Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) plans to commission research into the effectiveness of formal versus play based learning approaches for children aged 5 to 7.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Curriculum and Assessment Review examined whether England’s curriculum and assessment system is fit for purpose and meets the needs of children and young people. The government’s response set out key national curriculum reforms the department will take forward. We are not commissioning any further research into how the key stage 1 national curriculum should be reformed.
Schools are expected to organise the school day and week in pupils’ best interests, providing a full‑time education suited to their age, aptitude and ability, while allowing time for play and other activities.
The department is working to ensure all children and young people can access a range of enrichment opportunities as part of our mission to break down barriers to opportunity. In some schools, these opportunities may encourage children and young people to play.
Giving young children the best start in life underpins the government’s opportunity mission. Early years are crucial to children’s health, development and life chances. The early years foundation stage statutory framework recognises that play is essential for children’s wellbeing, learning and development, and emphasises the importance of creating cultures that support high quality play.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to expand the use of play based and exploratory learning approaches within Key Stage 1 to support children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Curriculum and Assessment Review examined whether England’s curriculum and assessment system is fit for purpose and meets the needs of children and young people. The government’s response set out key national curriculum reforms the department will take forward. We are not commissioning any further research into how the key stage 1 national curriculum should be reformed.
Schools are expected to organise the school day and week in pupils’ best interests, providing a full‑time education suited to their age, aptitude and ability, while allowing time for play and other activities.
The department is working to ensure all children and young people can access a range of enrichment opportunities as part of our mission to break down barriers to opportunity. In some schools, these opportunities may encourage children and young people to play.
Giving young children the best start in life underpins the government’s opportunity mission. Early years are crucial to children’s health, development and life chances. The early years foundation stage statutory framework recognises that play is essential for children’s wellbeing, learning and development, and emphasises the importance of creating cultures that support high quality play.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the transition from the Early Years Foundation Stage to Year 1 on children’s wellbeing.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The department recognises that moving between key stages can be challenging for some children, and that children’s experience of school can significantly impact their attendance, attainment and wellbeing.
This government is committed to giving every child the best start in life, ensuring they have what they need to achieve and thrive in school. The Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework aims to ensure children have the skills and knowledge needed to thrive and make a successful transition to later schooling.
The government is expanding mental health support teams, so all schools can access specialist mental health professionals, supporting their whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing, and providing early intervention.
The department will also publish a best practice framework to help schools improve pupil experience and engagement. As part of this work, we will consider the evidence around effective transitions strategies that can promote and support children’s wellbeing.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether any recruitment, procurement, or system development activity has been initiated or progressed in relation to Digital Identity and the One Login for Government programme.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The GOV.UK One Login system is fully operational. Users can set up an account, sign in and then prove their identity to access an initial set of 122 government services.
Digital Identity policy is in development, with a dedicated team inside the Cabinet Office working to develop the proposals. Any notices relating to public procurement will be accessible via https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
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 prevent experienced women with non-linear NHS careers from being disproportionately excluded from leadership development opportunities during periods of (a) workforce restructuring and (b) redundancy.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England actively promotes inclusion and accessibility in its formal leadership development programmes, including for experienced women with non-linear careers. Diversity data is monitored at every stage of selection to identify and address any risk of disproportionate exclusion.
National leadership development programmes offered by NHS England are designed to assess potential, skills, and experience rather than continuous career progression. Entry routes are flexible and inclusive, enabling participation from colleagues working part-time, returning from career breaks, or with varied professional backgrounds.
A wider programme of work is underway to support and develop National Health Service leaders including the commitment to establish a College of Executive and Clinical Leadership for the NHS. The college will provide access to development for all levels of managers and leaders, including those with non-linear career paths, to support them to succeed and progress in their NHS careers.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he plans to take to ensure that planned guidance on fiduciary duties for the trust-based private pensions sector provides effective clarity to trustees.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
I refer the Hon. member to the answer I gave on 22 January 2026 to PQ 106678.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
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 that continuous NHS service is recognised across (a) primary, (b) secondary and (c) community care settings for the purposes of (i) redundancy pay and (ii) employment protections.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department understands the significance of recognising continuous service across different parts of the health system. Sections 12 and 16 of the National Health Service terms and conditions of service (Agenda for Change) handbook establish redundancy entitlements and employment protections for staff directly employed on Agenda for Change contracts in England, as well as employees whose contracts refer to Section 16. These arrangements are collectively agreed with NHS trade unions.
