Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of economic deprivation on digital exclusion.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Everyone should be able to benefit from the digital world – helping families save money, get a better job, and access services like the NHS more easily.

But we know some people face barriers - and digital exclusion is more prominent amongst those of low income. Among those aged 16 or above, 17% of those that live in a household with an income below £10.4k did not have home internet access compared to 1% of those who live in a household with an income of £26k or above. That’s why we published the Digital Inclusion Action Plan, and why we’re now delivering the foundations.

We launched the £11.9 million Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund, helping more people across the UK get the access, skills and confidence to get online. Earlier this month, major telecoms providers signed a new charter to end unexpected mid-contract price rises and make social tariffs easier to access, helping millions manage living costs. We are also getting more free devices in the hands of those that need them through government and industry device donation efforts.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to support elderly people with technology.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Everyone should be able to benefit from the digital world – helping families save money, get a better job, and access services like the NHS more easily.

But we know some people face real barriers and older people are more likely to be offline: data from 2025 shows that 13% of adults aged 65+ did not have home internet access, compared to 3% of adults aged 16-64.

That’s why we published the Digital Inclusion Action Plan and launched the £11.9 million Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund - helping more people, including older people, across the UK get the access, skills and confidence to get online. We are also committed to making digital public services simple and accessible for everyone, by working on renewed digital standards for essential public services and stronger accountability, alongside well‑supported offline routes.

In February, major telecoms providers signed a new charter to end unexpected mid-contract price rises and make social tariffs easier to access, helping millions manage living costs.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with members of the Chagossian community in Britain.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials have met Chagossian individuals and groups over 30 times since 2024. I have met with Chagossian groups and individuals four times. The new Chagossian Contact Group has held meetings in September and December 2025, and again in January. The group will continue to meet quarterly.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate she has made of the cost of the public purse of the Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the details of the forecast cost at the time, and duration of the treaty set out in the Explanatory Memorandum published on 22 May 2025, and to the extensive discussion of all these issues and methodologies that has subsequently taken place during the passage of the Bill.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much their Department has spent on (a) advertising and (b) marketing in each of the last three years.

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

The department's combined expenditure on advertising and marketing for the last three financial years is shown below:
•  2022/23: £34,652,453.53
•  2023/24: £45,761,086.36
•  2024/25: £ 49,833,936.25

This paid marketing activity directly supports operational delivery by helping to recruit more school and college teachers and early years staff, and by ensuring parents are aware of the support available to them and their families, including childcare entitlements and Best Start Family Hubs. It also raises awareness and understanding, and encourages take-up, of government-funded technical qualifications, skills and training offers amongst young people and adults, which is vital to economic growth and opportunity across the country.

The rising spend reflects the changing media landscape and high levels of media inflation, and where paid-for advertising and marketing is used, it is subject to Cabinet Office spending controls, which ensure taxpayer money is spent cost-effectively and reflects professional best practice.

Where possible, activity is delivered in-house as part of cross-government campaigns or at low cost through partner coordination.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of digital health forms on elderly people's access to health services.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

National Health Service organisations must ensure all patients have equitable access to care, and that decisions or policies do not unfairly disadvantage people or lead to an increase in inequalities. All NHS organisations are legally obliged to not discriminate.

This means that although we promote digital first services to those who choose to use them, a non-digital solution should be available for those patients who cannot or do not wish to engage digitally, which may include elderly people, to ensure continued, equitable access to care.

These non-digital routes must be available for all services provided by NHS organisations.

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking to help ensure that older people feel able to challenge ageism in the workplace.

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

I refer the Hon member to the answer on 1 September 2025 (PQs 69429, 69430).

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking to help ensure that older people feel able to challenge ageism in society.

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

I refer the Hon member to the answer on 1 September 2025 (PQs 69429, 69430).

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to support hair salons.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Small businesses in the hair and beauty sector play an important role in supporting jobs, high streets and local economies. We’ve introduced permanently lower business rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties and have provided £4.3bn to shield ratepayers from bill increases.

We continue to back employers who take on apprentices, by providing £1,000 to both employers and training providers when they take on apprentices aged under 19; employers are not required to pay National Insurance Contributions for all apprentices aged up to age 25 (when the employee’s wage is below £50,270 a year). Additionally, the government pays the full training costs for young apprentices aged 16 to 21, and for apprentices aged 22 to 24 who have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan or have been in local authority care, when their employer has fewer than 50 employees.

I will continue to engage closely with the sector, including through the Personal Care Roundtables, to ensure the industry’s long-term growth. This includes working with hair and beauty businesses as we bring forward a new High Streets Strategy later this year.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help improve access to public tennis courts.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, should have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That has to mean delivering a range of facilities across the country based on what each local community needs.

We provide the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England - which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding into grassroots sport across England, including providing support for the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA).

In 2026/27, £15 million will be invested into innovative facilities in England to help improve access to the sports that people wish to participate in.

