Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to her Department's press release entitled Government modernises exam records with new app published on 8 January 2026, whether her Department has any plans to abolish physical result certificates.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Results certificates are provided by awarding organisations. The department currently has no plans to abolish physical results certificates.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of recent graduates entering non-graduate roles on a) career and b) earning progression.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Research suggests the majority of graduates are expected to earn a positive financial return from higher education (HE) over their lifetime.
The latest HE Statistics Agency data shows that 71.4% of UK-domiciled graduates from 2022/23 in employment were in high-skilled roles 15 months after graduation. This is down slightly from 2021/22, but consistent with 2019/20.
Whilst employment rates for graduates remain higher than for non-graduates, we recognise that those leaving HE face challenges and are taking a number of steps to ensure those leaving HE are ready for work.
The Office for Students can take regulatory action against HE providers which don’t meet its minimum requirement that 60% of students should progress into graduate employment or further study.
Planned reforms to the Strategic Priorities Grant will ensure high-cost subject funding is better targeted towards priority provision that supports skills needs and the Industrial Strategy.
Government plans to expand the availability of occupation-focused higher technical qualifications which aim to provide students with the skills employers need.
Government has also issued guidance setting out expectations that HE providers play a pivotal role in Local Skills Improvement Plans, strengthening collaboration with strategic authorities, employers and other skills providers to meet the needs of their local economy.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of recent graduates employed in non-graduate roles.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Research suggests the majority of graduates are expected to earn a positive financial return from higher education (HE) over their lifetime.
The latest HE Statistics Agency data shows that 71.4% of UK-domiciled graduates from 2022/23 in employment were in high-skilled roles 15 months after graduation. This is down slightly from 2021/22, but consistent with 2019/20.
Whilst employment rates for graduates remain higher than for non-graduates, we recognise that those leaving HE face challenges and are taking a number of steps to ensure those leaving HE are ready for work.
The Office for Students can take regulatory action against HE providers which don’t meet its minimum requirement that 60% of students should progress into graduate employment or further study.
Planned reforms to the Strategic Priorities Grant will ensure high-cost subject funding is better targeted towards priority provision that supports skills needs and the Industrial Strategy.
Government plans to expand the availability of occupation-focused higher technical qualifications which aim to provide students with the skills employers need.
Government has also issued guidance setting out expectations that HE providers play a pivotal role in Local Skills Improvement Plans, strengthening collaboration with strategic authorities, employers and other skills providers to meet the needs of their local economy.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to introduce interventions to help reduce graduate underemployment.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Research suggests the majority of graduates are expected to earn a positive financial return from higher education (HE) over their lifetime.
The latest HE Statistics Agency data shows that 71.4% of UK-domiciled graduates from 2022/23 in employment were in high-skilled roles 15 months after graduation. This is down slightly from 2021/22, but consistent with 2019/20.
Whilst employment rates for graduates remain higher than for non-graduates, we recognise that those leaving HE face challenges and are taking a number of steps to ensure those leaving HE are ready for work.
The Office for Students can take regulatory action against HE providers which don’t meet its minimum requirement that 60% of students should progress into graduate employment or further study.
Planned reforms to the Strategic Priorities Grant will ensure high-cost subject funding is better targeted towards priority provision that supports skills needs and the Industrial Strategy.
Government plans to expand the availability of occupation-focused higher technical qualifications which aim to provide students with the skills employers need.
Government has also issued guidance setting out expectations that HE providers play a pivotal role in Local Skills Improvement Plans, strengthening collaboration with strategic authorities, employers and other skills providers to meet the needs of their local economy.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to her Department’s press release entitled Strategy to boost UK education abroad in major £40bn growth drive, published on 20 January 2026, what assessment her Department has made of the feasibility of achieving the target to grow UK education exports to £40 billion a year by 2030.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The new International Education Strategy has confirmed the government's continued commitment to welcome international students who meet the requirements to study in the UK. They join one of the world’s most vibrant, diverse and inclusive learning communities, form lifelong friendships and professional networks, and earn qualifications respected around the globe. Higher education providers in the UK received an estimated £12.1 billion in tuition fee income from international students in the 2023/24 academic year, which supported the provision of places for domestic students and research and development.
