Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether UK (a) schools, (b) colleges, (c) universities and (d) teacher training institutions participating in the Erasmus+ programme will be required to follow the publicity requirements set out by the European Commission, Erasmus+ Programme: Model Grant Agreement, November 2024, section 17.2, Visibility — European flag and funding statement.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

UK schools, colleges, universities and teacher training institutions participating in Erasmus+ will be required to follow any publicity requirements set out in their grant agreements. There is no requirement to fly the EU flag. Visibility requirements primarily relate to documents such as publicity and communications material about the funded activity. For example, a brochure about an Erasmus+ opportunity may need to acknowledge EU support by including the EU emblem and stating that it has been funded or co-funded by the EU. This applies whether funding is received from the European Education and Culture Executive Agency or via the UK’s National Agency and relates only to activities funded by Erasmus+.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate her Department has made of the effect on further education colleges of increased student enrolments not being fully funded until the following financial year.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Institutions receive funding for all their students on a lagged approach, meaning the funding in each academic year is based on the number of students in the previous year. This allows the department to issue firm allocations to institutions well in advance of the start of each academic year. This also gives further education colleges and other institutions the confidence to make financial plans for the forthcoming year knowing that, if for some reason their student numbers fall, they will have time to adjust plans before funding reflects that in the following academic year.

We recognise that where an institution makes a particularly significant expansion in student numbers in a single year, cost pressures can arise. For that reason, we provide Exceptional In-Year Growth funding for institutions that grow student numbers above a certain level. We are investing £87 million to fund exceptional in-year growth for the 2025/26 academic year.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will ensure that future people that attend university will not have the repayment thresholds for their student loans altered after taking them out.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

This government increased Plan 2 repayment thresholds in April 2025 and again in April 2026, to protect lower-earning graduates and keep more money in their pockets. Between 2012 and 2024, then governments only increased repayment thresholds twice throughout that period.

The government recently capped interest rates on Plan 2 loans at a maximum of 6% and is considering a range of options to make the system fairer. In order to be fiscally responsible, consideration must be taken regarding how any change would be funded.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the impact of the 2025-26 further education funding settlement on colleges’ ability to recruit and retain teaching staff; and what estimate she has made of the current pay gap between further education college staff, school teachers and equivalent industry roles.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Further education (FE) teachers are central to delivering high-quality technical education. The department announced an additional £190 million for colleges and other 16 to 19 providers for the 2025/26 financial year to help them address immediate pressures, including supporting recruitment and retention of specialist FE staff.

We are providing nearly £9 billion in 16 to 19 programme funding for the 2026/27 academic year. This will support colleges in their key priorities, including supporting the recruitment and retention of excellent teachers and non-teaching staff.

Our targeted retention incentive offer is designed to retain eligible FE teachers in technical subjects with payments of up to £6,000 after tax. In its first year, nearly 6,000 teachers received a payment.

Maintained schoolteachers' pay is set nationally subject to recommendations from the School Teachers’ Review Body. FE colleges have statutory autonomy over the pay of their staff.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number of students on waiting lists for further education construction courses in England; and what assessment she has made of the adequacy of existing capital funding for colleges seeking to expand technical education capacity.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government is investing £195 million to give colleges the space and facilities to train the next generation of construction workers as part of the Construction Skills Package. A further £375 million will increase capacity in colleges for 16 to 19 year-olds, including technical education. Wave 2 Technical Excellence Colleges are backed by £137 million capital funding, investing in the facilities needed to deliver quality specialist provision across priority sectors.

Admissions are a matter for individual providers and the department itself has not made any estimate of waiting lists.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing transitional protection for students who enrolled on university courses since found to have been wrongly classified for student finance purposes.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government recognises the uncertainty being faced by students affected by the misclassification of weekend courses and that the support offered has not, in all cases, yet been delivered with the consistency or urgency these circumstances require by their institutions.

We have therefore instructed the Student Loan Company to recover overpaid loan funding through the student loan repayment system as normal, and to pause recoveries of overpaid grants until at least September while we consider next steps.

We have been clear that the responsibility for the classification of courses for student finance purposes rests with higher education providers. The department provides clear guidance on eligibility requirements, including the distinction between in‑attendance and weekend‑only courses. We are continuing to insist that all new maintenance funding for students enrolled on ineligible weekend-only courses must stop.

The Office for Students is also looking closely at this issue, and we expect it to take robust action where necessary to address any regulatory breaches.

In parallel, we are strengthening oversight and assurance to ensure course classifications are applied consistently, transparently, and in a way that cannot be misused or inadvertently misapplied in ways that misleads students and risk public funds.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Student Loan Company recovery action following the misclassification of weekend courses as in-attendance courses for the purposes of student finance on students.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government recognises the uncertainty being faced by students affected by the misclassification of weekend courses and that the support offered has not, in all cases, yet been delivered with the consistency or urgency these circumstances require by their institutions.

We have therefore instructed the Student Loan Company to recover overpaid loan funding through the student loan repayment system as normal, and to pause recoveries of overpaid grants until at least September while we consider next steps.