We are working closely with the sport sector - including the LTA - and local leaders to develop plans for funding for a range of sports across the country. This will ensure that our investment in community grassroots sports facilities reaches as many people as possible to reduce inactivity levels.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the business rates system on hair salon businesses.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years. Revaluations ensure that the rateable values of properties (i.e. the tax base) remain in line with market changes, and that the tax rates adjust to reflect changes in the tax base.

At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties.

To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years, including to protect ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down. Government support also means that most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest.

The Government is also introducing new permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £1 billion per year and will benefit over 750,000 properties.

More broadly, later this year, the Government will bring forward a new High Streets Strategy to reinvigorate our communities. The Government will work with businesses and representative bodies to pull this Strategy together.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of business rates on hospitality businesses in Ashfield constituency.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years. Revaluations ensure that the rateable values of properties (i.e. the tax base) remain in line with market changes, and that the tax rates adjust to reflect changes in the tax base.

At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties.

To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years, including to protect ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down. Government support also means that most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest.

The Government is also introducing new permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £1 billion per year and will benefit over 750,000 properties.

More broadly, later this year, the Government will bring forward a new High Streets Strategy to reinvigorate our communities. The Government will work with businesses and representative bodies to pull this Strategy together.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of business closures on the UK economy.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The latest statistics show that, on average, 312,000 businesses closed per year between 2019-2024, with 280,000 businesses closing in 2024. However, business births have exceeded closures over this period.

The table below illustrates the total business closures from 2019-2024, broken down for each year:

The table below illustrates the total business births from 2019-2024, broken down for each year:

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of her policies on levels of unemployment.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Economic growth is this government’s number one priority.

The OBR’s November forecast, which accounts for the impacts of government policy, judges that employment will increase in every year of the forecast, and will be higher in every year than in their Spring 2025 forecast.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of employer costs on recruitment freezes the private sector.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Economic growth is this government’s number one priority.

The OBR’s November forecast, which accounts for the impacts of government policy, judge that employment will increase in every year of the forecast, and will be higher in every year, than in their Spring 2025 forecast.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of costs for businesses on unemployment levels.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Economic growth is this government’s number one priority.

Businesses have choices about how they respond to changes in their costs, including through adjusting profits, prices, and patterns of employment, meaning employment is not mechanically affected by any increase in costs.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if his Department will provide an estimate of the total cost of legal aid for foreign nationals in the last 5 years.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

This information requested is not held centrally.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department hold data on the number of foreign nationals who have received legal aid.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

This information requested is not held centrally.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what targets his Department has for NHS trusts regarding wait times for an ultrasound scan.

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

We are committed to transforming diagnostic services and will support the National Health Service to increase diagnostic capacity to bring down the size of the list and reduce waiting times, including for ultrasound.

The National Imaging Data Collection (NIDC) is an annual retrospective data collection for NHS imaging services within England, including the number of reported imaging assets, including ultrasound scanners. The latest collection was published in February 2026 and details that as of March 2025, there were 3,620 ultrasound assets in England, an increase of 152 compared to March 2024. The NIDC can be found at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/diagnostic-imaging-dataset/national-imaging-data-collection/

The constitutional standard for patients waiting for a diagnostic test, including non-obstetric ultrasound, is that no more than 1% of patients will wait over six weeks from the point of referral. NHS England’s Medium Term Planning Framework formally commits the NHS to achieve this 1% constitutional standard by March 2029. By March 2027, the national performance target is that no more than 14% of patients are waiting over six weeks for a test, with every system required to deliver a minimum 3% performance improvement or ensure performance is at 20% or lower, whichever level of improvement is greater.

Six-week wait performance for non-obstetric ultrasound is published as part of the Diagnostics Waiting Times and Activity data collection, which can be found at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/diagnostics-waiting-times-and-activity/monthly-diagnostics-waiting-times-and-activity/monthly-diagnostics-data-2025-26/

As at the end of December 2025, 21.4% of patients, or 132,475 patients, were waiting more than six weeks for a non-obstetric ultrasound.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help tackle the increase in respiratory conditions.

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

The Government has committed to delivering three big shifts that our National Health Service needs to be fit for the future: from hospital to community; from analogue to digital; and from sickness to prevention. All of these are relevant to improving respiratory health in all parts of the country.

Through our community diagnostic centres we are building capacity for respiratory testing and enabling people to get diagnosed closer to home. 101 community diagnostic centres across the country now offer out of hours services, 12 hours a day and seven days a week, meaning patients can access vital diagnostic tests around busy working lives.

This is alongside action being taken to expand capacity and improve the quality of pulmonary rehabilitation services to support patients living with respiratory conditions. We are also taking action to reduce the causes of respiratory conditions, for instance by enabling a smoke free generation and cross Government action to improve air quality.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help improve the diagnosis of respiratory conditions.

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

The Government has committed to delivering three big shifts that our National Health Service needs to be fit for the future: from hospital to community; from analogue to digital; and from sickness to prevention. All of these are relevant to improving respiratory health in all parts of the country.

