Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether reviews of export licenses for defence equipment for Israel excluding F-35 parts identified equipment used for military operations in (a) Gaza and (b) the West Bank between 1 July (i) 2024 and (ii) 2025.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Data for export licences are published by the Department for Business and Trade. The latest data on Israel export licences was published on 28 August 2025 and can be found at www.gov.uk/government/publications/export-control-licensing-management-information-for-israel/israel-export-control-licensing-data-31-july-2025.

All export licences are assessed on a case-by-case basis, based on the most up-to-date information and analysis available at the time. All licences for exports to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are kept under careful ongoing review to ensure they are not being used for military operations in Gaza or the West Bank. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) draws on information from a large variety of stakeholders, including our diplomatic network, other government departments, reporting from NGOs, international organisations and the media.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information he uses to review the use of export licenses for defence equipment for Israel excluding F-35 parts to ensure equipment is not used for military operations in (a) Gaza and (b) the West Bank.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Data for export licences are published by the Department for Business and Trade. The latest data on Israel export licences was published on 28 August 2025 and can be found at www.gov.uk/government/publications/export-control-licensing-management-information-for-israel/israel-export-control-licensing-data-31-july-2025.

All export licences are assessed on a case-by-case basis, based on the most up-to-date information and analysis available at the time. All licences for exports to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are kept under careful ongoing review to ensure they are not being used for military operations in Gaza or the West Bank. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) draws on information from a large variety of stakeholders, including our diplomatic network, other government departments, reporting from NGOs, international organisations and the media.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many live export licenses for defence equipment for Israel excluding F-35 parts were reviewed between (a) May and July 2025, (b) February and July 2025 and (c) July 2024 and July 2025 to ensure that equipment was not used for military operations in (i) Gaza and (ii) the West Bank.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Data for export licences are published by the Department for Business and Trade. The latest data on Israel export licences was published on 28 August 2025 and can be found at www.gov.uk/government/publications/export-control-licensing-management-information-for-israel/israel-export-control-licensing-data-31-july-2025.

All export licences are assessed on a case-by-case basis, based on the most up-to-date information and analysis available at the time. All licences for exports to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are kept under careful ongoing review to ensure they are not being used for military operations in Gaza or the West Bank. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) draws on information from a large variety of stakeholders, including our diplomatic network, other government departments, reporting from NGOs, international organisations and the media.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how often export licenses for defence-related equipment for Israel excluding F-35 parts are reassessed to ensure that equipment is not used for military operations in (a) Gaza and (b) the West Bank.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Data for export licences are published by the Department for Business and Trade. The latest data on Israel export licences was published on 28 August 2025 and can be found at www.gov.uk/government/publications/export-control-licensing-management-information-for-israel/israel-export-control-licensing-data-31-july-2025.

All export licences are assessed on a case-by-case basis, based on the most up-to-date information and analysis available at the time. All licences for exports to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are kept under careful ongoing review to ensure they are not being used for military operations in Gaza or the West Bank. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) draws on information from a large variety of stakeholders, including our diplomatic network, other government departments, reporting from NGOs, international organisations and the media.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what process is used to review export licenses for defence equipment for Israel excluding F-35 parts to ensure equipment is not used for military operations in (a) Gaza and (b) the West Bank.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Data for export licences are published by the Department for Business and Trade. The latest data on Israel export licences was published on 28 August 2025 and can be found at www.gov.uk/government/publications/export-control-licensing-management-information-for-israel/israel-export-control-licensing-data-31-july-2025.

All export licences are assessed on a case-by-case basis, based on the most up-to-date information and analysis available at the time. All licences for exports to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are kept under careful ongoing review to ensure they are not being used for military operations in Gaza or the West Bank. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) draws on information from a large variety of stakeholders, including our diplomatic network, other government departments, reporting from NGOs, international organisations and the media.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many export licenses are in place for defence-related equipment for Israel excluding F-35 parts.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Data for export licences are published by the Department for Business and Trade. The latest data on Israel export licences was published on 28 August 2025 and can be found at www.gov.uk/government/publications/export-control-licensing-management-information-for-israel/israel-export-control-licensing-data-31-july-2025.

All export licences are assessed on a case-by-case basis, based on the most up-to-date information and analysis available at the time. All licences for exports to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are kept under careful ongoing review to ensure they are not being used for military operations in Gaza or the West Bank. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) draws on information from a large variety of stakeholders, including our diplomatic network, other government departments, reporting from NGOs, international organisations and the media.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Government has made an assessment of the potential impact of differences in local authority funding formulas on access to high-quality early years provision in disadvantaged communities.

