Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to promote reading and the use of libraries to improve reading rates among children.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The department, in partnership with the National Literacy Trust, is leading the National Year of Reading 2026 to tackle declining reading enjoyment. This UK-wide campaign combines a marketing initiative with events in schools, libraries, and communities. Activities will take place across the year and will include national events, alongside resources for schools and early years, and library engagement through initiatives such as the Summer Reading Challenge. The campaign aims to address long-term declines in reading enjoyment through engaging new audiences, reshaping public attitudes and building the systems needed to embed lasting, meaningful change. As part of this, we are providing £5 million of funding for secondary schools to purchase books to encourage reading for pleasure. The government has also committed £12.5 million in funding to guarantee a library for every primary school by the end of this parliament, which will be delivered by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

The government has also committed £28.3 million this financial year to support and drive high and rising standards in reading. This includes supporting the teaching of reading across all primary stages and key stage 3 in secondary via the English Hubs programme.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the reply by the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, on 14 July 2009 (HC Deb col 373W), what plans they have to investigate whether official government information regarding the sale of the student loan book was passed by Lord Mandelson to Jeffery Epstein or his associates.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The sale of student loans forms part of a loan sale programme established under the Sale of Student Loans Act 2008, which enables the government to sell certain income‑contingent student loans while preserving borrowers’ terms and conditions.

The first sales under the programme were delivered through two transactions completed in 2017 and 2018, following decisions taken under subsequent administrations and several years after Lord Mandelson had left office. Those sales were undertaken in accordance with the relevant statutory and contractual framework and were subject to established governance and assurance arrangements.

There is no evidence of any unauthorised disclosure of official government information in relation to the student loan sales.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many governors of independent schools fail an identity check using Verifile each year.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The department does not hold this data, as it does not carry out identity checks on individuals involved in the governance or management of independent schools. In accordance with the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, responsibility for ensuring that appropriate identity and suitability checks are carried out rests with the school’s individual proprietor or proprietor body, as applicable.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many governors of independent schools are required to verify their identity using Verifile.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The department does not hold this data, as it does not carry out identity checks on individuals involved in the governance or management of independent schools. In accordance with the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, responsibility for ensuring that appropriate identity and suitability checks are carried out rests with the school’s individual proprietor or proprietor body, as applicable.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Department for Education is responsible for undertaking identity checks for governors of independent schools.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The department does not hold this data, as it does not carry out identity checks on individuals involved in the governance or management of independent schools. In accordance with the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, responsibility for ensuring that appropriate identity and suitability checks are carried out rests with the school’s individual proprietor or proprietor body, as applicable.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to establish joint commissioning arrangements between the Department for Education and the Department for Health and Social Care to ensure that there are a sufficient number of occupational therapists to deliver the Experts at Hand SEND service set out in the Every child achieving and thriving white paper.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

We are working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to support the delivery of the Experts at Hand offer, strengthening joint planning and commissioning at a local level between education and health partners.

Over the next three years, £1.8 billion will be made available to local area partnerships to develop and roll out the Experts at Hand offer.

Local area partnerships will design and implement their own Experts at Hand models, tailored to local population needs, existing workforce capacity, and the specific challenges each area faces. As a result, workforce requirements, including for occupational therapists, will vary across the country.

The department recognises that continuing to build the occupational therapy workforce pipeline is essential and is working with DHSC and NHS England to support workforce planning and improve access to community health services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, including occupational therapy input, as part of longer‑term system planning, including through the development of the NHS England 10‑year workforce plan.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that disabled children have access to social care support following the Law Commission's report on social care law; and what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing legal reform to achieve that objective.

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

The Law Commission published its final report on 16 September 2025 following a department-commissioned review in April 2023 of the legal framework for disabled children’s social care.

The report sets out 40 recommendations, which we are now considering, aimed at improving how the law operates, with a focus on simplifying and strengthening the system to better support disabled children and their families.

In line with the protocol agreed between the Lord Chancellor and the Law Commission, the department provided an initial response to these recommendations on 16 March 2026 and is expected to provide a full response within one year, setting out which recommendations will be accepted, rejected or modified, and any implementation timeline. Policy development is ongoing and the department continues to engage with key stakeholders, therefore it would not be appropriate to comment on specific recommendations ahead of publication of the full response.

Alongside this, we believe the rollout of Family Help as part of the Families First Partnership programme, backed by £2.4 billion of funding over three years, is already beginning to deliver many of the intended outcomes of the report. Our wider reforms are designed to make a real and tangible difference to children and families, including disabled children.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of adequacy of the Law Commission's findings regarding regional variations in support for disabled children; and what steps her Department is taking to help ensure consistent entitlements for such children across all local authorities.

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

The Law Commission published its final report on 16 September 2025 following a department-commissioned review in April 2023 of the legal framework for disabled children’s social care.

The report sets out 40 recommendations, which we are now considering, aimed at improving how the law operates, with a focus on simplifying and strengthening the system to better support disabled children and their families.

In line with the protocol agreed between the Lord Chancellor and the Law Commission, the department provided an initial response to these recommendations on 16 March 2026 and is expected to provide a full response within one year, setting out which recommendations will be accepted, rejected or modified, and any implementation timeline. Policy development is ongoing and the department continues to engage with key stakeholders, therefore it would not be appropriate to comment on specific recommendations ahead of publication of the full response.

Alongside this, we believe the rollout of Family Help as part of the Families First Partnership programme, backed by £2.4 billion of funding over three years, is already beginning to deliver many of the intended outcomes of the report. Our wider reforms are designed to make a real and tangible difference to children and families, including disabled children.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to consider the recommendations in the Law Commission's 2025 report on disabled children's social care; and what assessment she has made of the potential merits of legislative reform alongside the rollout of the Family Help programme.

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

The Law Commission published its final report on 16 September 2025 following a department-commissioned review in April 2023 of the legal framework for disabled children’s social care.

The report sets out 40 recommendations, which we are now considering, aimed at improving how the law operates, with a focus on simplifying and strengthening the system to better support disabled children and their families.

In line with the protocol agreed between the Lord Chancellor and the Law Commission, the department provided an initial response to these recommendations on 16 March 2026 and is expected to provide a full response within one year, setting out which recommendations will be accepted, rejected or modified, and any implementation timeline. Policy development is ongoing and the department continues to engage with key stakeholders, therefore it would not be appropriate to comment on specific recommendations ahead of publication of the full response.

Alongside this, we believe the rollout of Family Help as part of the Families First Partnership programme, backed by £2.4 billion of funding over three years, is already beginning to deliver many of the intended outcomes of the report. Our wider reforms are designed to make a real and tangible difference to children and families, including disabled children.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing national eligibility criteria for disabled children's social care in England; and if she will make a statement.

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

The Law Commission published its final report on 16 September 2025 following a department-commissioned review in April 2023 of the legal framework for disabled children’s social care.

The report sets out 40 recommendations, which we are now considering, aimed at improving how the law operates, with a focus on simplifying and strengthening the system to better support disabled children and their families.

In line with the protocol agreed between the Lord Chancellor and the Law Commission, the department provided an initial response to these recommendations on 16 March 2026 and is expected to provide a full response within one year, setting out which recommendations will be accepted, rejected or modified, and any implementation timeline. Policy development is ongoing and the department continues to engage with key stakeholders, therefore it would not be appropriate to comment on specific recommendations ahead of publication of the full response.