We have been clear that the responsibility for the classification of courses for student finance purposes rests with higher education providers. The department provides clear guidance on eligibility requirements, including the distinction between in‑attendance and weekend‑only courses. We are continuing to insist that all new maintenance funding for students enrolled on ineligible weekend-only courses must stop.

The Office for Students is also looking closely at this issue, and we expect it to take robust action where necessary to address any regulatory breaches.

In parallel, we are strengthening oversight and assurance to ensure course classifications are applied consistently, transparently, and in a way that cannot be misused or inadvertently misapplied in ways that misleads students and risk public funds.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that universities provide students with sufficient teaching time to deliver value for money for the cost of tuition.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Higher education (HE) providers in England have the autonomy to design and deliver their courses. Providers should be transparent about the amount of contact hours, and balance of face-to-face and online teaching, that students can expect so they can make informed choices about what and where to study.

The Office for Students (OfS) is the independent regulator of HE in England. It does not mandate specific levels of face‑to‑face teaching, but its conditions of registration set minimum quality standards for student experience. These require effective student engagement, up‑to‑date resources, and adequate support. The OfS can investigate providers that do not meet these standards.

The department expects the HE sector to demonstrate that it delivers the very best outcomes for both students and the country, in return for the investment students are asked to make. To support this, we intend to link future inflationary fee uplifts to judgements on HE providers’ quality.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she has considered the merits of extending Pupil Premium funding to support disadvantaged students aged 16 to 19.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The 16 to 19 funding formula includes extra funding for disadvantaged students made up of two blocks:

• Disadvantage Block 1 funding recognises that there are additional costs incurred in engaging, recruiting, and retaining young people from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

• Disadvantage Block 2 funding accounts for the additional costs incurred for teaching and supporting students who have low prior attainment to achieve their learning goals. This is defined as not achieving English and/or mathematics GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 by the end of year 11 (typically age 16).

English and maths funding is also available to support students who have not achieved a GCSE grade 4 or above in English and mathematics to participate across all study programmes and T Levels.

For the 2025/26 academic year, the mathematics and English funding rate rose by over 11%, alongside a nearly 7% increase in disadvantage funding and we have allocated over £1 billion for disadvantage block 1, disadvantage block 2 and English and mathematics funding.

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 freezing repayment thresholds and interest rate arrangements for Plan 2 student loans from 2027 on (a) low and middle income graduates and (b) the wider financial circumstances of young adults; what assessment she has made of the implications of these changes for the Government’s policy objective of ensuring that the student finance system is fair for students, graduates and taxpayers; whether her Department has assessed the impact of applying changes to repayment terms to existing borrowers who entered into loan agreements under previous conditions; and whether she has considered the case for greater regulatory oversight of student loans, including by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Plan 2 loans were designed and implemented by the previous government and, given the inherited fiscal situation, we are making tough but necessary decisions.

It is important to consider this change in the round. We have increased the repayment threshold for Plan 2 loans to £28,470 in April 2025, its first increase since 2021, and increased it again on 6 April this year, to £29,385. Threshold freezes from 2027 have been introduced to protect taxpayers and students now, alongside future generations of learners and workers.

Student loan balances do not appear on borrower credit records, meaning the total size of the student loan debt is not considered in a borrower mortgage application.

Student loans have more favourable features compared with Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulated loans and cannot be regarded as comparable financial services to such loans. Unlike FCA-regulated products, key student loan terms are set out in regulations, and any changes would be subject to parliamentary scrutiny.

Student loan terms and conditions make clear that the conditions of the loan may change in line with the regulations that govern the loans. Students sign these terms and conditions before any money is paid to them.

The department has produced the attached analysis regarding the lifetime impact of freezing the repayment and interest thresholds.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of whether the freezing of repayment thresholds for Plan 2 student loans from 2027 constitutes a form of fiscal drag; what assessment she has made of the distributional impact of this measure across different income groups and regions; what assessment she has made of the potential impact of frozen repayment thresholds on the ability of graduates to (a) save for a house deposit, (b) access mortgage lending, (c) build savings and financial resilience; and what assessment she has made of the wider economic impact of increased student loan repayment levels on consumer spending and living standards among low and middle income graduates.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Plan 2 loans were designed and implemented by the previous government and, given the inherited fiscal situation, we are making tough but necessary decisions.

It is important to consider this change in the round. We have increased the repayment threshold for Plan 2 loans to £28,470 in April 2025, its first increase since 2021, and increased it again on 6 April this year, to £29,385. Threshold freezes from 2027 have been introduced to protect taxpayers and students now, alongside future generations of learners and workers.

Student loan balances do not appear on borrower credit records, meaning the total size of the student loan debt is not considered in a borrower mortgage application.

Student loans have more favourable features compared with Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulated loans and cannot be regarded as comparable financial services to such loans. Unlike FCA-regulated products, key student loan terms are set out in regulations, and any changes would be subject to parliamentary scrutiny.

Student loan terms and conditions make clear that the conditions of the loan may change in line with the regulations that govern the loans. Students sign these terms and conditions before any money is paid to them.

The department has produced the attached analysis regarding the lifetime impact of freezing the repayment and interest thresholds.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to pause recovery action being undertaken by the Student Loans Company against students whose universities misclassified weekend courses as in-attendance courses whilst any (a) review and (b) regulatory action takes place.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government recognises the uncertainty being faced by students affected by the misclassification of weekend courses and that the support offered has not, in all cases, yet been delivered with the consistency or urgency these circumstances require by their institutions.