Employers such as general practices within primary care operate as independent entities rather than NHS employers. Nevertheless, employers retain discretion to consider non-NHS service when calculating redundancy benefits, where this experience is relevant to NHS employment. NHS policy indicates that it may be reasonable, but is not obligatory, for employers to consider this previous service in the redundancy. These decisions should be mutually agreed upon by both the employer and employee at the point of joining or returning to the NHS.
Collectively, sections 12 and 16 ensure that staff retain redundancy protections when moving between NHS organisations, while affording employers the flexibility to acknowledge any relevant external experience, which supports fairness and consistency in redundancy outcomes across the NHS. NHS Employers provides guidance to support the consistent implementation of NHS redundancy provisions across all settings. Ultimately, NHS organisations are responsible for administering the nationally agreed redundancy terms.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
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 impact of fragmented recognition of service across different NHS sectors on long-serving NHS staff during redundancy processes.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has not made an assessment of how fragmented recognition of service across different National Health Service sectors might affect long-serving NHS staff who face redundancy.
Redundancy entitlements for NHS staff are determined by Section 16 of the NHS Terms and Conditions of Service (Agenda for Change) handbook, which covers employees directly employed on Agenda for Change contracts in England and those whose contracts refer to Section 16. These arrangements are collectively agreed with NHS trade unions and also specify how previous NHS employment is defined and counted when determining redundancy pay.
Local employers are responsible for confirming entitlement to a redundancy payment, and these terms will be stipulated in an employee’s contract of employment. The redundancy rules as described above apply to those employed by NHS employers in England as listed in Annex 1 of the Agenda for Change handbook. Employers must determine an individual’s redundancy entitlement in accordance with Section 16 as nationally agreed between employers and NHS trade unions. If someone has worked outside the NHS but in a role relevant to NHS employment, NHS policy recommends that it would be reasonable, but not a requirement, for employers to consider this service in any redundancy calculation. This consideration should be agreed between the employer and employee either upon joining or returning to the NHS.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in the Report Stage of the Pension Schemes Bill on 3 December 2025, whether the guidance on fiduciary duties will cover the (a) ability to consider system-level risks, (b) ability to consider the impacts of investments and the organisations in which schemes invest, including on members' standard of living, (c) ability to consider members' views and (d) duty to cover matters when they are financially material.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is committed to ensuring that private pension trustees have a clear, range of guidance, with the objective of supporting consideration of wider factors within their existing legal obligations. This will include clarification and practical support on their ability to take account of system level risks, such as climate related risks, and the impacts of investments where these affect members’ long-term outcomes, including their standard of living.
The guidance will also explore how trustees may consider members’ views, provided this remains consistent with investing in members’ best interests, and will reaffirm that trustees should take account of all financially material matters, where appropriate in their investment decision making.
Our objective is for guidance to be delivered in partnership with the pension sector and other interested parties. Work will commence shortly beginning with an industry roundtable to gather views and technical expertise to ensure the guidance meets the identified need.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the principle underlying corporate manslaughter legislation on the regulation of large technology platforms whose design enables the creation and spread of (a) child sexual abuse material and (b) non-consensual deepfakes.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Online Safety Act (OSA) regulatory regime gives platforms clear duties to prevent and remove child sexual abuse material and non-consensual deepfakes. Providers must fully assess risks and design services to be safe. For example, Ofcom has announced an investigation into X to assess if it has complied with its duties to protect people in the UK from content that is illegal in the UK.
The Government keeps all legislative frameworks under review and has also announced that it will bring into effect a new offence covering the creation of non-consensual intimate images.