Through our community diagnostic centres we are building capacity for respiratory testing and enabling people to get diagnosed closer to home. 101 community diagnostic centres across the country now offer out of hours services, 12 hours a day and seven days a week, meaning patients can access vital diagnostic tests around busy working lives.

This is alongside action being taken to expand capacity and improve the quality of pulmonary rehabilitation services to support patients living with respiratory conditions. We are also taking action to reduce the causes of respiratory conditions, for instance by enabling a smoke free generation and cross Government action to improve air quality.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of NHS ultrasound provision.

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

We are committed to transforming diagnostic services and will support the National Health Service to increase diagnostic capacity to bring down the size of the list and reduce waiting times, including for ultrasound.

The National Imaging Data Collection (NIDC) is an annual retrospective data collection for NHS imaging services within England, including the number of reported imaging assets, including ultrasound scanners. The latest collection was published in February 2026 and details that as of March 2025, there were 3,620 ultrasound assets in England, an increase of 152 compared to March 2024. The NIDC can be found at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/diagnostic-imaging-dataset/national-imaging-data-collection/

The constitutional standard for patients waiting for a diagnostic test, including non-obstetric ultrasound, is that no more than 1% of patients will wait over six weeks from the point of referral. NHS England’s Medium Term Planning Framework formally commits the NHS to achieve this 1% constitutional standard by March 2029. By March 2027, the national performance target is that no more than 14% of patients are waiting over six weeks for a test, with every system required to deliver a minimum 3% performance improvement or ensure performance is at 20% or lower, whichever level of improvement is greater.

Six-week wait performance for non-obstetric ultrasound is published as part of the Diagnostics Waiting Times and Activity data collection, which can be found at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/diagnostics-waiting-times-and-activity/monthly-diagnostics-waiting-times-and-activity/monthly-diagnostics-data-2025-26/

As at the end of December 2025, 21.4% of patients, or 132,475 patients, were waiting more than six weeks for a non-obstetric ultrasound.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure pregnant women can access an emergency ultrasound scan in NHS hospitals within 24 hours of coming into A&E.

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

Pregnant women presenting at accident and emergency departments should be assessed and will receive additional care, such as further investigations, which may include an ultrasound scan, where clinical assessment indicates a need.

Only in the context of the mother's presentation relating to concern around health or viability of the foetus would urgent scanning be required. This would be provided in an Early Pregnancy Unit for complications in the first trimester or maternity ultrasound services for complications in later pregnancy.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 6 February 2026 to Question 103857, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the number of publicly-funded (a) medical and (b) dental training places.

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

The Government is committed to training the staff we need, including doctors and dentists, to ensure patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it.

The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out action to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed services set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase the number of clinical (a) radiologists and (b) oncologists in the East Midlands.

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

The newly published National Cancer Plan highlights how we will work with the royal colleges to encourage resident doctors and internal medicine trainees to specialise in clinical and medical oncology. In addition, we will rebalance cancer and diagnostic medical training places to remote, rural, and coastal areas and target grants to train cancer nurse specialists in high-need areas. We have more doctors and consultants working in clinical oncology than a year ago. This will benefit patients across the country, including in the East Midlands.

The 10-Year Health Plan, published on 3 July 2025, set out that over the next three years we will create 1,000 new specialty training posts with a focus on specialties where there is the greatest need. The Government will set out its next steps on this in due course.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure people in rural communities can access library services.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 requires all local authorities in England to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service. Each local authority is responsible for assessing the needs of their local communities and designing a library service to meet those needs within their available resources.

Library service provision, including the number and location of static libraries, should take account of factors such as the rurality of the area and the availability and cost of public transport links. The statutory library provision in Nottinghamshire is delivered from 58 static libraries, as well as a mobile library service, consisting of three library vehicles, and a home library service.

The Libraries Improvement Fund which enables library services to upgrade buildings and technology so they are better placed to respond to the changing ways people are using them, has, since June 2021, provided nearly £400,000 to support various projects in Nottinghamshire libraries, including self-service technology in Huthwaite.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help reduce loneliness among older people.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

This Government is committed to supporting people at risk of loneliness, including the elderly, to have the social connections they need. Our ambition to strengthen positive social connections is a key part of achieving wider government objectives to create a healthier society and more connected communities across all ages. My department has been working hard to ensure social connection and tackling loneliness are key themes throughout government policy.

The government funds the Tackling Loneliness Hub, an online forum for people working on loneliness to come together and share insights, research and best practice.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential mental impact of delays to getting an ultrasound scan on pregnant women.

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

Women are usually offered two ultrasound scans during their pregnancy, around weeks 12 and 20, although more may be recommended based on their health and the pregnancy. No assessment has been made of the potential mental impact of delays to getting an ultrasound scan on pregnant women.