We have therefore instructed the Student Loan Company to recover overpaid loan funding through the student loan repayment system as normal, and to pause recoveries of overpaid grants until at least September while we consider next steps.

We have been clear that the responsibility for the classification of courses for student finance purposes rests with higher education providers. The department provides clear guidance on eligibility requirements, including the distinction between in‑attendance and weekend‑only courses. We are continuing to insist that all new maintenance funding for students enrolled on ineligible weekend-only courses must stop.

The Office for Students is also looking closely at this issue, and we expect it to take robust action where necessary to address any regulatory breaches.

In parallel, we are strengthening oversight and assurance to ensure course classifications are applied consistently, transparently, and in a way that cannot be misused or inadvertently misapplied in ways that misleads students and risk public funds.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the impact on care leavers of being placed in accommodation in areas other than those in which they were residing while in care.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

While the department has not conducted a separate assessment, the needs of care leavers being placed in accommodation out of area are reviewed in line with the Children Act 1989 Guidance (Vol. 3 -planning transition to adulthood for care leavers), which sets out that the assessment and pathway planning process for a care leaver must involve a measured evidence based analysis of the young person’s continuing need for care, accommodation and support.

The expectations also outline that, where there is any proposal for the young person to move to different accommodation, as part of the process to prepare for their transition to adulthood, the pathway plan must include an explicit assessment of the support they need to develop the skills that they will require to be ready for this significant change. The plan must also include a thorough assessment as to the suitability of the potential accommodation for the individual young person.

Through measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, the new Staying Close duty will provide support to care leavers up to the age of 25 to help them find and keep suitable accommodation, and to access services relating to health and wellbeing, relationships, education, training and employment, where their welfare requires it.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many 16 to 18-year-old students enrolled at further education colleges in England in the 2025-26 academic year are currently unfunded; what estimate she has made of the number of students who may be denied places in 2026-27 because of funding constraints; and what assessment she has made of the impact of unfunded places on skills shortages in construction, health and social care.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department funds any 16 to 18-year-old who wants a place in post-16 education. Institutions receive funding for all their students, but on a lagged approach, meaning the funding in each academic year is based on the number of students in the previous year.

The department recognises that where an institution makes a particularly significant expansion in student numbers in a single year, that can cause cost pressures. For that reason, we provide exceptional in-year growth (EIYG) funding. We are investing £87 million to fund exceptional in-year growth this year.

In the 2026/27 academic year, we have allocated nearly £9 billion in 16 to 19 programme funding to colleges, schools and other institutions. No young person should be denied a place due to funding constraints as institutions can be confident their funding will reflect student numbers.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the publication MHCLG: spending over £25,000, January 2026, published on 25 February 2026, what the spending on transaction CFO & Corporate Coram (Thomas Coram Foundation), Ref: 5105609031, for £37,075 was for.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The Thomas Coram Foundation research contract was commissioned by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) as part of the Supporting Families programme in 2023. When the programme moved to the Department for Education (DfE) as part of a machinery of government change in 2024, the management of, and funding for, the research contract moved to DfE. The contract continues to be held in MHCLG for commercial reasons.

The research contract aims to test whether systemic practice is an effective way to work with families to achieve positive outcomes. It is a randomised control trial working with 12 local authorities. We expect to receive the findings later in the year.

Further information is available in the Supporting Families annual report which was published on 9 June 2025 and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-families-programme-annual-report-2024-to-2025.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether local authorities in Lancashire will be eligible to partner with charities and independent fostering agencies when applying for funding through the Fostering Innovation Fund.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Lancashire County Council will be able to apply for the Innovation Fund as part of the Foster with Us fostering hub. The department encourages applications from areas working in partnership with other organisations, such as charities or independent fostering agencies.

The Fostering Innovation Fund, which launched on 14 May, is open for bids from Regional Care Cooperatives (RCC) and end-to-end fostering hubs, including both existing and those who, at the time of the fund launch, are applying to become an RCC or end-to-end fostering hub. Only those who have been successful in their applications to become an RCC or fostering hub will be awarded funding. Further details can be found in the application guidance at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fostering-innovation-fund-application-guidance

We will notify successful bidders in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when successful applicants to the Fostering Innovation Fund will be announced.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Lancashire County Council will be able to apply for the Innovation Fund as part of the Foster with Us fostering hub. The department encourages applications from areas working in partnership with other organisations, such as charities or independent fostering agencies.

The Fostering Innovation Fund, which launched on 14 May, is open for bids from Regional Care Cooperatives (RCC) and end-to-end fostering hubs, including both existing and those who, at the time of the fund launch, are applying to become an RCC or end-to-end fostering hub. Only those who have been successful in their applications to become an RCC or fostering hub will be awarded funding. Further details can be found in the application guidance at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fostering-innovation-fund-application-guidance

We will notify successful bidders in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which schools in Camborne and Redruth constituency have received funding from Connect the Classroom programme.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The following schools in the Camborne and Redruth constituency have received funding from Connect the Classroom:

• Mawnan CofE VA Primary School.
• Portreath Community Primary School.
• Trewirgie Infants' School.
• Bodriggy Academy.
• Illogan School.
• Pencoys Primary School.
• Mabe Community Primary School.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the equity of the pay gap between further education college lecturers and school teachers.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The statutory requirements for maintained schoolteachers' pay are set nationally subject to recommendations from the School Teachers’ Review Body. In 2024/25, the median full-time equivalent (FTE) salary for classroom teachers in secondary schools was £50,471.

