Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Autumn Budget 2026 and the Defence Investment Plan, what capital reallocation she has agreed for her Department for each year of the spending review period; and whether projects have been cancelled as a result.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
DCMS will set future year CDEL allocations as part of departmental business planning exercises. This will seek to ensure that departmental objectives and priorities are protected as far as possible within budgetary control totals.
Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much of the £3.4 billion Public Health Grant ring-fenced for drug and alcohol treatment over 2026-27 has been commissioned for prenatal alcohol exposure and FASD services in each local authority area; and what assessment she has made of reports that specialist voluntary sector organisations are unable to access this funding.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Health Service supports the prevention and early identification of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) through existing national guidance available at the following link:
https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/drinking-alcohol-while-pregnant/
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Quality Standard on FASD also supports prevention, diagnosis, and support for those affected.
It is the responsibility of integrated care boards in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including treatment pathways and support for FASD, in line with the NICE guidance and the UK Clinical Guidelines for Alcohol Treatment. Through the Public Health Grant, the Department is providing over £3.4 billion in ringfenced funding for drug and alcohol treatment and recovery over the next three years. This funding can also be used by local authorities to commission voluntary sector organisations to deliver drug and alcohol services.
The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) is designed to protect and empower people who may lack the mental capacity to make a decision themselves. The MCA code of practice provides guidance on how to assess whether someone has capacity to make a particular decision at the time it needs to be made. The Government is clear that professionals applying the MCA are expected to keep up to date with guidance and caselaw, and to correctly use the principles within the act. The MCA is available at the following link:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/9/section/4
The NICE Quality Standard on FASD supports appropriate neurodevelopmental assessment where FASD is suspected and states that professionals undertaking these assessments should have expertise in neurodevelopmental assessment and additional training in FASD.
Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what training is provided to health, education and social care professionals to distinguish presentations of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder from trauma or behavioural difficulties, to reduce the risk of misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Health Service supports the prevention and early identification of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) through existing national guidance available at the following link:
https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/drinking-alcohol-while-pregnant/
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Quality Standard on FASD also supports prevention, diagnosis, and support for those affected.
It is the responsibility of integrated care boards in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including treatment pathways and support for FASD, in line with the NICE guidance and the UK Clinical Guidelines for Alcohol Treatment. Through the Public Health Grant, the Department is providing over £3.4 billion in ringfenced funding for drug and alcohol treatment and recovery over the next three years. This funding can also be used by local authorities to commission voluntary sector organisations to deliver drug and alcohol services.
The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) is designed to protect and empower people who may lack the mental capacity to make a decision themselves. The MCA code of practice provides guidance on how to assess whether someone has capacity to make a particular decision at the time it needs to be made. The Government is clear that professionals applying the MCA are expected to keep up to date with guidance and caselaw, and to correctly use the principles within the act. The MCA is available at the following link:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/9/section/4
The NICE Quality Standard on FASD supports appropriate neurodevelopmental assessment where FASD is suspected and states that professionals undertaking these assessments should have expertise in neurodevelopmental assessment and additional training in FASD.
Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to ensure integrated care boards commission services are consistent with the UK Clinical Guidelines for Alcohol Treatment published in November 2025, particularly regarding prenatal alcohol exposure and FASD.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Health Service supports the prevention and early identification of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) through existing national guidance available at the following link:
https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/drinking-alcohol-while-pregnant/
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Quality Standard on FASD also supports prevention, diagnosis, and support for those affected.
It is the responsibility of integrated care boards in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including treatment pathways and support for FASD, in line with the NICE guidance and the UK Clinical Guidelines for Alcohol Treatment. Through the Public Health Grant, the Department is providing over £3.4 billion in ringfenced funding for drug and alcohol treatment and recovery over the next three years. This funding can also be used by local authorities to commission voluntary sector organisations to deliver drug and alcohol services.
The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) is designed to protect and empower people who may lack the mental capacity to make a decision themselves. The MCA code of practice provides guidance on how to assess whether someone has capacity to make a particular decision at the time it needs to be made. The Government is clear that professionals applying the MCA are expected to keep up to date with guidance and caselaw, and to correctly use the principles within the act. The MCA is available at the following link:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/9/section/4
The NICE Quality Standard on FASD supports appropriate neurodevelopmental assessment where FASD is suspected and states that professionals undertaking these assessments should have expertise in neurodevelopmental assessment and additional training in FASD.
Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance her Department issues to health and social care professionals on conducting decision-specific Mental Capacity Act 2005 assessments for young people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, particularly at the transition to adulthood.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Health Service supports the prevention and early identification of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) through existing national guidance available at the following link:
https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/drinking-alcohol-while-pregnant/
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Quality Standard on FASD also supports prevention, diagnosis, and support for those affected.
It is the responsibility of integrated care boards in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including treatment pathways and support for FASD, in line with the NICE guidance and the UK Clinical Guidelines for Alcohol Treatment. Through the Public Health Grant, the Department is providing over £3.4 billion in ringfenced funding for drug and alcohol treatment and recovery over the next three years. This funding can also be used by local authorities to commission voluntary sector organisations to deliver drug and alcohol services.