Midwives and general practitioners are available discuss any concerns during pregnancy in the first instance. They can also refer women to specialist mental health services, which are available in England for those women who experience mental health difficulties as a result of their pregnancy.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions her Department has had with relevant stakeholders in education to discuss antisocial behaviour amongst school children.

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

The department engages regularly with teachers and headteachers and their representative bodies on a range of issues, including pupil behaviour.

All schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy which outlines effective strategies that encourage good behaviour.

The department’s existing ‘Behaviour in schools’ guidance states that schools should make clear to pupils that good behaviour does not end at the school gate. Schools have the power to sanction pupils for misbehaviour outside of the school premises to a reasonable extent.

To support schools, the department is establishing 93 new regional improvements for standards and excellence Attendance and Behaviour Hubs. These hubs will be led by schools with excellent attendance and behaviour practice which will work closely with other schools to help improve their approach.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle persistent absence at (a) primary and (b) secondary schools.

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

The department is taking a range of measures to tackle persistent absence in both primary and secondary schools. The statutory guidance ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ requires schools to take a support-first approach, including appointing a Senior Attendance champion, publishing a clear and easily-accessible attendance policy and to work in partnership with local authorities to reduce levels of absence. The full guidance is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66bf300da44f1c4c23e5bd1b/Working_together_to_improve_school_attendance_-_August_2024.pdf.

Schools, trusts and local authorities also benefit from the department’s real-time attendance data tools and attendance toolkits, which enable early identification of emerging issues and support adoption of effective practice. Bespoke minimum attendance targets further assist schools in returning to pre-pandemic levels.

To support schools requiring additional intervention, the department launched new regional improvements for standards and excellence (RISE) attendance and behaviour hubs in January, with the capacity to support over 3,000 schools and deliver targeted assistance to up to 500. The national attendance mentoring programme is providing one-to-one support for 10,000 persistently absent pupils.

We are also addressing wider barriers through expanded primary breakfast clubs and increased access to specialist mental health professionals in every school.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent estimate she has made of the level of digital exclusion in the UK.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Everyone should be able to benefit from the digital world – helping families save money, get a better job, and access services like the NHS more easily.

But we know some people face real barriers. In 2025, 5% of UK adults were offline and many homes don’t have a suitable device: 6% of UK households didn’t have a smartphone, and 26% didn’t have a laptop. Whilst 8% of adults in the UK lack the essential digital skills for life.

That's why we published the Digital Inclusion Action Plan, and why we’re now delivering the foundations: better connectivity with a range of affordable options, direct support to build digital access, skills and confidence in communities across the UK, and more devices reaching people who need them. The Government is clear that everyone should be able to benefit from the digital world – and more is needed to ensure this.

Findings from DSIT’s Public Engagement Survey, which will be published in summer 2026, will provide updated, high-quality evidence on the incidence and drivers of digital exclusion across the UK.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to reduce digital exclusion.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Everyone should be able to benefit from the digital world – helping families save money, get a better job, and access services like the NHS more easily.

But we know some people face real barriers. In 2025, 5% of UK adults were offline and many homes don’t have a suitable device: 6% of UK households didn’t have a smartphone, and 26% didn’t have a laptop. Whilst 8% of adults in the UK lack the essential digital skills for life.

That's why we published the Digital Inclusion Action Plan, and why we’re now delivering the foundations: better connectivity with a range of affordable options, direct support to build digital access, skills and confidence in communities across the UK, and more devices reaching people who need them. The Government is clear that everyone should be able to benefit from the digital world – and more is needed to ensure this.

Findings from DSIT’s Public Engagement Survey, which will be published in summer 2026, will provide updated, high-quality evidence on the incidence and drivers of digital exclusion across the UK.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of AI use on academic integrity.

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

The department monitors the emerging impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) on education, including risks to academic integrity. Our published policy position on generative AI is evidence-based and sets out clear expectations for schools and colleges on safe, responsible and ethical use.

We work closely with regulators to ensure that academic integrity is protected and that providers have the support they need to prevent and respond to misuse of AI. In 2025 the Joint Council for Qualifications supported by Ofqual updated their guidance for schools on AI use in assessments. This provides clarity for teachers and assessors in identifying and managing potential malpractice and maintaining integrity of assessment. We have also made wider support materials publicly available that help education staff manage risks, promote ethical use, and reinforce robust approaches to detecting and addressing issues.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what (a) cultural and (b) arts related projects have received UK foreign aid funding in the last year.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Hon Member can find details of all projects funded through Official Development Assistance on the Development Tracker website.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will commit to increasing domestic steel production.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The steel strategy, to be published in early 2026, will set out a long-term vision for a competitive, decarbonised sector, with the aim of attracting new private investment to secure UK steelmaking and increasing overall levels of UK based production.