Further education (FE) colleges have statutory autonomy over the pay of their staff. Colleges have the freedom to meet local technical skills needs within their own local circumstances, and the government does not set college teacher pay. In 2024/25, the median FTE salary for teachers on permanent or fixed term contracts in general FE colleges was £37,581 and £49,725 in sixth-form colleges.

FE teachers are central to delivering high-quality technical education. Last year, we announced an additional £190 million for colleges and other 16 to 19 providers to help them address the recruitment and retention of specialist FE teachers. We are providing nearly £9 billion in 16 to 19 funding programme funding in the 2026/27 academic year.

Our targeted retention incentive offer is designed to retain eligible FE teachers in technical subjects with payments of up to £6,000 after tax. In its first year, nearly 6,000 teachers received a payment.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what role the British Council plays in delivering the UK’s International Education Strategy in Commonwealth countries.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The ambitions in the UK’s International Education Strategy will be delivered in close collaboration between government, the sector, the UK’s International Education Champion and key partners including the British Council.

The reformed Education Sector Action Group (ESAG), chaired by Ministers, brings together industry, government, and representative bodies from across the education sector to tackle key concerns and identify opportunities for partnerships. Each core member representative will lead on a sector action plan outlining how their members will support delivery of the strategy. As an adviser member of ESAG, British Council will have a key role in supporting the sector action plans across each of the education sectors, reflecting their broad and deep education expertise.

As the International Education Champion, Sir Steve Smith will continue to remove barriers to education partnerships by engaging with Commonwealth countries and others.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support universities in correctly classify courses (a) in-attendance and (b) weekend only.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government recognises the uncertainty being faced by students affected by the misclassification of weekend courses and that the support offered has not, in all cases, yet been delivered with the consistency or urgency these circumstances require by their institutions.

We have therefore instructed the Student Loan Company to recover overpaid loan funding through the student loan repayment system as normal, and to pause recoveries of overpaid grants until at least September while we consider next steps.

We have been clear that the responsibility for the classification of courses for student finance purposes rests with higher education providers. The department provides clear guidance on eligibility requirements, including the distinction between in‑attendance and weekend‑only courses. We are continuing to insist that all new maintenance funding for students enrolled on ineligible weekend-only courses must stop.

The Office for Students is also looking closely at this issue, and we expect it to take robust action where necessary to address any regulatory breaches.

In parallel, we are strengthening oversight and assurance to ensure course classifications are applied consistently, transparently, and in a way that cannot be misused or inadvertently misapplied in ways that misleads students and risk public funds.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the impact of further education funding pressures on skills shortages in the West Midlands; and what discussions she has had with mayoral combined authorities and local employers on workforce shortages in construction, engineering and health and social care.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) bring together employers, education providers, and other local partners to identify and address key skills needs in an area. In the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) the LSIP is led by the Coventry Chamber of Commerce. The WMCA sets out sector skills priorities, which inform the LSIP currently being developed for the area. The LSIP is due to be published this summer.

The WMCA also has devolved responsibility for the Adult Skills Fund and delivers priority skills in the region for adults in line with its Integrated Settlement Outcomes Framework, published this May.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the 2025-26 16 to 19 funding settlement, what estimate she has made of the real-terms change in per-student funding for further education colleges after inflation and energy cost increases are considered.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The average total programme funding for all 16 to 19-year-olds, including those at further education colleges, school sixth forms and other providers, has increased from £6,219 in the 2024/25 academic year to £6,762 in the 2025/26 academic year, an increase of 8.74%. This is much higher than the current GDP deflator measure of inflation for 2025/26, which is 3.24%.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she will take to increase the number of places available for educational psychology courses at universities in England.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department is investing £21 million to train 400 more educational psychologists over two cohorts who started their studies in 2024 and 2025 as part of the Educational Psychology Funded Training scheme. This is in addition to the £10 million already being invested in the training of more than 200 educational psychologists who began their training in September 2023.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the net cost to her Department of the student loans system associated with the student loan outlay provided to English Plan 2/Plan 5 undergraduate borrowers in England in (i) 2022/23, (ii) 2023/24, (iii) 2024/25 and (iv) in the future.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Details of the expected government subsidy in the financial years requested, in respect of student loan outlay when all future forecasted and discounted repayments are accounted for and otherwise known as Resource Accounting and Budgeting charge, can be found below.

2022/23 financial year: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/b2347ffa-4373-417c-f41c-08deb23852d3. This data is from table 4.1 in the fuller publication: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/student-loan-forecasts-for-england/2022-23.