Alongside this, we believe the rollout of Family Help as part of the Families First Partnership programme, backed by £2.4 billion of funding over three years, is already beginning to deliver many of the intended outcomes of the report. Our wider reforms are designed to make a real and tangible difference to children and families, including disabled children.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department or the Student Loans Company have entered into (a) contracts, (b) memoranda of understanding and (c) advisory agreements with Islamic finance advisory organisations regarding the Alternative Student Finance model.

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

Details of the department's previous engagements may be accessed on GOV.UK’s ‘Contracts Finder’ tool, which is available at: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search.

Details of any future commercial engagements, including contracts, will be published on GOV.UK in line with standard arrangements.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department intends to maintain ongoing engagement with Islamic finance advisory bodies to review the continued Sharia compliance of the Alternative Student Finance model; what form that engagement will take; and whether the cost of such engagement will be met from the public purse.

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

Details of the department's previous engagements may be accessed on GOV.UK’s ‘Contracts Finder’ tool, which is available at: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search.

Details of any future commercial engagements, including contracts, will be published on GOV.UK in line with standard arrangements.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what contracts, memoranda of understanding, or advisory agreements her Department or the Student Loans Company have entered into with Islamic finance advisory organisations in relation to the Alternative Student Finance model; and what the total projected cost of those agreements is over the next five years.

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

Details of the department's previous engagements may be accessed on GOV.UK’s ‘Contracts Finder’ tool, which is available at: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search.

Details of any future commercial engagements, including contracts, will be published on GOV.UK in line with standard arrangements.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to maintain ongoing engagement with Islamic finance advisory bodies to review the continued sharia compliance of the Alternative Student Finance model.

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

Details of the department's previous engagements may be accessed on GOV.UK’s ‘Contracts Finder’ tool, which is available at: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search.

Details of any future commercial engagements, including contracts, will be published on GOV.UK in line with standard arrangements.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve training for primary school teachers on how to deliver high quality PE and school sport.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

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

The government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity so every child can access high‑quality PE and school sport.

As announced by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, the government will establish a new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network to ensure all children and young people have access to high-quality PE and extracurricular sport. We expect the partnerships to improve school-to-school collaboration, increase opportunities for high-quality PE, encourage children to move more, make best use of facilities and provide teacher CPD and training.

In addition, we have provided a grant of up to £300,000 a year to a consortium led by the Youth Sport Trust to deliver Inclusion 2028, providing advice, guidance and training to upskill teachers and school workforce to deliver high-quality, inclusive PE.

Further details on the PE and School Sports Partnerships will be confirmed in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the benefits of tennis-focused teaching as part of PE and sport provision; and what steps is she taking to support tennis education in schools.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Schools play a vital role in giving many pupils their first experience of playing sport, including tennis, in a structured and inclusive environment. This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity so that every child can access high-quality physical education and school sport. ​

That is why, in June 2025, my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister announced a new approach to PE and school sport, focused on building strong partnerships between schools, local clubs and national governing bodies of sport, such as the Lawn Tennis Association, to support greater participation and physical activity. ​

National governing bodies provide valuable resources, workforce development and teacher support to help schools deliver high-quality sporting opportunities, both within the PE curriculum and through enrichment activity. The department is preparing to procure a national partner to lead the new PE and School Sport Partnerships, which will provide an opportunity to regularly assess the adequacy of support available to schools across PE and school sport, including the provision for tennis.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps to ensure that Initial Teacher Training equips all new teachers with the skills to deliver adaptive teaching for children with speech and language challenges.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for South West Norfolk to the answer of 2 March 2026 to Question 115276.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what funding has been allocated to the construction of the Frankley Hill specialist school in New Frankley, Birmingham.

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

Frankley Hill School in Birmingham is currently at an early stage of development. At this stage, a specific project budget has not yet been confirmed. A feasibility study is underway, including site surveys and initial design work, which will inform the overall project budget.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what factors have affected the timing of her responses to Questions (a) 96357, (b) 96475 and (c) 96477.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The response to Written Parliamentary Questions 96357, 96475 and 96477 was published on 20th April 2026.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take legislative steps to ensure kinship carers receive an allowance equivalent to that provided to foster carers.

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

Kinship carers play a vital role in providing stable, loving homes for children who cannot live with their parents, and the government recognises the significant contribution they make.

The department is testing the impact of financial support through the Kinship Zones pilot, including an allowance set at the fostering National Minimum Allowance. This pilot is designed to support up to 5,000 families over the life of the pilot, with over £126 million confirmed for the first two years while we test and learn.

The pilot is exploring how this can improve outcomes for children in kinship care and provide greater stability for families. An independent evaluation will track outcomes for carers and children and will inform any future policy decisions.

The department is also investing in wider support for kinship families, including ensuring all local authorities publish a kinship local offer and that all kinship carers have access to free information, support and peer group services nationally.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what consideration her Department has made of the potential merits of increasing the number of modern foreign languages offered at GCSE level.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Decisions about which languages to offer at GCSE in England are taken by four independent awarding organisations: AQA, OCR, Pearson Edexcel and WJEC. These organisations have the freedom to create GCSEs based on subject content set by the department.

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 Culture, Media and Sport on the future sustainability and funding of the Music and Dance Scheme; and what steps she is taking to support young musicians and dancers.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

I refer the hon. Member for Canterbury to the answer of 12 February 2026 to Question 111333.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what minimum qualifications or SEND-specific training local authority assessors will be required to hold before conducting home education suitability assessments under the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

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

Local authorities have existing duties to assess whether children not in school are receiving a suitable education. The department expects authorities to recruit candidates that can fulfil these statutory duties.

The department will provide statutory guidance (which will be publicly consulted on), a training package, and additional funding to local authorities to support them to carry out the new duties created by the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. We will engage with relevant stakeholders on the guidance and materials to be included in the training package, such as in relation to home visits and children with special educational needs.

The school attendance order (SAO) process is an existing process. SAOs must only be issued when a child is not receiving a suitable education, and it would be expedient for them to attend school. The Bill introduces a new power for local authorities to issue a SAO if it would be in the child’s best interests to attend school where the child is home educated and is on a child protection plan or has been in the previous five years or is subject to a Section 47 child protection enquiry. As part of the SAO process, the local authority should consider all relevant information it is aware of, which could include information about the child’s mental health, wellbeing or special educational needs.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what safeguards will be in place to prevent School Attendance Orders being issued to children who were removed from school due to documented harm to their mental health or wellbeing, including those with SEND needs.

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

Local authorities have existing duties to assess whether children not in school are receiving a suitable education. The department expects authorities to recruit candidates that can fulfil these statutory duties.

The department will provide statutory guidance (which will be publicly consulted on), a training package, and additional funding to local authorities to support them to carry out the new duties created by the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. We will engage with relevant stakeholders on the guidance and materials to be included in the training package, such as in relation to home visits and children with special educational needs.

