Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to support Down syndrome-specific training for teachers as part of its response to the Down Syndrome Act consultation.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell

High quality teaching is the most important in-school factor for improving outcomes for all children, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and the department is committed to ensuring that all pupils receive excellent support from their teachers. The Teachers’ Standards set clear expectations that teachers must understand the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND.

From September 2025, the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF) will set out a minimum entitlement to training for new teachers. The ITTECF places greater emphasis on adaptive teaching and supporting pupils with SEND. The department has also enhanced the requirement on providers of early career training to develop SEND training materials. This approach, developed with input from SEND educational experts, supports the principle of quality-first teaching to improve outcomes for all.

The department has been working collaboratively with the Department of Health and Social Care on upcoming statutory guidance on Down syndrome. This includes case studies on teachers supporting children and young people with Down syndrome in the classroom, and involved engagement with individuals with Down syndrome and other conditions, their parents and carers, as well as various experts and practitioners across many organisations. The guidance will be published in due course and the Down Syndrome Act 2022 sets out that my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education must consult on this guidance.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support farmers.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

This Government is investing £11.8 billion into sustainable food production and nature’s recovery, with funding for Environmental Land Management schemes increasing by 150% by 2028/29.

There are currently record numbers of farmers in the schemes, with more money being spent through these schemes than ever before.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Typhoon Force in providing security until the Tempest programme becomes operational.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Typhoon is a world-class combat aircraft and will continue to serve as the backbone of the UK's Combat Air Force until at least the 2040s. To ensure it remains at the cutting edge of capability, the UK is planning significant investment in the Typhoon through-life equipment programme. This includes the delivery and integration of the advanced European Common Radar System Mark 2 (ECRS Mk2) radar, which will enhance the aircraft's operational effectiveness. Further details on future Typhoon investment will be subject to the Defence Investment Plan, which will be published later this year.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support his Department plans to offer hospital trusts that are in Strand 4 of the NHS acute trust league table.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The NHS Oversight Framework 2025/26 sets out how NHS England will support trusts to improve, based on an assessment of their performance. This is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/nhs-oversight-framework-2025-26/

NHS England works through regional teams to monitor National Health Service trust performance, identify issues, and deliver improvement in the most challenged areas. Improvement metrics and trajectories are agreed and proactively monitored.

NHS England may also apply interventions and require NHS trusts to take broad actions or address specific concerns related to known issues. This may involve use of NHS England’s enforcement powers, particularly to secure improvement or where improvement is deemed insufficient.

Trusts rated low for both performance and capability will receive support from the National Provider Improvement Programme (NPIP), which will replace the Recovery Support Programme. NPIP will determine whether the most challenged have the necessary conditions in place to deliver sustainable improvement and will ensure support is in place as needed. This will be in addition to any targeted improvement support for specific issues such as urgent and emergency care, outpatients, mental health, finance, or maternity.

Additionally, newly appointed very senior managers (VSMs) to NHS trusts in segment 5 will be eligible for ‘challenged organisation recruitment premiums’, to attract talented VSMs to join challenged organisations and help turn them around.

Found: (Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero) – from 12 April 2024 to 5 July 2024 • The Rt Hon Graham Stuart

Found: Minister Stuart - REMA - 27 September 2023 DRAFT FOR MINISTERIAL APPROVAL Meeting with Rt Hon Graham Stuart