2023/24 financial year: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/14f870b6-e141-4285-c5a6-08deb20526ae. This data is from table 4.1 in the fuller publication: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/student-loan-forecasts-for-england/2023-24

2024/25 financial year and forecasts: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/fae8f4af-58bf-4647-c5a7-08deb20526ae. This data is from table 4.1 in the fuller publication: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/student-loan-forecasts-for-england/2024-25.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether guidance on universal screening for neurodivergence will be included in the proposed National Inclusion Standards.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department will appoint an independent panel of experts, selected for their skills, knowledge, and professional standing, and led by health and education co-chairs, to design the National Inclusion Standards and Specialist Provision Packages.

The National Inclusion Standards will set out what ordinarily available provision should be in every setting across the 0 to 25 system, as well as the evidence-based tools, strategies and approaches for educators to draw on to identify and support children and young people with additional needs, including for those who are neurodivergent.

New government-backed research led by UK Research and Innovation will develop and test approaches to early identification, including screening tools, that can be embedded in education settings nationwide. Together, these measures are intended to ensure that every child receives the right support at the right time, helping them to thrive both in education and beyond.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking alongside Staffordshire County Council to ensure that more girls and young women take up sport at secondary schools in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Our focus is on ensuring that children and young people have equal opportunities to participate in high-quality PE, sports and physical activities and our new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network will be focused on engaging children who are less likely to be active, including girls.

The department held a market engagement event for the new Network on 7 May 2026, and will be releasing further details in due course prior to starting the procurement for a partner to deliver the new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network.

We know that PE kits and barriers around changing facilities can affect girls’ participation in physical education, particularly in teenage years. The department’s non-statutory guidance on school uniform has been updated to include new content on PE kits.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to tackle the normalisation of violence as part of sex among young people.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

We have published updated guidance for relationships, sex and health education for teaching from September 2026, which includes a focus on developing skills for healthy relationships from the beginning of primary school and equipping children with the tools to tackle harmful influences.

Pupils will have opportunities to develop positive conceptions of masculinity and femininity, and at secondary level, pupils are expected to develop an understanding of the concepts and laws relating to harmful sexual behaviour and the role of consent, including in romantic and sexual relationships. Pupils should understand that ethical behaviour goes beyond consent and involves kindness, care, and attention to the needs and vulnerabilities of the other person.

The department is investing £16 million into a brand-new prevention programme that will robustly evaluate interventions that support positive relationships and help children recognise abusive behaviour, as well as enhance teaching about violence against women and girls.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will ensure Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport is integrated into Physical Education and PSHE curricula.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Following the government’s response to the Independent Curriculum and Assessment Review in November 2025, the department is strengthening the national curriculum, including in science and physical education.

Pupils develop underpinning knowledge of energy transfer during physical activity, nutrition, and how food is converted into energy for movement through the science curriculum. Physical education and relationships, sex and health education build on this by providing opportunities to apply and deepen this knowledge, helping to secure pupils’ learning.

Work is underway to refresh the curriculum in line with the Review’s recommendations, working closely with subject experts. The department will publish the revised national curriculum in 2027 for first teaching in 2028 and will support schools to implement the changes. There will be an opportunity to provide views on the proposed content through a public consultation on draft programmes of study later this year.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which modern foreign languages are available as GCSE and A level qualifications in England; which European languages are not available as GCSE and A level qualifications; and what criteria are used by her Department and awarding bodies in determining whether a language qualification should be offered at GCSE and A level.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

French, German and Spanish are the most widely taught modern foreign languages at GCSE and A level. In addition, qualifications are available in up to 15 languages at GCSE and 15 languages at A level. The table below outlines the languages that are taught at GCSE (or equivalent) level and/or at A level:

Decisions about which languages to offer at GCSE in England are taken by the four independent awarding organisations: AQA, OCR, Pearson Edexcel and WJEC. These organisations may develop qualifications based on subject content set by the department. In deciding whether to offer a qualification in a particular language, awarding organisations consider a range of factors, including the cohort size expected to take exams each year (rather than the size of the speaking population), demand from schools and colleges, and the long‑term viability of the qualification.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to include specialists with expertise in Development Language Disorder in the development of specialist provision frameworks.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

An independent expert panel will oversee the development of the National Inclusion Standards and Specialist Provision Packages and keep them under regular review. The panel will draw on evidence from academics, education leaders and practitioners, and health and social care professionals including speech and language therapists, to promote high-quality, evidence-based practice and ensure alignment across the system, delivering high-quality support for children and young people, including those with Development Language Disorder.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to fund services for deaf learners in (a) Yeovil constituency (b) Somerset and (c) England.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department wants every child to have the best start in life, with support available earlier and closer to home when families need it. We will ensure children receive the right support in their early years setting, school or college, supported by investment in training for staff and access to expert professional advice such as specialist teachers and speech and language therapists.

We are investing around £1.8 billion over the next three years for local area partnerships, including local authorities and integrated care boards, to deliver a new Experts at Hand offer. This includes a provisional allocation of £3.6 million in the 2026/27 financial year for Somerset local authority This will strengthen mainstream settings by providing access to health and specialist education expertise.