The school attendance order (SAO) process is an existing process. SAOs must only be issued when a child is not receiving a suitable education, and it would be expedient for them to attend school. The Bill introduces a new power for local authorities to issue a SAO if it would be in the child’s best interests to attend school where the child is home educated and is on a child protection plan or has been in the previous five years or is subject to a Section 47 child protection enquiry. As part of the SAO process, the local authority should consider all relevant information it is aware of, which could include information about the child’s mental health, wellbeing or special educational needs.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department will issue to local authorities on the level of weight to be given to a family's refusal of a home visit when assessing the suitability of home education under the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

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

Local authorities have existing duties to assess whether children not in school are receiving a suitable education. The department expects authorities to recruit candidates that can fulfil these statutory duties.

The department will provide statutory guidance (which will be publicly consulted on), a training package, and additional funding to local authorities to support them to carry out the new duties created by the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. We will engage with relevant stakeholders on the guidance and materials to be included in the training package, such as in relation to home visits and children with special educational needs.

The school attendance order (SAO) process is an existing process. SAOs must only be issued when a child is not receiving a suitable education, and it would be expedient for them to attend school. The Bill introduces a new power for local authorities to issue a SAO if it would be in the child’s best interests to attend school where the child is home educated and is on a child protection plan or has been in the previous five years or is subject to a Section 47 child protection enquiry. As part of the SAO process, the local authority should consider all relevant information it is aware of, which could include information about the child’s mental health, wellbeing or special educational needs.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children with Education, Health and Care Plans are not currently receiving education in formal school settings; and what steps she is taking to consider this cohort in the development of SEND policy reforms.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Information on the placements of children and young people with an education, health and care (EHC) plan, including those not in formal education settings, is published annually here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans. The most recent data was published on 26 June 2025 and the next publication is scheduled for summer 2026.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will (a) introduce a dedicated employment status for foster carers, (b) establish an independent register and appeals system for foster carers and (c) launch a public inquiry into the fostering system.

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

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

The government does not believe that fostering should be considered a form of employment. Foster care is a family-based vocation and fostering homes should feel like family homes with people who love them, not a workplace with staff. Foster carers should not need to be considered workers to get the support and respect they deserve.

The department recently launched a Call for Evidence on a national fostering register, including purpose, scope, design features and safeguards. We are analysing responses and will publish results and our response in the summer. The Independent Review Mechanism provides independent panels that review decisions made by fostering providers.

Our focus is on delivering on our ambitious action plan to renew foster care, published in February 2026. By April 2029, we will create 10,000 more foster places, providing a foster place for every child who needs one. We have no current plans to launch a fostering inquiry. There have been several independent reviews into fostering and the wider care system, including ‘Foster Care in England’ (2018), the ‘Independent Review of Children’s Social Care’ (2022) and the Education Select Committee’s 2025 inquiry into Children’s Social Care.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with local authorities in Surrey on delivering Best Start Family Hubs in the area.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The government has committed to provide funding for all local authorities to deliver Best Start Family Hubs, backed by over £900 million. In October 2025, the department paid a £351,991 development grant to Surrey local authority, the start of the investment to be provided to rebuild family services. Surrey local authority has a funding allocation of £7,709,100.00 to deliver Best Start Family Hubs from 2026/29 and they now have two Best Start Family Hubs open in Guildford and Reigate.

The department works closely with local authorities to monitor implementation and ensure they are meeting programme expectations. Each local authority has a named contact responsible for overseeing delivery, and the department intends to work in close partnership with local authorities to review progress, share effective practice, and ensure areas are appropriately supported to drive improvements for children and families. Guidance for Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies was provided to local authorities on delivery expectations for April 2026 to March 2029 and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/best-start-family-hubs-and-healthy-babies-guidance-for-local-authorities.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will publish regular impact assessments for the International Student Levy.

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

Impact analysis on the International Students Levy was published in November 2025. Any further analysis will be published in the usual way.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of trends in the level of children’s happiness at school.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The department is committed to improving pupils’ experience of school, which can affect attendance, engagement, attainment and wider wellbeing.

As set out in the Every Child Achieving and Thriving white paper, the government will work with partners to produce a Pupil Engagement Framework to be published later this year. This framework will help schools to measure and improve the key factors that determine pupils’ engagement in education, including their sense of belonging and safety, inclusion and relationships with teachers and fellow pupils. By the end of the Parliament, we expect every school to monitor children’s sense of belonging and engagement, up from around 60% of schools today, and take action in line with the Framework so more children, including those who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and disabilities, will feel a strong sense of belonging in school.

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 implementing a national dyslexia strategy for schools in England; and what steps her Department is taking to support the sharing of best practice in identifying and supporting pupils with dyslexia across schools.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Effective early identification and intervention is critical in improving the outcomes of children and young people with special educational needs (SEN), including dyslexia.

The department is consulting on proposals to reform the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system. To support the sharing of best practice, the department will appoint an independent expert panel to develop National Inclusion Standards that set out evidence-informed tools and strategies for educators to draw on to identify and support students with SEN. This comes alongside significant investment to bolster capacity and expertise with an investment of £1.8 billion so every community has access to 'Experts at Hand’.

In addition, the ‘Reading Ambition for All’ programme aims to improve reading outcomes for children that need additional support, including those with SEN. We are working with the British Dyslexia Association to refine the programme to further support children with dyslexia.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has considered including guidance on autistic burnout in future SEND Code of Practice revisions.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

In February, the government published the ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ Schools White Paper and consultation on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reform. This included a commitment to update the SEND Code of Practice to clarify the responsibilities of education settings and local partners, as well as making the guidance easier to use and navigate. The update will place a stronger emphasis on an evidence-based approach and early intervention as part of a whole-setting commitment to inclusion.

Furthermore, the development of the National Inclusion Standards and Specialist Provision Packages will provide a clear framework for how children are best supported. Educators will be able to draw on these to put in place evidence-based support as needs are identified, including for autistic children and young people.

We will undertake a separate, full public consultation on the proposed changes to the Code.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of removing the wear and tear allowance on (a) the finances of childminders and (b) early years and childcare provision in Chichester constituency.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

Under HMRC’s ‘Making Tax Digital’ system, childminders can still claim tax relief for things they buy, repair, or replace for their business, such as furniture, equipment, and household items. This change standardises the way that sole traders record and claim business expenses and means that any business expenses related to childminding will be included in childminder’s tax calculations.

We are however aware of the strength of feeling amongst childminders and those who work with them. We have been talking regularly to Coram Pacey, HMRC and others to understand the issue, the effect that it is having on the childminding sector and to make sure that the concerns of childminders are clearly understood. The department continues to support childminders, who provide high-quality and flexible early education in a way that families across the country greatly value.

The expansion to 30 hours per week of government funded childcare will save families using their full entitlement up to £7,500 per eligible child per year, compared to paying for it themselves.

Thanks to the hard work of early years providers and local authorities, over half a million children have already benefitted from the expansion of 15 funded hours for children aged nine months to two years old, and many parents have increased their working hours, boosting family income and lifting more children out of poverty.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, in pursuant to the Answer to Question104912, what recent progress her Department has made on updating the Early Years Foundation Stage framework; and whether she plans to introduce new (a) statutory requirements, (b) strengthened inspection processes and (c) mandatory CCTV in early‑years settings.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

We keep the early years foundation stage (EYFS) frameworks, under ongoing review. The EYFS frameworks can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2.