We’re providing up to £2.5 billion to rebuild the steel sector, delivered in part through the National Wealth Fund. This is in addition to the £500m we have invested in the transformation of Port Talbot. We have also taken direct action to protect steel production at British Steel and provided a £400 million increase to the investment at Sheffield Forgemasters.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of minimum wage changes on employment opportunities for 18-20 year olds.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

We remain committed to removing discriminatory adult age band. From 1 April, the National Minimum Wage rate for 18 to 20 year olds will increase by 8.5 per cent, continuing to narrow the gap with the National Living Wage and moving towards a single adult rate.

The Department has published an Impact Assessment providing a comprehensive analysis of the 2026 National Minimum Wage rates.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to help tackle (a) unemployment rates and (b) job displacement.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Economic growth is this Government’s first mission; we are committed to creating good jobs, helping more people into work and raising living standards.

DWP is tackling unemployment by reshaping our employment support offer to break down barriers related to skills, health and progression. For example, we are transforming our Jobcentres into a modern Jobs and Careers Service; ensuring support for young people through our flagship Youth Guarantee; empowering local areas to explore new ways to reduce economic inactivity through youth and inactivity trailblazers; and, developing tailored support for those with health conditions and disabilities.

To adapt and mitigate the risk of job displacement, this Government is driving a programme to manage AI driven labour market shifts, supported by the newly established AI and Future of Work Unit, which monitors emerging trends and coordinates the policy response across government. This Government is investing £187 million in digital and AI learning as well as working towards training 7.5 million workers in essential AI skills by 2030 through joint work between Skills England and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

This is in conjunction with a range of wider reskilling opportunities, such as Sector Based Work Academy Programme (SWAPs) which provides opportunities to those who are looking to change career or sectors through providing placements for pre-employment training, a work experience placement and a guaranteed interview for a real job.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to encourage inwards direct investment.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Growth is this Government’s central economic mission. We have set out a long-term Industrial Strategy and Infrastructure Strategy to give investors the certainty they need to commit capital to the UK. A stable policy environment, competitive tax system and clear long-term planning underpin that confidence.

The enhanced Office for Investment works across Government to secure high-value investment, offering tailored support, removing barriers and fast-tracking investment decisions, including through the concierge and triage services. We have also mobilised the Global Talent Taskforce to attract world-class expertise to the UK. Together, these measures are driving inward investment and growth across the whole of the United Kingdom.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent estimate he has made of levels of homelessness.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government regularly publishes data on homelessness on gov.uk here.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of guidelines on support for SEND children in the mainstream education system.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

To support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), we will help mainstream settings to make the necessary changes to embed inclusive practice. We will develop new National Inclusion Standards to bring greater clarity and evidence to this space. These will set out, for the first time, support that should be available in every mainstream setting, and we will appoint an expert panel to develop and make recommendations regarding the content of the National Inclusion Standards.

The SEND Code of Practice provides statutory guidance for organisations supporting children with SEND. We have committed to updating the Code to reflect changes in the SEND system and findings of recent independent scrutiny, including from the Education Select Committee. The updated Code will clarify responsibilities for mainstream settings and establish a consistent approach to supporting children with SEND.

We are consulting on proposals to reform the SEND system, and the consultation is accessible at: https://consult.education.gov.uk/send-strategy-division/send-reform-putting-children-and-young-people-firs/. We will undertake a separate, full public consultation on the proposed changes to the Code of Practice to reflect best practice and the views of children and young people, families and professionals.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he has considered the potential merits of preventing foreign nationals from being able to claim universal credit.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Most migrants with temporary visas cannot access public fund benefits such as Universal Credit. Access is usually at the point of settlement, which for most people will be after they have lived in the UK legally for five years, and the Home Office plans to increase this to ten years. The Home Office is also consulting on changing the default position to maintain No Recourse to Public Funds at settlement and lifting this only at the point of British citizenship.

This year the Government also plans to consult on whether the residence tests in taxpayer funded benefits should be changed to prioritise access for those who are making an economic contribution to the UK. The consultation will look at how the benefit rules apply to those coming or returning to the UK.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of available prison spaces.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

As set out in the December 2024 10-Year Prison Capacity Strategy, this Government is committed to delivering an additional 14,000 prison places and aims to do so by 2031. Our build programme consists of the construction of four new prisons, including HMP Millsike delivered in March 2025, as well as the expansion and refurbishment of the existing estate. We broke ground at the site of the new prison HMP Welland Oaks in Leicestershire in November 2025.

This Government has invested £4.7 billion over the spending review period (2026/27 to 2028/29) to enable the delivery of these additional prison places at pace, and we have already delivered c.3,100 since taking office. We are also committed to undertaking critical maintenance work and the ambition to acquire more land for future prisons, should they be required.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what procedures are in place to help prevent the inward transmission of diseases to through international airports.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The UK Biological Security Strategy provides the overarching national strategic framework for biological risks.

The Public Health Aircraft Regulations (1979) require commanders of incoming aircraft to notify authorities if there is any suspicion of infectious disease. In England, Port Health Authorities and local authorities have statutory responsibility for public health, which includes ensuring that arrangements are in place to help prevent the inward transmission of disease entering their respective ports. An example is monitoring vector control measures such as disinsection, or the measures to kill insect vectors of human disease.