Experts at Hand is additional to existing statutory provision and does not replace established school-led approaches or specialist services. Deaf children and young people will continue to receive specialist support, alongside benefiting from earlier advice, training and targeted support.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether multiple whistleblowing disclosures relating to the same academy trust are routinely (a) cross-referenced and (b) reviewed collectively by her Department; what (i) thresholds and (ii) criteria are used to trigger further scrutiny, investigation and intervention in response to such disclosure; how safeguarding-related whistleblowing concerns within academy trusts are monitored and assessed at a national level; and what steps her Department takes to ensure appropriate oversight, transparency and accountability in cases where concerns involve senior leadership within academy trusts.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department reviews each whistleblowing disclosure about academy trusts individually and assigns it to teams with relevant expertise. Related disclosures about the same trust are cross‑referenced, and systems track previous cases. A single regional team usually leads, based on the trust’s headquarters, with specialist input where needed to maintain a full understanding of the trust context.

Where there is evidence of non‑compliance with legal requirements, particularly the Academy Trust Handbook, action is taken. This includes addressing repeated issues or governance failures, including safeguarding and financial concerns. Extra scrutiny applies to trusts recently subject to intervention, and unusually high case volumes relative to trust size may trigger further review.

Actions aim to secure compliance with regulations, funding agreements, and statutory guidance. Breaches can lead to intervention, such as a published Notice to Improve with required actions and deadlines. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education may also direct trusts to remedy breaches or bar unsuitable individuals from management roles.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of supporting educational settings in Yeovil constituency with the delivery of Romanian language.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Decisions about which languages are taught in schools are made locally. Individual schools are free to decide which languages to offer as part of their curriculum and the government does not prescribe which languages should be taught or how they should be delivered. ​ In making these decisions, schools should consider the needs and interests of the communities they serve.

Commercial and free resources are available to help schools who may wish to teach Romanian.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve early identification of children with Developmental Language Disorder in early years settings.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Effective early identification and intervention are vital to improving outcomes for children with special educational needs and disabilities, including developmental language disorder.

To spread best practice, the department is strengthening the evidence base and providing clearer guidance to support practitioners in identifying and responding to children’s needs. An independent expert panel will develop National Inclusion Standards, setting out evidence-informed tools to help identify and meet additional needs effectively.

We are also investing over £200 million to ensure every Best Start Family Hub has a family facing practitioner to support early identification and joined-up care for children and families. We will introduce a fast track for Specialist Provision Packages and education, health and care plan for children under five with complex needs.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she will make an assessment with the Secretary of State for Education on the adequacy of levels of support available in mainstream education environments to young people with a physical disability but without a diagnosis of a learning disability.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The government is committed to working with local authorities and education settings to ensure that all children and young people, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), receive the support they need to thrive in mainstream education. Schools are expected to use their best endeavours to identify and support pupils’ needs, regardless of diagnosis, and to review the adequacy of support through the graduated approach set out in the SEND Code of Practice, which involves assessing needs and regularly reviewing support to ensure it remains effective.

Settings also have clear duties under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments so that disabled pupils are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to peers, and we are strengthening guidance to support settings to apply these duties.

We are investing £1.6 billion through the Inclusive Mainstream Fund to support earlier intervention, alongside at least £3.7 billion in high needs capital funding between 2025/2026 and 2029/2030 to expand inclusion bases, improve accessibility and create additional special school places for complex needs. We will also develop National Inclusion Standards to support educators to meet pupils’ needs.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her department has any plans to extend the restricted list of countries from which adoption is prohibited to also cover surrogacy arrangements.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The Children and Adoption Act 2006 places a statutory duty on my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education to maintain and publish a list of countries in respect of which restrictions on intercountry adoption apply. This Restricted List relates solely to adoption and is intended to safeguard children where there are concerns about the integrity of adoption processes in particular countries.

Surrogacy arrangements do not fall within the remit of the Department for Education. Policy responsibility for surrogacy, including any consideration of regulatory frameworks, rests with the Department of Health and Social Care

Accordingly, the department has no plans to extend the Restricted List to cover surrogacy arrangements.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Answer of 22 April 2026 to Question 124528 and in the context of the March RPI figure being published, what is the estimated total fiscal cost of the policy of capping the maximum interest rates on Plan 2 and 3 student loans at 6% for the 2026/7 academic year.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government is capping the maximum interest rates on Plan 2 and Plan 3 student loans at 6%, instead of the Retail Prices Index (RPI) plus 3%, for the 2026/27 academic year. This short term measure will protect students and graduates from the potential of inflationary pressures due to the situation in the Middle East.

Student loan interest rates are ordinarily set for each academic year by reference to the RPI value for the year to the preceding March. On that basis, interest rates for the 2026/27 academic year would normally be determined using the RPI figure for March 2026, which is due to be published on 22 April 2026.

The impact of the interest rate cap on long term repayments for graduates, and on forecast cost impacts for the public purse, will depend on the March RPI value. Costs will be set out at Budget in the usual way.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Children and Families during the debate on Universities: Statutory Duty of Care of 13 January 2026, Official Report, column 302WH, what the evidential basis is for the statement that introducing a statutory duty of care in higher education “risks becoming a ceiling rather than a floor” in institutional standards.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

The government recognises the importance of ensuring that higher education (HE) providers maintain high standards of student safety and wellbeing. The department’s position is that HE providers already owe a general duty of care to deliver educational and pastoral services to the standard of an ordinarily competent institution and, in carrying out these services, they are expected to act reasonably.