Following safeguarding updates in September 2025, we are working on making the safe sleep requirements clearer by adding the essential details in the frameworks themselves. Subject to the parliamentary and legislative process, the updated frameworks would come into force from September 2026.

Ofsted began inspecting under the revised education inspection framework in November 2025 to assess whether providers are meeting statutory EYFS requirements and taking appropriate action to keep children safe. Settings now receive an Ofsted report card following an inspection.

As of April 2026, we are funding Ofsted to inspect all new early years providers within 18 months of opening and to move towards inspecting all providers at least once every four years, compared to the previous six-year window. Ofsted is also receiving further investment to improve inspection quality and consistency through stronger quality assurance and targeted inspector training.

The EYFS requires providers to have safeguarding policies that address the use of mobile phones, cameras and other electronic devices with imaging and sharing capabilities. An expert advisory panel has been established to review how CCTV and digital devices are used in early years settings from a safeguarding perspective.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many state secondary school places are available within Hertsmere constituency.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

School level data on state-funded schools with capacity in any of the year groups from reception to year 11 is published in the annual publication available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-capacity/2024-25. This publication contains the latest available data for school capacity and sixth form places, as from 1 May 2025.

The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places sits with local authorities.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has received representations on the (a) adequacy and (b) scope of consultation on SEND reforms; and what steps she has taken in response.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Listening to the views of families and experts has been critical as the department has developed special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reforms, and it is more important than ever now our formal consultation is open.

As is set out clearly on GOV.UK, we welcome views across the full set of proposals relating to SEND reform and we will consider views on all aspects of SEND reform.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Sutton Trust’s Selective Inclusion report, what assessment she has made of the extent to which low-income pupils with SEND are currently underrepresented in the top-performing comprehensive schools.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The School Admissions Code requires admission arrangements to be fair, clear and objective. A school must admit a child where it is named in the child’s education health and care plan.

The ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ White Paper sets out the government’s commitment to developing new resources to support and encourage schools to use existing provisions within the Code, such as a pupil premium priority, to adopt more inclusive admission arrangements. We have also committed to strengthen scrutiny of all pupil movement including unacceptable off-rolling practice by developing a new, internal dashboard that identifies school level trends in how children move through the education system, paying particular attention to schools where special educational needs and disabilities, free school meals or demographic trends appear significantly out of sync with their local context.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of ensuring free school meals provide (a) sustainable, (b) nutritious and (c) locally sourced food.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The action we are taking to extend free school meals to all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit will ensure that over 500,000 additional children will receive a free and nutritious lunchtime meal, pulling 100,000 children out of poverty.

We are consulting on proposed updates to the School Food Standards in England to ensure that all food served at school, including at breakfast and lunch, better reflects current nutritional guidance and support children’s health, wellbeing and learning. Details of this consultation are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/school-food-standards-updating-the-legislative-framework We will consider guidance for the new standards in due course.

The government remains committed to our ambition that half of all food served in public settings is either locally sourced or certified to higher environmental standards and we are open to considering all lawful means of achieving this. We are working closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as they develop the Good Food Cycle vision.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of current school food standards in improving children’s nutritional outcomes.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The School Food Standards set the mandatory nutritional framework for food and drink provided in state‑funded schools in England. They are designed to ensure children receive the energy and nutrients they need during the school day, while giving schools flexibility to design menus that work for their pupils and local circumstances.

Since the School Food Standards were introduced in 2015, evidence on sugar, fibre and childhood obesity has changed significantly and childhood obesity prevalence has increased. We are committed to raising the healthiest generation ever, so we are consulting on proposed updates to the School Food Standards in England to ensure that all food served at school, including at breakfast and lunch, better reflects current nutritional guidance and supports children’s health, wellbeing and learning. Details of the consultation are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/school-food-standards-updating-the-legislative-framework.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure new school meals guidance encourages use of local suppliers.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The government is committed to half of all food served in public settings being either locally sourced or certified to higher environmental standards.

The School Food Standards allow school chefs and cooks creative freedom to adapt to the preferences of the children at their school, source seasonal or local food, and take advantage of price fluctuations.

We are consulting on proposed changes to the School Food Standards in England until 12 June 2026. We will consider guidance for the new standards in due course. Presently, schools can voluntarily follow the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering, which includes advice around sourcing their school food.

The department is working closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as they develop the Good Food Cycle vision.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending the statutory guidance on school attendance to allow exemptions for term-time holiday fines for families where the parents have to work during school holidays.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The school year is structured so that there are opportunities for holidays outside of term-time. All schools have the discretion to grant leave of absence in exceptional circumstances, judging each application on the specific facts. However, generally a holiday would not constitute an exceptional circumstance. Schools and local authorities also have considerable flexibility to plan term dates themselves and hold inset days and other occasional days at quieter times of the year, helping families to plan breaks at times that suit them.

Where term-time holidays are taken without permission, it is right that the law protects children’s right to a full-time education. The national framework for penalty notices is designed to improve fairness by ensuring they are considered at a consistent point across the country, and on an individual basis, preventing schools from having blanket rules.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether any policy decisions relating to SEND reform were taken prior to the conclusion of formal consultation exercises; and whether stakeholders were informed where consultation did not extend to specific proposals.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Listening to the views of families and experts has been critical as the department has developed special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reforms, and it is more important than ever now our formal consultation is open.

As is set out clearly on GOV.UK, we welcome views across the full set of proposals relating to SEND reform and we will consider views on all aspects of SEND reform.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the support available to schools for hockey provision.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Schools play a vital role in giving many pupils their first experience of playing sport, including hockey, in a structured and inclusive environment. This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity so that every child can access high quality physical education and school sport.

That is why, in June 2025, my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister announced a new approach to PE and school sport, focused on building strong partnerships between schools, local clubs and National Governing Bodies of sport, such as England Hockey, to support greater participation and physical activity.

National Governing Bodies provide valuable resources, workforce development and teacher support to help schools deliver high‑quality sporting opportunities, both within the PE curriculum and through enrichment activity. The department is preparing to procure a national partner to lead the new PE and School Sport Partnerships, which will provide an opportunity to regularly assess the adequacy of support available to schools across PE and school sport, including hockey provision.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number of children with SEND are out of education.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department publishes data on compulsory school-aged children missing education (children not registered at school or otherwise receiving suitable education). In autumn 2025/26, local authorities in England reported 34,700 children missing education.

Of this total, just under 8% of children were recorded as requiring SEN support and just over 8% were recorded as having an education, health and care plan. This compares with 14% and 5%, for the overall school population.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support schools in preventing and responding to assaults on teachers.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

No member of school staff should feel unsafe or face violence or abuse in the workplace. The department will work with the sector to make clear that abuse against teachers will not be tolerated.

Schools have a duty and a responsibility to protect pupils and staff and the government supports them with a range of guidance to help fulfil their responsibilities, including advice on health and safety, school security and targeted advice on gangs and youth violence. More information on work-related violence can be found in guidance from the Health and Safety Executive: https://www.hse.gov.uk/violence/.

The department publishes data on suspensions and permanent exclusions in state-funded schools in England, including those with a reason of physical assault on adults. To note, the numbers of suspensions and permanent exclusions is not the same as the number of incidents. A suspension could relate to a number of incidents, and up to three reasons can be given for suspensions and permanent exclusions.