Future international student numbers are inherently uncertain. The international student market is highly competitive, and inflows depend on a range of factors, including recruitment strategies from international competitors, exchange rates and other economic variables. The International Education Strategy will continue to support the sustainable recruitment of high-quality international students to the UK’s world-class higher education institutions from a diverse range of countries.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to her Department’s press release entitled Strategy to boost UK education abroad in major £40bn growth drive, published on 20 January 2026, what estimate her Department has made of the expected numbers of international students when targets are removed.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The new International Education Strategy has confirmed the government's continued commitment to welcome international students who meet the requirements to study in the UK. They join one of the world’s most vibrant, diverse and inclusive learning communities, form lifelong friendships and professional networks, and earn qualifications respected around the globe. Higher education providers in the UK received an estimated £12.1 billion in tuition fee income from international students in the 2023/24 academic year, which supported the provision of places for domestic students and research and development.
Future international student numbers are inherently uncertain. The international student market is highly competitive, and inflows depend on a range of factors, including recruitment strategies from international competitors, exchange rates and other economic variables. The International Education Strategy will continue to support the sustainable recruitment of high-quality international students to the UK’s world-class higher education institutions from a diverse range of countries.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support is available for families bereaved following incidents in nursery or early years settings, and whether additional resources are being considered.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The department recognises the profound impact of the death of a child and the importance of ensuring that families are appropriately supported following serious incidents in nursery and early years settings.
As set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework and the Working Together to Safeguard Children guidance, early years providers and local authorities must follow established safeguarding and serious incident processes where a child has died. This includes notifying relevant authorities of serious incidents and working with local safeguarding partners, including health services and the police. Local safeguarding partners may undertake rapid reviews and where appropriate, local child safeguarding practice reviews to identify learning and improve future practice.
Support for bereaved families is coordinated locally and may include access to emotional and psychological support through health services, liaison with agencies involved in investigations or reviews and signposting to specialist bereavement support services and voluntary sector organisations.
The department continues to work with local authorities and safeguarding partners and to consider how guidance and processes can support effective responses following serious incidents.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when her Department last reviewed statutory safety standards for nurseries.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The safety of our youngest children is our utmost priority and the department continually monitors and reviews safeguarding requirements to make sure children are kept as safe as possible.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework sets the standards and requirements early years providers must meet to ensure that children are kept healthy and safe. The framework is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68c024cb8c6d992f23edd79c/Early_years_foundation_stage_statutory_framework_-_for_group_and_school-based_providers.pdf.pdf. In September 2025, changes were introduced to strengthen the safeguarding requirements in the EYFS, including clearer expectations on safer recruitment, child absences, safer eating, safeguarding training, and whistleblowing.
A new safeguarding training annex now sets out what training must cover. To support providers, a free online safeguarding training package is being developed with the NSPCC, aligned to the new requirements.
An expert panel will also be appointed to consider whether CCTV should be mandated and to set out best practice, technical guidance and clear expectations for the use of CCTV and digital devices.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to require CCTV in nursery settings to improve safeguarding for children.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework sets the standards and requirements early years providers must meet to ensure that children have the best start in life and are kept healthy and safe. The framework is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2.
The EYFS requires providers to have safeguarding policies that address the use of mobile phones, cameras and other electronic devices with imaging and sharing capabilities. Decisions about installing and using CCTV are for individual providers, subject to safeguarding and data protection requirements. While CCTV can support safeguarding, it is most effective when combined with strong safeguarding cultures, supported by training, supervision and effective oversight.
As part of the department’s ongoing review of safeguarding requirements, an expert advisory panel will be appointed to inform sector guidance on the safe and effective use of CCTV and digital devices within safeguarding. This guidance will consider whether CCTV should be mandated and will set out best practice, technical advice and clear expectations.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has had recent discussions with (a) the Campaign for Gigi and (b) The Lullaby Trust on reforms to early years safeguarding standards.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
In June 2025, my hon. Friend, the former Minister for Early Education met with Genevieve’s parents and The Lullaby Trust to discuss the campaign for Gigi’s proposals. In January 2026, I also met with Genevieve’s parents and The Lullaby Trust to continue these discussions. The department will continue to consider these as part of our ongoing review of the safeguarding requirements for early years settings.
Since these meetings, policy officials have continued to engage with the Lullaby Trust to consider the lessons that can be learned from previous serious incidents and to ensure that children are kept as safe as possible. To make the existing requirements clearer for all, we plan to add further detail to the early years foundation stage (EYFS) frameworks. The department has worked with safer sleep experts, including The Lullaby Trust, on proposed new wording and plan to introduce these changes as soon as possible.
The department is also in contact with the Campaign for Gigi and will be keeping them updated regarding our ongoing review of early years safeguarding requirements, including those around digital devices and CCTV.