Such a duty of care may already arise in certain circumstances, depending on the facts of individual cases.

The department has considered a range of evidence on variation in student support, including official statistics, coroners’ reports, case reviews, and engagement with providers, students and experts, as well as the National Review of Higher Education Student Suicide Deaths.

This evidence, alongside stakeholder and legal input, has informed concerns about potential unintended consequences of a statutory duty, including increased legal uncertainty, more risk averse practice, and unclear responsibilities between HE providers and other services.

The department recognises that statutory duties of care operate in other sectors, such as health and schools, but differences in context, particularly that HE students are adults, and the unique settings of universities, limit direct comparability. The government continues to strengthen protections through the existing regulatory framework, including work by the Office for Students to develop a Statement of Expectations covering disability and mental health.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what comparative analysis of sectors subject to statutory duties of care has been undertaken to support her Department’s assessment of the likely impact of such a duty in higher education.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

The government recognises the importance of ensuring that higher education (HE) providers maintain high standards of student safety and wellbeing. The department’s position is that HE providers already owe a general duty of care to deliver educational and pastoral services to the standard of an ordinarily competent institution and, in carrying out these services, they are expected to act reasonably.

Such a duty of care may already arise in certain circumstances, depending on the facts of individual cases.

The department has considered a range of evidence on variation in student support, including official statistics, coroners’ reports, case reviews, and engagement with providers, students and experts, as well as the National Review of Higher Education Student Suicide Deaths.

This evidence, alongside stakeholder and legal input, has informed concerns about potential unintended consequences of a statutory duty, including increased legal uncertainty, more risk averse practice, and unclear responsibilities between HE providers and other services.

The department recognises that statutory duties of care operate in other sectors, such as health and schools, but differences in context, particularly that HE students are adults, and the unique settings of universities, limit direct comparability. The government continues to strengthen protections through the existing regulatory framework, including work by the Office for Students to develop a Statement of Expectations covering disability and mental health.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the evidential basis is for her Department’s concerns regarding unintended consequences of introducing a statutory duty of care in higher education.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

The government recognises the importance of ensuring that higher education (HE) providers maintain high standards of student safety and wellbeing. The department’s position is that HE providers already owe a general duty of care to deliver educational and pastoral services to the standard of an ordinarily competent institution and, in carrying out these services, they are expected to act reasonably.

Such a duty of care may already arise in certain circumstances, depending on the facts of individual cases.

The department has considered a range of evidence on variation in student support, including official statistics, coroners’ reports, case reviews, and engagement with providers, students and experts, as well as the National Review of Higher Education Student Suicide Deaths.

This evidence, alongside stakeholder and legal input, has informed concerns about potential unintended consequences of a statutory duty, including increased legal uncertainty, more risk averse practice, and unclear responsibilities between HE providers and other services.

The department recognises that statutory duties of care operate in other sectors, such as health and schools, but differences in context, particularly that HE students are adults, and the unique settings of universities, limit direct comparability. The government continues to strengthen protections through the existing regulatory framework, including work by the Office for Students to develop a Statement of Expectations covering disability and mental health.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has conducted an impact assessment of introducing a statutory duty of care in higher education.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

The government recognises the importance of ensuring that higher education (HE) providers maintain high standards of student safety and wellbeing. The department’s position is that HE providers already owe a general duty of care to deliver educational and pastoral services to the standard of an ordinarily competent institution and, in carrying out these services, they are expected to act reasonably.

Such a duty of care may already arise in certain circumstances, depending on the facts of individual cases.

The department has considered a range of evidence on variation in student support, including official statistics, coroners’ reports, case reviews, and engagement with providers, students and experts, as well as the National Review of Higher Education Student Suicide Deaths.

This evidence, alongside stakeholder and legal input, has informed concerns about potential unintended consequences of a statutory duty, including increased legal uncertainty, more risk averse practice, and unclear responsibilities between HE providers and other services.

The department recognises that statutory duties of care operate in other sectors, such as health and schools, but differences in context, particularly that HE students are adults, and the unique settings of universities, limit direct comparability. The government continues to strengthen protections through the existing regulatory framework, including work by the Office for Students to develop a Statement of Expectations covering disability and mental health.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of collecting data on the number of pupils in each local authority receiving SEN support for literacy and dyslexia, particularly in relation to (a) the Government's White Paper 'Every Child Achieving and Thriving' and (b) to support the Expert at Hands service.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department continuously seeks to update and build its evidence base on the prevalence of different types of special educational needs (SEN). The department publishes annual statistics on the primary and secondary types of need for pupils receiving SEN support in the ‘Special educational needs in England’ publication.

The department is consulting on the approach to areas of development and will set out future plans in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will publish the number of pupils in England receiving SEN support for literacy and dyslexia.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department continuously seeks to update and build its evidence base on the prevalence of different types of special educational needs (SEN). The department publishes annual statistics on the primary and secondary types of need for pupils receiving SEN support in the ‘Special educational needs in England’ publication.

The department is consulting on the approach to areas of development and will set out future plans in due course.