The most recent full academic year release, covering 2023/24, can be found at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/suspensions-and-permanent-exclusions-in-england/2023-24.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many reported assaults on teachers and school staff occurred in each of the last five years.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

No member of school staff should feel unsafe or face violence or abuse in the workplace. The department will work with the sector to make clear that abuse against teachers will not be tolerated.

Schools have a duty and a responsibility to protect pupils and staff and the government supports them with a range of guidance to help fulfil their responsibilities, including advice on health and safety, school security and targeted advice on gangs and youth violence. More information on work-related violence can be found in guidance from the Health and Safety Executive: https://www.hse.gov.uk/violence/.

The department publishes data on suspensions and permanent exclusions in state-funded schools in England, including those with a reason of physical assault on adults. To note, the numbers of suspensions and permanent exclusions is not the same as the number of incidents. A suspension could relate to a number of incidents, and up to three reasons can be given for suspensions and permanent exclusions.

The most recent full academic year release, covering 2023/24, can be found at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/suspensions-and-permanent-exclusions-in-england/2023-24.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of workload on teacher retention rates.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

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

The department is working closely with the sector to reduce workload and improve retention. This includes developing opportunities for more flexible working, such as allowing planning, preparation and assessment time to be undertaken remotely, and making resources to support workload and wellbeing available through our improve workload and wellbeing for school staff service.

Our interventions have helped improve retention with the latest data showing one of the lowest leaver rates on record, with 1,700 fewer teachers leaving the state-funded sector in 2023/24 compared to the year before, and more teachers returning to state schools than at any point in the last ten years.

We are going further with the introduction of the Child Poverty Strategy, the introduction of our strategy for giving every child the best start in life, reform to children’s social care, and the expansion of access to specialist mental health professionals. These measures will enhance teachers’ day-to-day experience and strengthen their ability to deliver. We are also supporting schools to use technology effectively.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with representatives of local authorities on improving the attendance enforcement regime for parents of persistently absent pupils.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The department’s statutory ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ guidance sets clear expectations for schools and local authorities on attendance support and the proportionate use of enforcement, including when penalty notices or prosecution may be considered for persistent non‑attendance. The national framework for penalty notices is intended to improve fairness and consistency by ensuring they are considered at a consistent point across the country and on an individual basis, preventing the use of blanket rules.

The guidance emphasises a support‑first approach and makes clear that legal intervention should only be used where support has been exhausted, not engaged with, or is not appropriate, including in most cases of unauthorised term‑time holidays. The department engages regularly with local authorities to support consistent implementation and keeps the attendance enforcement system under review.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of current penalties for parents whose children fail to attend school regularly.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

Evidence on the use of legal interventions for non-attendance, including penalty notices and prosecutions, is considered alongside wider attendance data and local authority feedback to assess the effectiveness of current penalties.

Attendance data for unauthorised absence in the 2024/25 academic year showed our approach is having a positive impact, as the proportion of absence due to unauthorised holiday fell from 0.53% in 2023/24 to 0.48% in 2024/25 meaning approximately 1.3 million fewer absence sessions due to unauthorised holidays across the 2024/25 school year. The overall rate of absence fell by 0.37 percentage points, resulting in over five million more days in school last year.

Our guidance is clear that enforcement should be used as a last resort and as part of a broader support-first approach. 93% of penalty notices issued in 2024/25 were for unauthorised term-time holidays, demonstrating that fixed penalty notices are being used primarily in circumstances where support is not appropriate, as intended.

The department continues to work with schools and local authorities to promote effective practice and improve attendance outcomes for all pupils.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure consistency between local authorities in the enforcement of school attendance rules.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The department’s statutory ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ guidance sets clear expectations for schools and local authorities on attendance support and the proportionate use of enforcement, including when penalty notices or prosecution may be considered for persistent non‑attendance. The national framework for penalty notices is intended to improve fairness and consistency by ensuring they are considered at a consistent point across the country and on an individual basis, preventing the use of blanket rules.

The guidance emphasises a support‑first approach and makes clear that legal intervention should only be used where support has been exhausted, not engaged with, or is not appropriate, including in most cases of unauthorised term‑time holidays. The department engages regularly with local authorities to support consistent implementation and keeps the attendance enforcement system under review.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance is provided to schools and local authorities on when to issue penalty notices or pursue prosecution for persistent non‑attendance.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The department’s statutory ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ guidance sets clear expectations for schools and local authorities on attendance support and the proportionate use of enforcement, including when penalty notices or prosecution may be considered for persistent non‑attendance. The national framework for penalty notices is intended to improve fairness and consistency by ensuring they are considered at a consistent point across the country and on an individual basis, preventing the use of blanket rules.

The guidance emphasises a support‑first approach and makes clear that legal intervention should only be used where support has been exhausted, not engaged with, or is not appropriate, including in most cases of unauthorised term‑time holidays. The department engages regularly with local authorities to support consistent implementation and keeps the attendance enforcement system under review.

Found: consequentiality of the issues that I have raised, which include the negligent ways that the CC and DfE

Found: regulation0.095=E14Department for Education Transformation & Efficiency Fund0.939=E15Department for Education DfE

Found: (DfE) to Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), we are putting skills at the heart of the

Found: D35Machinery of Government Transfers to/from Other Government Departments(Section A, I,J, K) Transfer from DfE

Found: Transfers Out (283.611) (210.919) Transfer out of Defence Technical Excellence Colleges to Department for Education

Found: Free Childcare Statistics Commentary September 2025 paper highlights the impact of the Department for Education

Found: leadership and support from central government departments affected by the Covenant such as MHCLG, DfE

Found: Department of Health and Social Care, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the Department for Education

Found: Alongside the ACE concept, Dynamic Force Employment (DFE) involves the episodic and flexible use of

Found: The Department for Education (DfE), the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England

Found: Great Smith Street Westminster London SW1P 3BT tel: 0370 000 2288 www.education.gov.uk/contactus/dfe

Found: He said that they had no communication with the Department for Education on that.

Found: deep-rooted issues the town faced, particularly regarding education, where we were told that the Department for Education

Found: Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs DESNZ Department for Energy Security and Net Zero DfE

Found: Letter to the Permanent Secretary to the Department for Education relating to Treasury Minute response

Found: provision of defence academies being open much more to the public; we talk about involving the Department for Education

Found: Department for Transport, the MMO, the Maritime 24 and Coastguard Agency, DESNZ and the Department for Education

Found: (DfE) and Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to cascade the requirement to retain records to their

Found: My officials have been in discussion with the Wales Office and the Department for Education and we

Found: will not include an official quotation from a Minister; it will be, “Sources within the Department for Education

Found: DfE in the NEET scorecard has identified a number of disadvantaged groups, and it is well established

Found: with Machinery of Government changes enabling closer strategic planning and delivery oversight between DfE

Found: Strategic ask: DWP should work jointly with the Department for Education, local authorities, and post

Found: The Department for Education should: Work with the Department for Health and Social Care to amend the

Found: progress in prestigious technical education pathways to employment – this is our local response with DfE

Found: between the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department of Health and Social Care, and Department for Education

Found: intervention from government as part of the Kent and Medway pilot which has been discussed with Department for Education

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Found: people are confirmed NEET, a growing number are not being successfully tracked which the Department for Education

Found: from interviews included:  Care leavers receive inconsistent support in their transition to work. 3 DfE

Found: The DfE (Jan 2025) national RONI guidance, which Manchester contributed to, is strongly aligned with

Found: because we have not had a chance to talk to this Select Committee— obviously having moved from the DFE

Found: I was at a meeting recently where the Department for Education, another Government Department, announced

Found: I was at a meeting recently where the Department for Education, another Government Department, announced

Found: trying to introduce children and young people in the next generation, you are bringing in the Department for Education

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Found: Would it be the Department for Education or the National Health Service?