The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) is designed to protect and empower people who may lack the mental capacity to make a decision themselves. The MCA code of practice provides guidance on how to assess whether someone has capacity to make a particular decision at the time it needs to be made. The Government is clear that professionals applying the MCA are expected to keep up to date with guidance and caselaw, and to correctly use the principles within the act. The MCA is available at the following link:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/9/section/4
The NICE Quality Standard on FASD supports appropriate neurodevelopmental assessment where FASD is suspected and states that professionals undertaking these assessments should have expertise in neurodevelopmental assessment and additional training in FASD.
Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of youth services in supporting young people aged 16 to 24 to progress into education, training or employment.
Answered by Vicky Foxcroft - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
Evidence has shown that investment in youth services, fun and enriching activities, and trusted adults such as youth workers, can help build young people’s skills for life and work. This is by supporting the development of soft skills, which are associated with positive longer term outcomes such as teamwork, resilience and self-confidence, in addition to improving mental wellbeing. It can also help young people access opportunities they may not get at school or college.
This is why we’ve launched Youth Matters: Your National Youth Strategy. It is an ambitious plan to support young people to learn and get into good jobs, and is backed by over £500 million of funding from DCMS for fun things to do outside of school, support when and where young people need it, more safe spaces and access to trusted adults.
To deliver on the commitments made in Youth Matters, we will provide over £400 million to enable youth organisations across the country to deliver high-quality youth work and activities as well as refurbish or build up to 250 youth facilities through the Youth Matters Fund. DCMS, in strategic partnership with DfE, has also launched a £22.5 million investment across 3 years to support up to 400 schools to provide a youth led, tailored enrichment offer through the Enrichment Expansion Programme. Alongside this, DCMS has announced a £132.5m investment of dormant assets into Every Child Can, which will fund opportunities exclusively across five key categories of enrichment: civic engagement; arts and culture; nature, outdoor and adventure; sport and physical activities; and developing wider life and future skills.
50 Young Futures Hubs will launch by the end of this Parliament to offer mental health support, careers guidance, and activities to support young people progress into education, employment and training and other positive pathways. Eight Young Futures Hubs became operational in the 25/26 financial year, and on 16th September we announced the local authorities who will develop the next 42 new hubs and be operational by March 2029. These have been developed in partnership with DWP, and will link with Youth Hubs and complement the Youth Guarantee to support youth employment and learning. We’ll also be funding 1,000 new specialised youth workers for community-based, early intervention support for young people at high risk of becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training). This is part of our work to rebuild the youth workforce, advancing our goal for 500,000 more young people to be able to access a trusted adult by 2035.
Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her department has made of the potential impact on the creative industries workforce of existing vocational training routes.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government recognises that high-quality vocational routes into employment are essential to developing the skilled workforce needed by the creative industries. As part of the wider reform of vocational and technical qualifications set out in the Post-16 Pathways Implementation Plan, we will be introducing new T Levels, V levels and level 2 qualifications in Creative and Design subjects in 2030. Further information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/post-16-pathways-implementation-plan/post-16-pathways-implementation-plan.
We are working closely with the creative sector to ensure the reformed qualifications build on what works well in the current qualifications offer. As part of this, we have set up a new Post-16 Creative Qualifications Policy Group, formed of employers, providers, higher education institutions and industry experts. The group will advise on how reformed post-16 qualifications can best enable effective skills development in creative subjects and progression into and through the creative industries, meeting current and future sector needs.
Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what engagement she has had with the Department for Education on mitigating the impact of Level 3 qualification reform on the creative industries.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
In the Creative Industries Sector Plan, the government committed to working with the creative industries to support sector training pathways and ensure the workforce is prepared for the future of work. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the Department for Education (DfE) and Skills England work closely with industry on this agenda, including through our regular Creative Sector Skills Forum. In addition, DfE has also established a Creative Qualifications Policy Group to develop evidence-based advice on how reformed post-16 qualifications, including T Levels, V Levels and level 2 reformed qualifications, can best meet the skills and progression needs of the sector. The first meeting of this group, which includes DCMS and sector experts and representatives, took place on 20th October and was attended by the Minister for Skills.
Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with creative industry employers about changes to the vocational pipeline into the sector.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
In the Creative Industries Sector Plan, the government committed to working with the creative industries to support sector training pathways and ensure the workforce is prepared for the future of work. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the Department for Education (DfE) and Skills England work closely with industry on this agenda, including through our regular Creative Sector Skills Forum. In addition, DfE has also established a Creative Qualifications Policy Group to develop evidence-based advice on how reformed post-16 qualifications, including T Levels, V Levels and level 2 reformed qualifications, can best meet the skills and progression needs of the sector. The first meeting of this group, which includes DCMS and sector experts and representatives, took place on 20th October and was attended by the Minister for Skills.
Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what engagement she has had with the Department for Education on designing new pathways into the creative industries.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
In the Creative Industries Sector Plan, the government committed to working with the creative industries to support sector training pathways and ensure the workforce is prepared for the future of work. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the Department for Education (DfE) and Skills England work closely with industry on this agenda, including through our regular Creative Sector Skills Forum. In addition, DfE has also established a Creative Qualifications Policy Group to develop evidence-based advice on how reformed post-16 qualifications, including T Levels, V Levels and level 2 reformed qualifications, can best meet the skills and progression needs of the sector. The first meeting of this group, which includes DCMS and sector experts and representatives, took place on 20th October and was attended by the Minister for Skills.