Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health on enabling directors of children's services to commission CAMHS services in partnership with mental health trusts.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The departments are working closely together to ensure every child has the best start in life and to improve access to local mental health support for all children.
This includes:
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential merits of increasing the 3- and 4-year-old childcare funded hours rate.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The department will provide over £9.5 billion for the early years entitlements in 2026/27. This will fund a full year of the expanded entitlements and an above inflation increase to funding rates. This increase ensures funding for the entitlements reflects forecasts of average earnings and inflation next year, and the national living wage announced at the Autumn Budget. On average, nationally, we are increasing the 3- and 4-year-old hourly funding rate by 4.95%.
Since the introduction of the Early Years National Funding Formula in 2017, the national average funding rate to local authorities for 2-year-olds has been higher than that for 3-4-year-olds. We know, from listening to the sector and from our own regular research, that the cost of delivery is highest for younger children due to tighter staffing ratios and, consequently, higher staff costs, as staffing makes up the most significant proportion of provider costs. Our funding rates are set to reflect this.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the use of smart phones on levels of disruption in classrooms.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
Mobile phones have no place in schools.
The department’s new, stronger guidance on mobile phones in schools is clear that all schools should be mobile phone-free by default. Pupils should not have access to their devices during lessons, break times, lunch times, or between lessons.
The guidance will be implemented through behaviour management in schools, and by setting out clear expectations for teachers and school staff, while our attendance and behaviour hub lead schools will support other schools to implement and enforce a mobile phone policy where needed.
For the first time, Ofsted will check school mobile phone policy on every inspection, with schools expected to be phone-free by default. Ofsted will examine both schools' mobile phone policies and how effectively they are implemented when judging behaviour during inspections.
In addition, a consultation will identify the next steps in the government’s plan to boost children’s wellbeing online.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to ensure that occupational therapists are consulted in the design of (a) new school buildings and (b) new learning environments, funded through school capital investment programmes.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Departmental construction programmes build or rebuild schools in line with our design and construction standards. These standards integrate statutory requirements for accessibility and equitable use in all new or rebuilt school settings, including mainstream.
Since our specifications are prepared by industry experts and reference the latest standards and guidance for accessible, equitable and inclusive environments, it is not necessary to engage with occupational therapists.
We use evidence from building-in-use studies to ensure the specifications guiding our designs meet end-user needs and are updated when necessary.
Stakeholder engagement forms an integral part of the delivery process for all projects using the department’s suite of documentation.
The Equality Act 2010 requires local authorities to prepare accessibility strategies for the schools for which they are the responsible bodies. There is a similar duty for individual schools of all types to develop accessibility plans.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help support (a) nurseries and (b) early years settings to improve their safeguarding practices in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The ‘Early Years Foundation Stage’ (EYFS) statutory framework sets the standards and requirements early years providers must meet to ensure that children are kept healthy and safe.
To support the early years sector with the safeguarding changes which were introduced to the EYFS in September 2025, the department is developing an online early years safeguarding training package in collaboration with the NSPCC.
It will be a free and universal offer open to all early years settings, educators and reception-based staff to access.
The department has regular contact with each local authority in England, including Surrey, about their sufficiency of childcare and any other issues they are facing.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help improve the governance of academy trusts in Surrey.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Robust governance is crucial to achieving a strong school system, helping every child achieve and thrive. The department has produced dedicated governance guidance in addition to requirements in the Academy Trust Handbook. The Effective Governance Resources page on GOV.UK consolidates best practice to help boards govern strategically, flexibly and effectively. It was published in September 2025 here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/effective-governance-resources.
Where there are concerns about the governance of an academy trust, the department can set conditions to improve that the trust must meet to avoid further action. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education can terminate an academy’s funding agreement where there is a serious breakdown in governance.
This month we have announced that we are legislating to introduce inspection of multi-academy trusts. Reporting on the quality and effectiveness of trust governance will help drive better outcomes for children and provide greater confidence for parents.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of SEND provision for (a) blind and (b) partially sighted children in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The majority of children with visual impairments are taught in mainstream schools, and all schools have legal duties to make reasonable adjustments for disabled pupils, including the provision of auxiliary aids. The department is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, and ensuring special schools cater to those with complex needs. Local authorities must ensure sufficient school places for those with special educational needs and disabilities and keep this under review.
We have commissioned research to strengthen the evidence base of what works to improve inclusive practice in mainstream settings, including for sensory impairment. We have also introduced a sensory impairment apprenticeship route into teaching, supporting local authorities and schools to commission appropriately qualified staff to ensure visually impaired children are not disadvantaged.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of equalising financial allowances between foster carers and kinship carers.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department will soon begin to trial a new Kinship Allowance in a number of local authorities. Funding for this was announced at the Autumn Budget 2024.
The pilot will provide all those caring for a child in a kinship arrangement with a Special Guardianship Order or a ‘lives with’ Child Arrangement Order, where the child would have otherwise been in care, an allowance paid at the same rate as foster care, in the pilot local authorities.
This will support approximately 4,500 kinship children and help equalise the financial allowance between foster carers and kinship carers.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the written answer to question 55157 of 9 June 2025 on Construction and Social Services: Education, how many Careers Hubs there are in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department funds the Careers and Enterprise Company to work with a regional network of 44 careers hubs across England, in partnership with Mayoral Strategic Authorities, to connect with local skills needs.
There is one careers hub working with all eligible secondary schools and colleges in Lancashire, including all eight schools in the Fylde constituency.
Lancashire Careers Hub brings schools together with a wide range of employers in the region to help strengthen the links between education and the world of work. An example in the Fylde constituency is Carr Hill High School’s work with BAE Systems to embed local labour market information throughout education.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many infant deaths have occurred in nursery or early years settings in England in each of the last five years, and what steps are being taken to reduce these incidents.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The department is responsible for setting the standards which early years settings, such as nurseries, must follow. These are set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2. The department has responsibility for policy on inspection and registration. Ofsted is responsible for implementation.
Given the sensitivity of information relating to serious childcare incidents and the need to ensure data quality, Ofsted does not publish incident-level data as routine statistics. However, Ofsted has confirmed that, in the last five financial years (2020/21 to 2024/25), there have been 11 notifications relating to child deaths in registered early years settings in England. These figures relate to notifications made to Ofsted and do not represent a determination of cause or fault, nor do they necessarily reflect the total number of child deaths.
The death of any child is extremely concerning and our thoughts are with the affected children and their families. The safety of our youngest children is our utmost priority, and the department continually monitors and reviews safeguarding requirements for early years settings to help ensure children are kept as safe as possible.