In English airports, the authorities appoint Medical Officers responsible for notifying, coordinating, investigating, and responding to public health risks in collaboration with UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) regional health protection teams. UKHSA regional health protection teams plan for and respond to incidents for health hazards at ports of entry, supported by the national UKHSA Border Health team. Assessment, treatment, and care of patients is undertaken by the National Health Service through routine pathways.

Additional proportionate measures may be put in place in response to significant incidents or outbreaks which are coordinated nationally. Pre-entry screening for tuberculosis (TB) is also compulsory for those who wish to stay in the United Kingdom for over six months and are travelling from a country where TB is common. Information on TB Screening for the UK is published at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tuberculosis-tb-screening-for-the-uk-leaflet/tb-screening-for-the-uk

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government it taking to strengthen international relations with Japan.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK-Japan bilateral relationship is at its strongest in decades, underpinned by our enhanced Global Strategic Partnership. As the Prime Minister set out in his statement to the House on 2 February, our priorities for deepening our partnership further include working together for peace and security and boosting growth and resilience through cooperation in tech and innovation, energy, and trade. I also refer him to the details of my own visit to Japan in December, including the speech I made to the Tokyo Economic Security Forum on 15 December.

www.gov.uk/government/news/indo-pacific-minister-seema-malhotra-visits-japan

www.gov.uk/government/speeches/tokyo-economic-security-forum-keynote-address

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of incorrect information in AI (a) learning resources and (b) tutoring on children’s educational attainment.

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

The department recognises the importance of ensuring that artificial intelligence (AI) used in education is safe, evidence-based and supports genuine learning.

In January 2026, to complement work on the safe and effective use of AI, including our 5-point plan for AI in education, benchmarking, and the AI Education Content Store, the department announced that it was updating its generative AI product safety standards. Through programmes such as the EdTech testbeds and AI tutoring trials, we are generating robust evidence on the impact of AI on attainment, ensuring schools can make informed choices and that tools genuinely enhance teaching and learning.

Following the recommendations of the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, we are strengthening digital education, with topics such as AI being incorporated within the revised computing curriculum. Alongside this, updated relationships, sex and health education statutory guidance, required from September 2026, includes additional content on online safety, including identification of deepfakes and other misinformation.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure foster carers receive adequate (a) financial and (b) mental support.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department is taking wide‑ranging action to strengthen foster care and ensure that children receive the support they need to thrive.

We have launched an ambitious fostering reform programme that aims to create 10,000 additional foster placements during this Parliament. These reforms are designed to reverse the long‑term decline in fostering capacity, expand the number of suitable homes, and rebuild the system so children can grow up in loving, local family settings with carers who feel trusted and valued. To achieve this, we are improving regional coordination so local authorities can work more effectively together, and we are re-writing the rule book to prioritise stable, trusted relationships.

Foster carers must be thoroughly assessed before approval. All prospective carers undergo rigorous checks and training, and our updated standards will help services ensure assessments are robust, consistent, and focused on the skills needed to provide high quality care.

To support long‑term retention, our reforms will ensure stronger wraparound support, so foster carers receive the practical and emotional help they need. This includes use of carers’ wider support networks, peer support and training. These measures aim to improve the experience of current carers and to encourage more people to come forward.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that new foster carers are adequately vetted.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department is taking wide‑ranging action to strengthen foster care and ensure that children receive the support they need to thrive.

We have launched an ambitious fostering reform programme that aims to create 10,000 additional foster placements during this Parliament. These reforms are designed to reverse the long‑term decline in fostering capacity, expand the number of suitable homes, and rebuild the system so children can grow up in loving, local family settings with carers who feel trusted and valued. To achieve this, we are improving regional coordination so local authorities can work more effectively together, and we are re-writing the rule book to prioritise stable, trusted relationships.

Foster carers must be thoroughly assessed before approval. All prospective carers undergo rigorous checks and training, and our updated standards will help services ensure assessments are robust, consistent, and focused on the skills needed to provide high quality care.

To support long‑term retention, our reforms will ensure stronger wraparound support, so foster carers receive the practical and emotional help they need. This includes use of carers’ wider support networks, peer support and training. These measures aim to improve the experience of current carers and to encourage more people to come forward.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to increase long term retention rates for foster carers.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department is taking wide‑ranging action to strengthen foster care and ensure that children receive the support they need to thrive.

We have launched an ambitious fostering reform programme that aims to create 10,000 additional foster placements during this Parliament. These reforms are designed to reverse the long‑term decline in fostering capacity, expand the number of suitable homes, and rebuild the system so children can grow up in loving, local family settings with carers who feel trusted and valued. To achieve this, we are improving regional coordination so local authorities can work more effectively together, and we are re-writing the rule book to prioritise stable, trusted relationships.