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Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to support the a) research into b) treatment of developmental language disorder.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department of Health and Social Care funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), which supports clinical, public health, social care and global health research in partnership with the National Health Service, academia and others. NIHR infrastructure funding enables leading experts to deliver high‑quality translational, clinical and applied research, including work on developmental language disorder (DLD), strengthening the United Kingdom’s research capability and underpinning improvements in services and support. The Government is also committed to a more inclusive society where people with DLD are supported to thrive. Speech and language therapists assess and diagnose DLD, develop therapy plans with parents and carers, and provide workshops, advice and freely accessible resources to support communication at home.

To improve early support, the Department for Education is developing National Inclusion Standards to help educators identify and support children and young people with additional needs. Alongside this, proposals to reform the special educational needs and disabilities system aim to ensure earlier access to education and health support, with new Specialist Provision Packages being developed for those with more complex needs. More information is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/send-reform-putting-children-and-young-people-first/send-reform-putting-children-and-young-people-first-html-version

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Education and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on (a) trends in the level of suicide among young asylum seekers in the last five years and (b) the adequacy of cross-departmental working on safeguarding for these young people.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Secretary engages regularly with ministerial colleagues across government on a range of issues relating to asylum, including safeguarding and the welfare of vulnerable individuals.

The Home Office works closely with the Department for Education, the Department of Health and Social Care, and other partners at both ministerial and official level to support effective safeguarding arrangements and share information on risks affecting asylum seekers.

Where an individual is in the care of a local authority as a looked after child under its statutory duties in the Children Act 1989, that authority is responsible for considering and addressing all relevant matters linked to those duties, including risk assessment and safeguarding.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve (a) public and (b) clinical awareness of development language disorder.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to creating a more inclusive society where everyone, including those with developmental language disorder, is supported to thrive.

Access to support should not be dependent on a child or young person having a diagnosis, and a diagnosis alone does not help a teacher know what strategies to use to support that child in the classroom. To ensure teachers can support children before needs escalate, the Department for Education will develop National Inclusion Standards that set out evidence-informed tools, strategies, and approaches for educators across the zero to 25 system to draw on to identify and support children and young people with additional needs.

The Government is currently consulting on our proposals to reform the special educational needs and disabilities system. We will create a new offer for children who need additional support, called Targeted and Targeted Plus layers. Children in early years settings, mainstream schools, and colleges can benefit from education and health professionals without long waits for assessments. For children and young people with complex needs, we are developing new Specialist Provision Packages, designed with experts and tested with parents to set out exactly what support and resources are required for specific needs.

Speech and language therapists (SLTs) assess and diagnose developmental language disorders and develop therapy plans that actively involve parents and carers. NHS SLT services routinely deliver workshops, webinars, and advice sessions for families focusing on practical strategies to support communication at home. Many services provide freely accessible resources, including advice sheets and toolkits published by local National Health Service providers.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the NHS takes to provide healthcare to pupils with medical conditions in schools.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to delivering the healthiest generation of children ever. Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on maintained schools, academies, and pupil referral units in England to make arrangements for supporting pupils with medical conditions. The accompanying statutory guidance makes clear to schools what is expected of them in taking reasonable steps to fulfil their legal obligations and to meet the individual needs of pupils with medical conditions.

The Department for Education is consulting on updating this statutory guidance which will significantly strengthen how schools support pupils with medical conditions. The consultation is available at the following link:

https://consult.education.gov.uk/medical-conditions-at-school/medical-conditions-at-school-statutory-guidance/

In addition, the National Health Service provides targeted support through school and community nursing, and through Mental Health Support Teams in schools.

On 5 February, Standardising community health services – core component descriptions was published, to support integrated care boards in the strategic commissioning of community health services, and is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/standardising-community-health-services-core-component-descriptions/

This document outlines the core responsibilities of special school and community children’s nursing services, including their role in supporting children with medical conditions to access education settings.

The Government also committed to rolling out Mental Health Support Teams to cover all pupils and learners in education settings in England by 2029. Mental Health Support Teams provide early access to evidence-based interventions for common mental health needs, especially anxiety and depression.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the NHS takes to support pupils with medical conditions in schools.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to delivering the healthiest generation of children ever. Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on maintained schools, academies, and pupil referral units in England to make arrangements for supporting pupils with medical conditions. The accompanying statutory guidance makes clear to schools what is expected of them in taking reasonable steps to fulfil their legal obligations and to meet the individual needs of pupils with medical conditions.

The Department for Education is consulting on updating this statutory guidance which will significantly strengthen how schools support pupils with medical conditions. The consultation is available at the following link:

https://consult.education.gov.uk/medical-conditions-at-school/medical-conditions-at-school-statutory-guidance/

In addition, the National Health Service provides targeted support through school and community nursing, and through Mental Health Support Teams in schools.

On 5 February, Standardising community health services – core component descriptions was published, to support integrated care boards in the strategic commissioning of community health services, and is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/standardising-community-health-services-core-component-descriptions/

This document outlines the core responsibilities of special school and community children’s nursing services, including their role in supporting children with medical conditions to access education settings.

The Government also committed to rolling out Mental Health Support Teams to cover all pupils and learners in education settings in England by 2029. Mental Health Support Teams provide early access to evidence-based interventions for common mental health needs, especially anxiety and depression.

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