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 help reduce the number of avoidable severe allergic reactions in (a) Yeovil constituency, (b) Somerset and (c) England.

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

Last year, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence approved two sublingual immunotherapy treatments for moderate to severe allergic rhinitis.

National Health Service partners in Somerset encourage all patients with a diagnosis of severe allergy to have prescribed and to carry with them an adrenaline injection device which when used early enough in a severe allergy response can prevent patient harm and admission.

Over the past five years, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has delivered a substantial programme of work to improve allergy safety in restaurants and food businesses, including in Yeovil. The FSA published new best practice guidance in March 2025 to improve allergen information when eating out. The FSA has also expanded its free online allergen training, which has now been taken by over one million people since 2020. Through this work, the FSA is aiming to enable people with food allergies to make informed and safe choices and trust the food that they receive.

The Department for Education is developing new statutory guidance which will significantly strengthen how schools support pupils with allergy. The Government has also amended the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to place a new statutory duty on schools to develop and publish an allergy safety policy, and to give powers to my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, to make regulations relating to allergy safety, including requiring schools to stock adrenaline devices, to secure allergy awareness training, and to record and report incidents of near misses. These measures should help to prevent instances of children experiencing severe allergic reactions while at school.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the (a) Ministry of Justice, (b) Department for Education and (c) Government Equalities Office including in their workstreams into the work of the Men's Health Strategy Stakeholder Group.

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

The Men’s Health Stakeholder Group is an advisory group that provides advice to the Department on the implementation of the Men’s Health Strategy. It reports to the Men’s Health Project Board. The project board coordinates delivery across the Department and works with other relevant Government departments that are responsible for actions in the strategy. The project board reports to the Minister responsible for men’s health.

Information relating to the Men’s Health Stakeholder Group, including membership and meeting minutes, is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/mens-health-strategy-governance

The Department is closely engaged with the work of the Deputy Prime Minister, who is leading a cross-Government agenda on improving outcomes for men and boys. The Deputy Prime Minister is convening departments and partners to deliver coordinated action, focusing on three core themes: education and employment; health and wellbeing; and masculinities and connection. The Deputy Prime Minister recently chaired the first Inter-Ministerial Group on this issue, to which the Department of Health and Social Care heavily contributed and a minister attended.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to item 105 of the letter sent from Lord Strathclyde, Chair of the Constitution Committee to Stephen Doughty MP, Minister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories regarding the UK-Overseas Joint Declaration, published 17 April 2026, which Ministers have (a) designated responsibility for Overseas Territories matters and (b) attend the cross-governmental Ministerial group on the Territories by Department.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Ministers who currently hold designated responsibility for Overseas Territories matters are: the Cabinet Office Minister of State; Economic Secretary to the Treasury; Ministry of Justice Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Sentencing, Youth Justice and International; Home Office Minister of State (House of Lords); Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Climate); Ministry of Defence Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for the Armed Forces); Department of Business and Trade Minister of State (Minister for Trade); Department for Culture Media and Sport Minister of State (Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Arts); Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Minister of State (Minister for Science, Innovation, Research and Nuclear); Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Nature); Department of Health and Social Care Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health Innovation and Safety; Department for Transport Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation); Solicitor General; Department for Education Minister of State (Minister for Skills); Secretary of State for Scotland and one of the Wales Office Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State.

All these Ministers are invited to attend the cross-governmental Ministerial Group on the Overseas Territories.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of enabling British National (Overseas) visa holders to access apprenticeship programmes in (a) the health and social care sector and (b) other sectors before completing three years’ residence in the UK.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The department regularly reviews the apprenticeship funding rules, often in consultation with others, including the Home Office and the Department for Education.

This includes the requirements for ordinary residency. This three-year residency requirement is longstanding within the apprenticeship programme. It applies to both UK and non-UK nationals. It is applied consistently to ensure that the individuals have a connection to the UK and are committed to living in the country before they are eligible for training funded by the taxpayer.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve (a) awareness, (b) diagnosis and (c) treatment of meningitis in West Dorset constituency.

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

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed three cases of meningococcal disease among young people in Weymouth, Dorset. These three cases have been confirmed as meningitis B and are the same sub-strain serotype P1.19, P1.15. The UKHSA has confirmed that these cases are not linked to the recent outbreak of meningococcal disease in Kent.

As a precautionary measure, antibiotics and the Bexsero vaccine are being offered to young people currently in school years 7 to 13, or the equivalent in terms of age, or anyone not in full time education who would be in one of these year groups, who study or live in the Weymouth, Portland, and Chickerell areas of Dorset. The UKHSA and Dorset Council have issued advice to staff, parents, and carers at all educational settings in the area.

The UKHSA is providing support to education settings, in close partnership with the Department for Education. All affected education settings in Weymouth remain open and events involving children and young people should continue as normal. The UKHSA has published up to date information to ensure parents and concerned members of the public can find the latest information on how the incident is being managed and who can access antibiotics and vaccines, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/antibiotics-and-menb-vaccination-to-be-offered-to-young-people-in-dorset

Children and young people should attend their education setting normally, unless specifically told otherwise by a health professional. Attendance supports the education, health, and wellbeing of children and young people.

As my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, told the House on 17 March in the context of the recent meningococcal disease outbreak in Kent, the Joint Committee on Vaccinations (JCVI) has been asked to re-examine eligibility for meningitis vaccines to assess, for example, an expanded offer to older children and/or young adults. The JCVI will provide updated advice to the Department this summer around whether, and to what extent, a vaccine programme for older children and/or young adults would be clinically effective as well as an assessment of the cost-effectiveness of such a vaccination programme.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the prevalence of meningitis in West Dorset constituency.

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

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed three cases of meningococcal disease among young people in Weymouth, Dorset. These three cases have been confirmed as meningitis B and are the same sub-strain serotype P1.19, P1.15. The UKHSA has confirmed that these cases are not linked to the recent outbreak of meningococcal disease in Kent.

As a precautionary measure, antibiotics and the Bexsero vaccine are being offered to young people currently in school years 7 to 13, or the equivalent in terms of age, or anyone not in full time education who would be in one of these year groups, who study or live in the Weymouth, Portland, and Chickerell areas of Dorset. The UKHSA and Dorset Council have issued advice to staff, parents, and carers at all educational settings in the area.