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

The department expects to spend over £8 billion on early years entitlements in 2025/26, distributed through the early years national funding formulae (EYNFF), based on hourly funding rates for each local authority. The EYNFF reflects the relative needs of the children and costs of delivering provision in that area and includes additional needs factors that account for 10.5% of entitlement funding.

Eligible children also attract early years pupil premium (EYPP), to improve the educational outcomes of socio-economically disadvantaged children. We are delivering the largest ever uplift to the EYPP this year, increasing the rate by over 45% from 68p per hour in 2024/25 to £1 in 2025/26, so the EYPP is equivalent to up to £570 per eligible child per year.

Local authorities are responsible for funding providers in their area using their own local funding formula. These local formulae must include a deprivation supplement for 3 and 4-year-olds.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that early years provision in disadvantaged areas is adequately funded to meet the needs of children and families.

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

The department expects to spend over £8 billion on early years entitlements in 2025/26, distributed through the early years national funding formulae (EYNFF), based on hourly funding rates for each local authority. The EYNFF reflects the relative needs of the children and costs of delivering provision in that area and includes additional needs factors that account for 10.5% of entitlement funding.

Eligible children also attract early years pupil premium (EYPP), to improve the educational outcomes of socio-economically disadvantaged children. We are delivering the largest ever uplift to the EYPP this year, increasing the rate by over 45% from 68p per hour in 2024/25 to £1 in 2025/26, so the EYPP is equivalent to up to £570 per eligible child per year.

Local authorities are responsible for funding providers in their area using their own local funding formula. These local formulae must include a deprivation supplement for 3 and 4-year-olds.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will publish data on the take-up of funded early years places by disadvantaged children by local authority.

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

The latest accredited official statistics release entitled ‘Funded early education and childcare’ for January 2025 was published on 17 July 2025. A minor correction was made on 31 July, as noted on the publication page.

Dataset 3 in this release shows national, regional and local authority level information on the number of children registered for funded early years provision according to whether the child was in receipt of the early years pupil premium. Dataset 3 is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/funded-early-education-and-childcare.

Of all 3 and 4 year-olds who are registered for the universal entitlement, one third of those are in state-funded reception classes. Therefore, dataset 3 also includes figures for these children on free school meal eligibility.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) including key skilled early years professional roles where there is a shortage to the skilled worker visa route and (b) easing the visa process for skilled early years workers on the early years workforce.

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

The department recognises the huge contribution the early years workforce makes to young children’s lives. The workforce is at the heart of the government’s mission to give every child the best start in life and deliver the Plan for Change. Workforce numbers increased by 6% between 2023 and 2024.

Various early years roles are included in the list of occupations eligible for Skilled Worker visas. Settings can use this route if the salary threshold (£41,700) is met. Nursery education teaching professionals on national pay scales are subject to a lower threshold (£25,000).

The Migration Advisory Committee advises government on migration issues and regularly considers the case for changes. Data on numbers of workers on Skilled Worker Visas are held by the Home Office, while the recruitment of individual staff is conducted by settings.

The department is supporting providers to recruit domestically by attracting talented staff into the sector, supporting the recruitment and retention of childminders, and making careers as accessible and rewarding as possible.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that early years practitioners are (a) trained and (b) supported to meet the needs of disadvantaged and vulnerable children.

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

The department is committed to giving every child the best start in life through high-quality early years education.

We are investing in programmes that support children’s development where it is needed most, including online child development training, more national professional qualification places, and new professional development for educators and leaders.

Stronger Practice Hubs will double from 18 to 36, expanding access to evidence-based training and resources. Early years initial teacher training places are increasing, alongside a new degree apprenticeship route, with incentives to attract and retain teachers in under-served communities.

The department is funding 1,000 level 3 special educational needs coordinators this year and investing £3.4 million in the Early Language Support for Every Child programme. Early maths and language leads will offer hands-on support, ensuring all children, regardless of background, benefit from high-quality early education.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure disadvantaged children in early years settings have access to healthy, nutritious meals.

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

The department is committed to giving every child the best possible start in life. Good nutrition in the early years is essential for children’s health and long-term development, which is why we recently introduced new nutrition guidance in the early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework.

The new guidance, developed in collaboration with nutrition experts and sector representatives, will help early years providers understand how to meet the existing EYFS requirements.

Pupils attending a local authority, maintained, academy or free school nursery are entitled to free school meals (FSM), as long as they are either in full-time education or receive education both before and after lunch and meet the benefits-based FSM eligibility criteria.

From September 2026, the department will extend FSM to all children in households receiving Universal Credit, including those in state-funded school-based nurseries and maintained nursery schools.

Found: Liberal Democrat; Oxford West and Abingdon) (Chair) Danny Beales (Labour; Uxbridge and South Ruislip) Ben Coleman

Found: Q59 Ben Coleman: I can just build on that.