Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, by what process schools can apply for (a) rebuilds and (b) other capital spending following the funding commitments in the Spending Review 2025.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
School buildings are integral to high and rising standards and need to be fit for the future.
The government has announced almost £20 billion of investment for the School Rebuilding Programme through to 2034/35, delivering rebuilding projects at over 500 schools across England within the existing programme, with a further 250 schools to be selected within the next two years. We plan to set out further details about the selection process later this year.
At the 2025/26 budget, the government increased capital investment to improve the condition of school buildings across England to £2.1 billion, almost £300 million more than 2024/25. More information on allocations and successful Condition Improvement Fund bids for 2025/26 can be found on GOV.UK.
£31 billion of capital funding for the education estate was announced at the Spending Review in June 2025 for the period the 2026/27 financial year to the 2029/30 financial year. As part of the 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy, the government also committed to increase annual capital maintenance investment per year through to 2034/35. Further details on funding commitments and any application processes for capital funding will be announced on GOV.UK in due course.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding will be allocated to the third road investment strategy.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced on 11 June, this Government will deliver improvements to people’s everyday travel by providing £24 billion of capital funding between 2026-27 and 2029-30 to maintain and improve national and local roads across the country. We will confirm funding for the third Road Investment Strategy in due course.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to allocate funding for specific projects as part of the third road investment strategy.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport will confirm the enhancement schemes and large-scale renewals to be delivered in the next road period when the third Road Investment Strategy is published in early 2026. National Highways will then publish further details in its Delivery Plan.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with National Highways on the A1 through North Northumberland.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
I hold regular discussions with National Highways on matters related to the Strategic Road Network. I am aware that National Highways is undertaking a safety study on the A1 through Northumberland which focuses on how it can improve the route’s safety rating. The study will identify specific locations where safety performance can be enhanced. These locations can then be considered for funding as part of the future Road Investment Strategies.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of Berwick Academy's need for a rebuild; and whether she has received a business case outlining a proposed rebuild from Northumberland County Council.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Berwick Academy is the body responsible for the school buildings and has not put forward a nomination for the School Rebuilding Programme (SRP). The department is aware that Northumberland County Council has plans to invest in Berwick Academy as part of a wider school reorganisation in the area but we are yet to receive a business case or further detail.
The government has given a long-term commitment for capital investment through to 2034/35 to improve the condition of schools and colleges across England. We are investing almost £3 billion per year by 2034/35 in capital maintenance and renewal of the school and college estate, rising from £2.4 billion in 2025/26.
This is in addition to investment of almost £20 billion in the SRP through to 2034/35, delivering rebuilding projects at over 500 schools across England within the existing programme, with a further 250 schools to be selected within the next two years.
The department plans to set out further details on the process for selecting additional schools for the rebuilding programme later this year.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the safety record of the A1 through North Northumberland, in the context of RIS3 funding.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
National Highways has considered the safety record of the A1 through North Northumberland, along with other priorities for this section of the route, as part of its London to Scotland (East) Route Strategy. The outputs of this work will be considered as part of final decisions on investment in the third Road Investment Strategy.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
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 impact of her Department's proposed changes to Personal Independence Payment eligibility on the number of people experiencing homelessness; and whether she has shared that assessment with the Ministerial Group on homelessness and rough sleeping.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department is working closely with the Inter-Ministerial Group on Homelessness and Rough Sleeping, to get the country back on track to ending homelessness.
As I made clear in my statement to the House, Hansard, 1 July, col 219, any changes to PIP eligibility will come after a comprehensive review of the benefit, which I am leading, and which will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, clinicians, experts, MPs and other stakeholders, so a wide range of views and voices are heard. This review aims to ensure that the PIP assessment is fair and fit for the future. The review is expected to conclude in autumn 2026.