The UKHSA is providing support to education settings, in close partnership with the Department for Education. All affected education settings in Weymouth remain open and events involving children and young people should continue as normal. The UKHSA has published up to date information to ensure parents and concerned members of the public can find the latest information on how the incident is being managed and who can access antibiotics and vaccines, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/antibiotics-and-menb-vaccination-to-be-offered-to-young-people-in-dorset

Children and young people should attend their education setting normally, unless specifically told otherwise by a health professional. Attendance supports the education, health, and wellbeing of children and young people.

As my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, told the House on 17 March in the context of the recent meningococcal disease outbreak in Kent, the Joint Committee on Vaccinations (JCVI) has been asked to re-examine eligibility for meningitis vaccines to assess, for example, an expanded offer to older children and/or young adults. The JCVI will provide updated advice to the Department this summer around whether, and to what extent, a vaccine programme for older children and/or young adults would be clinically effective as well as an assessment of the cost-effectiveness of such a vaccination programme.

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 reduce the waiting time for NHS children’s speech and language therapy support in (a) Ashfield, (b) Nottinghamshire and (c) nationally.

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

Community health services, including children’s speech and language therapy, are locally commissioned to enable systems to best meet the needs of their communities.

The Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) recognises that waiting times for children’s speech and language therapy (SLT) remain too long in parts of Nottinghamshire, including Ashfield, and is taking action with system partners to improve access.

Since the 2023 Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) inspection of local services for children and young people with SEND, the ICB and partners have undertaken targeted transformation activity, including:

- introduction of a SLT advice line to support earlier intervention;

- refocusing clinical capacity to address long waits in autism pathways; and

- piloting open-access early years drop-in sessions for children under four year olds.

A revised service delivery model is being implemented across SLT pathways, including:

- group assessment of all two to three year olds;

- increased use of group-based therapy and parent-supported interventions; and

- enhanced parent/carer training to support children at home.

These changes will be implemented alongside additional improvements to the model, including building workforce capacity and capability and improving support to schools and early years settings.

Nationally, ICBs are being supported to reduce waiting times through an evidence informed Children and Young People Community Speech and Language Therapy Toolkit developed with speech and language therapists, children, families, and carers.

We have set a clear target through the Medium-Term Planning Framework for systems to work to reduce long waits for community health services, including speech and language therapy.

By 2028/29, at least 80% of community health services activity should take place within 18 weeks. This will be a key part of the shift from hospital to community. In 2026/27, ICBs and community health services providers must also develop plans to eliminate 52 week waits. Whilst targets are not service-line specific, capacity growth and waiting time targets should impact positively on children and young people’s speech and language therapy services.

NHS England is also working with the Department for Education to identify and support children with speech, language and communication needs to deliver the Early Language Support for Every Child programme in Early Years and Primary School settings. This programme is funding innovative workforce models to support early intervention for children with unidentified speech, language, and communication needs which may reduce exacerbation of need that might lead to a specialist speech and language therapist and/or Education Health Care Plan referral in the medium-term.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, which (a) departmental officials, (b) external academic partners, and (c) private contractors were responsible for designing the methodology and key performance indicators (KPIs) of the 6-week digital wellbeing pilot studies currently being conducted by the Government.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The pilots were developed by professional analysts within DSIT, with advice from the Government Office for Science. This included a roundtable convened by the Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Dame Angela McLean, of academics and Chief Scientific Advisers from FCDO, DfE and College of Policing. Private contractors were not involved in designing the methodology.

The pilots are qualitative studies, intended to generate in‑depth insights into young people’s navigation and experience of social media. The research is not designed to be statistically representative, so KPIs are limited to delivery logistics, such as recruitment targets, rather than impact measures.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what the selection process was for the appointment of experts to the academic panel for the digital wellbeing consultation; and what criteria were used to ensure a balance of multi-disciplinary expertise in child psychology, data science, and social media harms.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Professor Russell Viner, former Chief Scientific Advisor to the Department for Education, will chair the academic panel. The government will announce further members once all checks, including security checks, have concluded. Declarations of conflicts of interest will also be published.

Officials worked with the Government Office for Science and Department for Education to identify potential academic panel members with relevant expertise to consider the digital safety issues explored in the ‘Growing up in the online world’ consultation, including AI, education, paediatrics, psychology, psychiatry, and social research.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what the selection process was for the appointment of experts to the academic panel for the digital wellbeing consultation; and what criteria were used to ensure a balance of multi-disciplinary expertise in child psychology, data science, and social media harms.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Professor Russell Viner, former Chief Scientific Advisor to the Department for Education, will chair the academic panel. The government will announce further members once all checks, including security checks, have concluded. Declarations of conflicts of interest will also be published.

Officials worked with the Government Office for Science and Department for Education to identify potential academic panel members with relevant expertise to consider the digital safety issues explored in the ‘Growing up in the online world’ consultation, including AI, education, paediatrics, psychology, psychiatry, and social research.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will publish the names and institutional affiliations of the members of the academic panel appointed to assess (a) the public responses to the 'Growing up in the online world' consultation and (b) the data arising from the government’s 6-week digital wellbeing pilot studies.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Professor Russell Viner, former Chief Scientific Advisor to the Department for Education, will chair the academic panel. The government will announce further members once all checks, including security checks, have concluded. Declarations of conflicts of interest will also be published.

Officials worked with the Government Office for Science and Department for Education to identify potential academic panel members with relevant expertise to consider the digital safety issues explored in the ‘Growing up in the online world’ consultation, including AI, education, paediatrics, psychology, psychiatry, and social research.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of a full review of statutory maternity pay, accrued annual leave flexibility for teachers and the gender equality implications of statutory maternity pay.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Government is committed to making life better for families and has announced a review of the parental leave and pay system. All current and upcoming parental leave and pay entitlements are in scope of the Parental Leave and Pay Review, including Statutory Maternity Pay.

Specific occupational maternity and contractual leave arrangements for teachers are the remit of the Department for Education, employers and unions.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to review current guidance and training to ensure that equality considerations do not inhibit proportionate and effective statutory action in safeguarding and youth justice contexts.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

Where there are safeguarding concerns, or where youth justice services are involved with an individual, decisions on these cases must be based on the individual circumstances of the case alone. Protected characteristics, such as ethnicity, should not influence the judgement of risk relating to that individual, or the assessment of whether statutory provision should be made.

As the Home Secretary said in the House of Commons debate on the Southport Inquiry, the only factors that should be taken into account are the potential risks posed by an individual and how best to manage those risks.

The Department for Education is developing a set of practice standards and training for Lead Child Protection Practitioners (LCPPs). The standards will describe the knowledge and skills expected of LCPPs to work effectively in Multi-Agency Child Protection Teams, to take evidence-informed child protection decisions. The standards will reflect the importance of not letting social bias or professional anxiety influence actions or outcomes when working with children and adults from different cultural and racial backgrounds.

Youth justice services are supported to identify and assess safeguarding risk through case management guidance.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will (a) make an assessment of the adequacy of the statutory framework for agencies to investigate and respond where parents and carers actively hinder, obstruct and decline to engage with safeguarding and youth justice processes in cases involving credible ongoing risk and (b) bring forward legislative proposals to strengthen oversight and investigatory powers in such circumstances.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

Where existing statutory frameworks underpin safeguarding processes, there is no requirement for parents or carers to co-operate. However, parental or carer consent is not required for agencies to share information relating to safeguarding and child protection. This is set out in Department for Education guidance on information sharing for safeguarding practitioners.

