2022-financial-year.

Schools not part of bodies eligible for SCA are instead eligible to bid to the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF). Annual bidding rounds for CIF are launched in the autumn and we announce the outcomes in the following spring. CIF funding is released in phased payments as work progresses. For CIF, the Department does not track monthly expenditure by constituency. We publish final CIF funding amounts on individual projects only once all projects in an annual round have completed, for commercial reasons.

In addition to allocations, the School Rebuilding Programme will rebuild or refurbish buildings at 500 schools over the next decade. 161 schools have been confirmed to date and details, including contract values once available, are published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-rebuilding-programme-2022-to-2023-approved-schools.