Foster carers must be thoroughly assessed before approval. All prospective carers undergo rigorous checks and training, and our updated standards will help services ensure assessments are robust, consistent, and focused on the skills needed to provide high quality care.

To support long‑term retention, our reforms will ensure stronger wraparound support, so foster carers receive the practical and emotional help they need. This includes use of carers’ wider support networks, peer support and training. These measures aim to improve the experience of current carers and to encourage more people to come forward.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she engaged with (a) the Security Service and (b) other security agencies prior to the approval of the planned Chinese Embassy by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the statement made by the Security Minister on 20 January.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what security assessments her Department undertook ahead of the approval of the planned Chinese Embassy by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the statement made by the Security Minister on 20 January.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure children in the foster care system are able to access suitable foster carers in their local area.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department is committed to ensuring that children can access suitable foster placements close to home. Our fostering reforms will expand national capacity and strengthen regional collaboration, improve recruitment and matching processes, and assist local authorities to maintain stable local options.

In the East Midlands specifically, the Foster for East Midlands regional fostering hub is helping increase recruitment by providing a single, streamlined point of entry for enquiries across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. The hub offers clear information, specialist advice and consistent, high quality support to prospective carers, and has already generated strong interest since launch. It also incorporates initiatives such as Mockingbird constellations, which demonstrate the supportive networks available to carers and help increase the appeal of fostering by reducing isolation and enabling a strong community ethos.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the costs to local authorities of providing social care and related services to asylum seekers.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Ministers and officials from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government engage regularly with counterparts in the Home Office on a range of issues, including on matters relating to local government.

The Home Office has overall responsibility for asylum policy, and continues to work closely with local authorities to understand the pressures arising from the provision of asylum seeker services including the impact on wider local authority obligations and plans.

For more information about social care spend on asylum seekers, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 111400 on 5 February 2026.

As has been the case under successive administrations, government does not normally disclose details of internal discussions.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her department is taking to increase the number of approved foster carers in Nottinghamshire.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department is committed to ensuring that children can access suitable foster placements close to home. Our fostering reforms will expand national capacity and strengthen regional collaboration, improve recruitment and matching processes, and assist local authorities to maintain stable local options.

In the East Midlands specifically, the Foster for East Midlands regional fostering hub is helping increase recruitment by providing a single, streamlined point of entry for enquiries across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. The hub offers clear information, specialist advice and consistent, high quality support to prospective carers, and has already generated strong interest since launch. It also incorporates initiatives such as Mockingbird constellations, which demonstrate the supportive networks available to carers and help increase the appeal of fostering by reducing isolation and enabling a strong community ethos.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce bullying in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools.

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

Tackling and preventing bullying in schools is essential to ensuring that schools can provide calm and inclusive learning environments. All schools are legally required to have a behaviour policy with measures to prevent all forms of bullying. They have the freedom to develop their own anti-bullying strategies appropriate to their environment and are held to account by Ofsted.

Where bullying is reported, it is important that schools take prompt action to support the pupil and prevent the bullying from happening again. ​Ofsted’s renewed Education Inspection Framework, which has been in use from November 2025, evaluates a school’s approach to bullying during school inspections. This is considered through the lens of the attendance and behaviour evaluation area.

​To support schools, the department has procured for the development of a bespoke evidence-based toolkit for teachers to guide them through approaches to tackling misbehaviour and bullying, and actions to focus on prevention. ​

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to reduce regional inequalities in the ability to access private tutoring.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ White Paper sets out plans to build on support at home with a stretching, enriching and inclusive school experience to ensure every child has what they need to get on in life.

We know that many schools use their pupil premium to fund tuition. Schools can use their pupil premium to provide peer tutoring and one-to-one or small group tuition when choosing support that will most improve progress, using the department’s ‘menu of approaches’, which is informed by evidence of how best to improve disadvantaged pupils’ attainment.

Through our AI Tutoring Tools Programme, we will be co‑creating and trialling curriculum‑aligned, safe‑by‑design AI tutoring tools with teachers, pupils and experts. This will support teaching, build evidence of impact on attainment and inclusion to ensure pupils, including those who often cannot access private tuition, benefit from high quality individual learning support.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure children from disadvantaged backgrounds can access private tutoring.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ White Paper sets out plans to build on support at home with a stretching, enriching and inclusive school experience to ensure every child has what they need to get on in life.

We know that many schools use their pupil premium to fund tuition. Schools can use their pupil premium to provide peer tutoring and one-to-one or small group tuition when choosing support that will most improve progress, using the department’s ‘menu of approaches’, which is informed by evidence of how best to improve disadvantaged pupils’ attainment.

Through our AI Tutoring Tools Programme, we will be co‑creating and trialling curriculum‑aligned, safe‑by‑design AI tutoring tools with teachers, pupils and experts. This will support teaching, build evidence of impact on attainment and inclusion to ensure pupils, including those who often cannot access private tuition, benefit from high quality individual learning support.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support her Department offers to state schools to ensure the provision of adequate tutoring for pupils.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ White Paper sets out plans to build on support at home with a stretching, enriching and inclusive school experience to ensure every child has what they need to get on in life.