Government is making this even clearer through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which includes a new Information Sharing Duty for the purposes of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and will be accompanied by statutory guidance to support frontline practitioners to understand their responsibilities.

Where a safeguarding concern has been identified relating to a child or young person, or there is suspected criminality relating to knife-related violence, multi-agency and law-enforcement partners can share information and conduct investigations without the consent of the relevant parent or guardian.

In relation to Youth Justice processes, there are legal obligations that can be placed on parents and carers, to ensure that any risk relating to a minor can be appropriately managed. A court can issue a Parenting Order in a number of different circumstances, where children are engaged in criminal or antisocial behaviour. Parenting Orders require the parent or guardian to attend counselling or parenting support sessions and comply with other requirements the court considers necessary. Non-compliance can lead to breach proceedings in court and is punishable with a fine.

Criminal orders that are placed on a child or young person themselves are applied by the court and generally (with few exceptions) parental or carer consent is not required.

Where there are concerns that a child or young person is involved in criminality, and to protect public safety and prevent harm, the police will take forward their enquiries as appropriate, and parental or carer cooperation is not required to share information, conduct an investigation, place a minor under caution, or charge a minor with a criminal offence.

The law already provides significant stop and search and wider enforcement powers, enabling police to disrupt immediate risk and remove weapons from the streets, including without the need for reasonable suspicion. Police can also arrest suspects, seize weapons, and evidence, and conduct searches of persons and premises where legal thresholds are met. These powers apply to children as well as adults. Where these powers are used on children, they are subject to additional statutory safeguards under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and its Codes of Practice to protect welfare and ensure proportionality.

The Southport Inquiry Phase 1 report, published on 13 April, considers in detail the actions of the perpetrator’s parents and many of the issues raised here. The Chair has rightly raised the challenging question of how to minimise the risk that parents may choose not to co-operate or report concerns to safeguarding agencies such as social care or healthcare, or the police about their child having knives or other weapons, and has made two recommendations relevant to parents.

In relation to future changes to strengthen oversight and powers, Government is considering these recommendations alongside the others in the report and will respond by summer 2026.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Government's processes for responding to sustained parental or carer non‑cooperation with safeguarding or law‑enforcement authorities in cases involving escalating knife‑related violence risk within the home, including matters raised in The Southport Inquiry Report.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

Where existing statutory frameworks underpin safeguarding processes, there is no requirement for parents or carers to co-operate. However, parental or carer consent is not required for agencies to share information relating to safeguarding and child protection. This is set out in Department for Education guidance on information sharing for safeguarding practitioners.

Government is making this even clearer through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which includes a new Information Sharing Duty for the purposes of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and will be accompanied by statutory guidance to support frontline practitioners to understand their responsibilities.

Where a safeguarding concern has been identified relating to a child or young person, or there is suspected criminality relating to knife-related violence, multi-agency and law-enforcement partners can share information and conduct investigations without the consent of the relevant parent or guardian.

In relation to Youth Justice processes, there are legal obligations that can be placed on parents and carers, to ensure that any risk relating to a minor can be appropriately managed. A court can issue a Parenting Order in a number of different circumstances, where children are engaged in criminal or antisocial behaviour. Parenting Orders require the parent or guardian to attend counselling or parenting support sessions and comply with other requirements the court considers necessary. Non-compliance can lead to breach proceedings in court and is punishable with a fine.

Criminal orders that are placed on a child or young person themselves are applied by the court and generally (with few exceptions) parental or carer consent is not required.

Where there are concerns that a child or young person is involved in criminality, and to protect public safety and prevent harm, the police will take forward their enquiries as appropriate, and parental or carer cooperation is not required to share information, conduct an investigation, place a minor under caution, or charge a minor with a criminal offence.

The law already provides significant stop and search and wider enforcement powers, enabling police to disrupt immediate risk and remove weapons from the streets, including without the need for reasonable suspicion. Police can also arrest suspects, seize weapons, and evidence, and conduct searches of persons and premises where legal thresholds are met. These powers apply to children as well as adults. Where these powers are used on children, they are subject to additional statutory safeguards under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and its Codes of Practice to protect welfare and ensure proportionality.

The Southport Inquiry Phase 1 report, published on 13 April, considers in detail the actions of the perpetrator’s parents and many of the issues raised here. The Chair has rightly raised the challenging question of how to minimise the risk that parents may choose not to co-operate or report concerns to safeguarding agencies such as social care or healthcare, or the police about their child having knives or other weapons, and has made two recommendations relevant to parents.

In relation to future changes to strengthen oversight and powers, Government is considering these recommendations alongside the others in the report and will respond by summer 2026.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of law and statutory guidance to ensure that safeguarding, youth justice and mental health agencies can share relevant risk information without parental consent where necessary to protect public safety and prevent serious harm; and whether she plans to (a) clarify and (b) strengthen information sharing powers in such cases.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

Where existing statutory frameworks underpin safeguarding processes, there is no requirement for parents or carers to co-operate. However, parental or carer consent is not required for agencies to share information relating to safeguarding and child protection. This is set out in Department for Education guidance on information sharing for safeguarding practitioners.

Government is making this even clearer through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which includes a new Information Sharing Duty for the purposes of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and will be accompanied by statutory guidance to support frontline practitioners to understand their responsibilities.

Where a safeguarding concern has been identified relating to a child or young person, or there is suspected criminality relating to knife-related violence, multi-agency and law-enforcement partners can share information and conduct investigations without the consent of the relevant parent or guardian.

In relation to Youth Justice processes, there are legal obligations that can be placed on parents and carers, to ensure that any risk relating to a minor can be appropriately managed. A court can issue a Parenting Order in a number of different circumstances, where children are engaged in criminal or antisocial behaviour. Parenting Orders require the parent or guardian to attend counselling or parenting support sessions and comply with other requirements the court considers necessary. Non-compliance can lead to breach proceedings in court and is punishable with a fine.

Criminal orders that are placed on a child or young person themselves are applied by the court and generally (with few exceptions) parental or carer consent is not required.

Where there are concerns that a child or young person is involved in criminality, and to protect public safety and prevent harm, the police will take forward their enquiries as appropriate, and parental or carer cooperation is not required to share information, conduct an investigation, place a minor under caution, or charge a minor with a criminal offence.

The law already provides significant stop and search and wider enforcement powers, enabling police to disrupt immediate risk and remove weapons from the streets, including without the need for reasonable suspicion. Police can also arrest suspects, seize weapons, and evidence, and conduct searches of persons and premises where legal thresholds are met. These powers apply to children as well as adults. Where these powers are used on children, they are subject to additional statutory safeguards under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and its Codes of Practice to protect welfare and ensure proportionality.

The Southport Inquiry Phase 1 report, published on 13 April, considers in detail the actions of the perpetrator’s parents and many of the issues raised here. The Chair has rightly raised the challenging question of how to minimise the risk that parents may choose not to co-operate or report concerns to safeguarding agencies such as social care or healthcare, or the police about their child having knives or other weapons, and has made two recommendations relevant to parents.

In relation to future changes to strengthen oversight and powers, Government is considering these recommendations alongside the others in the report and will respond by summer 2026.

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