Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has had discussions with (a) University College London and (b) other higher education institutions on levels of student society support for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
As stated by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Defence on 1 March, Ayatollah Khamenei ran an oppressive and brutal regime, murdering thousands of his own citizens and exporting terror, including to Britain. It is horrifying to see his death mourned publicly in this country.
We condemn all extremist intimidation, harassment and incitement to hatred in our universities. Where public mourning involves this sort of unacceptable behaviour, it should not be tolerated. The department’s Prevent Coordinators engage with universities on concerns relating to students’ union activity and student conduct, to ensure that the correct policies and procedures have been followed. Students’ Unions, where they are registered charities, are regulated by the Charity Commission for compliance with charity law, which assesses and manages them through its regulatory framework.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has issued guidance to higher education institutions on the promotion of narratives in student societies linked to foreign political leadership.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
As stated by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Defence on 1 March, Ayatollah Khamenei ran an oppressive and brutal regime, murdering thousands of his own citizens and exporting terror, including to Britain. It is horrifying to see his death mourned publicly in this country.
We condemn all extremist intimidation, harassment and incitement to hatred in our universities. Where public mourning involves this sort of unacceptable behaviour, it should not be tolerated. The department’s Prevent Coordinators engage with universities on concerns relating to students’ union activity and student conduct, to ensure that the correct policies and procedures have been followed. Students’ Unions, where they are registered charities, are regulated by the Charity Commission for compliance with charity law, which assesses and manages them through its regulatory framework.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Office for Students has reviewed the adequacy of compliance procedures at students' unions following public statements praising Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
As stated by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Defence on 1 March, Ayatollah Khamenei ran an oppressive and brutal regime, murdering thousands of his own citizens and exporting terror, including to Britain. It is horrifying to see his death mourned publicly in this country.
We condemn all extremist intimidation, harassment and incitement to hatred in our universities. Where public mourning involves this sort of unacceptable behaviour, it should not be tolerated. The department’s Prevent Coordinators engage with universities on concerns relating to students’ union activity and student conduct, to ensure that the correct policies and procedures have been followed. Students’ Unions, where they are registered charities, are regulated by the Charity Commission for compliance with charity law, which assesses and manages them through its regulatory framework.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of universities at fulfilling their Prevent duty obligations, in the context of levels of support for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The situation in the Middle East is deeply troubling, and the escalating violence highlights the importance of universities’ Prevent duty responsibilities to safeguard students from radicalisation.
To comply with the Prevent duty, universities must have effective policies in place and regularly assess risks; this may include updating their risk assessments to remain alert to any increased vulnerability among students, considering recent events.
The Office for Students (OfS) monitors how higher education providers are complying with the Prevent duty and ensures that appropriate measures are in place to protect students from radicalisation. Current OfS monitoring shows that providers are broadly meeting their responsibilities.
The department continues to work closely with the OfS to review compliance and support providers in maintaining high standards.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what mechanisms are in place to monitor the consistency of Prevent duty implementation across higher education providers in England.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The situation in the Middle East is deeply troubling, and the escalating violence highlights the importance of universities’ Prevent duty responsibilities to safeguard students from radicalisation.
To comply with the Prevent duty, universities must have effective policies in place and regularly assess risks; this may include updating their risk assessments to remain alert to any increased vulnerability among students, considering recent events.
The Office for Students (OfS) monitors how higher education providers are complying with the Prevent duty and ensures that appropriate measures are in place to protect students from radicalisation. Current OfS monitoring shows that providers are broadly meeting their responsibilities.
The department continues to work closely with the OfS to review compliance and support providers in maintaining high standards.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many apprentices her Department recruited in (a) 2025, (b) 2022, (c) 2023 and (d) 2024.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The number of apprentices has fallen for a number of reasons:
HM Treasury remains committed to apprenticeships as one pathway to break down barriers to opportunity. External recruitment campaigns for AO & EO grades are considered for a level 3 apprenticeship where appropriate.
As a result, the department has recruited the following number of apprentices:
2022 - 12
2023 - 4
2024 - 4
2025 – 0
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many apprentices her Department recruited in (a) 2025, (b) 2022, (c) 2023 and (d) 2024.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) recruited the following number of apprentices in the specified years:
Year | Number of Apprentices recruited |
(a) 2025* | 31 |
(b) 2022 | 25 |
(c) 2023 | 30 |
(d) 2024 | 15 |
*Note that figures for 2025 are as of 17/03/2026 and are not yet final.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many apprentices his Department recruited in (a) 2025, (b) 2022, (c) 2023 and (d) 2024.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
On 1st July 2023 due to a Machinery of Government Change, the Department of International Trade (DIT) became the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), alongside parts of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). We therefore only hold information from DBT from 1st July 2023.
Information included for 2022 only captures former DIT apprenticeship starts. Information for 2023 includes starts from January to June for former DIT. Data provided is sourced from internal-to-DBT management information trackers.
Response relates to apprentices recruited/onboarded onto Apprenticeship Programmes. Years here are taken to mean calendar years, not financial years.
Year | Apprenticeship Starts on Programme |
2022 (DIT Only) | 88 |
2023 | 76 |
2024 | 102 |
2025 | 119 |
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many apprentices his Department recruited in (a) 2025, (b) 2022, (c) 2023 and (d) 2024.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
(a) 9 apprentices were recruited in 2025
(d) 13 apprentices were recruited in 2024
Due to the machinery of Government changes which created the Department in February 2023 DESNZ is unable to provide an answer to questions (b) & (c).
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department will examine whether the options chosen for the restoration and renewal programme have been developed in accordance with HM Treasury’s Green Book guidance.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Parliament is responsible for the Restoration and Renewal programme.