We know that many schools use their pupil premium to fund tuition. Schools can use their pupil premium to provide peer tutoring and one-to-one or small group tuition when choosing support that will most improve progress, using the department’s ‘menu of approaches’, which is informed by evidence of how best to improve disadvantaged pupils’ attainment.

Through our AI Tutoring Tools Programme, we will be co‑creating and trialling curriculum‑aligned, safe‑by‑design AI tutoring tools with teachers, pupils and experts. This will support teaching, build evidence of impact on attainment and inclusion to ensure pupils, including those who often cannot access private tuition, benefit from high quality individual learning support.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of in person GP appointments.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government has committed to guarantee a face-to-face appointment for all those who want one. The National Health Service is clear that general practices must provide face-to-face appointments, alongside remote consultations, and patients’ input into consultation type should be sought and their preferences for face-to-face care respected unless there are good clinical reasons to the contrary.

We are boosting capacity in general practice so patients can get the appointments they need, including face‑to‑face. We have invested £160 million through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme to bring over 2,000 extra General Practitioners (GPs) into Primary Care Networks, increasing appointment availability across England.

We are investing a further £485 million in 2026/27, bringing the total spend on the GP contract to over £13.8 billion and introducing a new practice‑level GP reimbursement scheme. The scheme, worth £292 million, will fund additional GPs or more GP sessions with existing GPs, equivalent to around 1,600 full‑time GPs nationally. This will strengthen capacity, improve access to face-to-face appointments and improve patient satisfaction.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she considered the the future of Diego Garcia after the 99-year lease agreed in the Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill expires.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the details of the duration of the treaty set out in the Explanatory Memorandum published on 22 May 2025, and to the extensive discussion of all these issues that has subsequently taken place during the passage of the Bill.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure people do not have to wait to access mental health services.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The 10-Year Health Plan sets out ambitious plans to boost mental health support across the country. This includes transforming mental health services into community-based mental health centres, improving assertive outreach and access to timely mental health care, expanding talking therapies, and giving patients better access to 24/7 support directly through the NHS App.

The plan will build on the work that has already begun to bring down waiting lists. This includes providing an extra £688 million in Government funding this year to transform mental health services, in order to hire more staff, deliver more early interventions, and get waiting lists down. Almost 8,000 additional mental health workers have been recruited since July 2025, latest data shows.

The latest recruitment milestone means the government has almost reached its target of hiring an additional 8,500 mental health staff, helping get people the care they need so they can get back to work, school and doing what they love.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her department is taking to ensure children in foster care receive adequate mental support.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government is committed to ensuring children in foster care receive appropriate emotional and mental health support. Regulations require every looked-after child to have their emotional and mental health assessed by a medical practitioner. Local authorities must ensure this happens. Integrated care boards and NHS England must cooperate with requests for services. Joint statutory guidance sets clear expectations that local authorities and health partners should promote wellbeing, act early on signs of difficulty, and ensure assessors have the right skills. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/promoting-the-health-and-wellbeing-of-looked-after-children--2.

We are working with the Department of Health and Social Care to strengthen mental health support for care‑experienced children. Through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, new corporate parenting responsibilities will be placed on government departments and relevant public bodies, ensuring they consider the needs of looked-after children and care leavers when designing and delivering health services. In December 2025, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and I announced a three year pilot to ensure children in care have access to the support they need sooner. This will build on existing work across the country, bringing social workers and NHS professionals together to provide direct mental health support to children and families when they need it most.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure children in foster care are sufficiently supported in the mainstream education system.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Every local authority in England must appoint a Virtual School Head to promote the educational attainment of the children they look after, including children in foster care, wherever they live or are educated. All schools must also appoint a designated teacher with expertise in the needs of looked-after children. These children attract pupil premium plus funding of £2,630 per child up to the age of 16, managed by the Virtual School Head, to support meeting objectives in each child’s individual Personal Education Plan. We also provide post‑16 funding to help young people progress into further and higher education, training or employment. The full offer for children in care is set out in in the ‘Promoting the education of looked-after and previously looked-after children’ statutory guidance, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/promoting-the-education-of-looked-after-children.

Through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, we are extending the Virtual School Head’s duties to include promoting the educational achievement of all children with a social worker and children in kinship care.

Found: Session 2024−25 Wednesday 18 December 2024 Members present Sir Lindsay Hoyle, in the Chair Lee Anderson

Found: Current membership Sir Lindsay Hoyle (Speaker; Chorley) (Chair) Lee Anderson (Reform UK; Ashfield) Mr

Found: Current membership Sir Lindsay Hoyle (Speaker; Chorley) (Chair) Lee Anderson (Reform UK; Ashfield) Mr