Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many fines were issued to parents for school absence in the last 12 months; and what the value was of those fines.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The most recent data held by the department covers the 2023/24 academic year and is available in the statistical release on parental responsibility measures, which can be accessed here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/parental-responsibility-measures/2023-24.
The information requested covering the last 12 months is not held by the department. Data for 2024/25 will be published in early 2026.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of state-funded schools currently permit the wearing of the (a) niqab and (b) burqa by (i) students and (ii) staff; and whether her Department has issued any guidance on uniform policies and face coverings.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The department has published non-statutory guidance on developing a school uniform policy, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform/school-uniforms. The guidance sets out that it is for the governing body of a school to decide rules about appearance and the design of any uniform they choose to have. Schools must have regard to their obligations under the Human Rights Act 1998 and the Equality Act 2010 and need to consider the impact of their policy on pupils who share a protected characteristic.
The department does not collect data on individual schools’ uniform policies.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if they will make it their policy to not provide (a) translation and (b) interpretation for speakers of non-UK languages for services provided by their Department.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Language service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value for money for taxpayers while maintaining high standards of service delivery.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether their Department plans to amend its policies on access to (a) toilets, (b) changing facilities and (c) other single-sex spaces in (i) Departmental buildings and (ii) other buildings within their Department’s remit following the Supreme Court judgement in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Supreme Court ruling made it clear that the provision of single-sex spaces is on the basis of biological sex. Providers should note and follow the ruling.
It is important that we ensure dignity and respect for all. Trans people should have access to services they need but in keeping with the ruling.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), as Britain’s Equalities watchdog, is developing updated guidance to support service providers. Ministers will consider the EHRC’s updated draft once they have submitted it following further work in light of this ruling.
The government is considering the implications of the Court’s judgment, including what this means for government buildings.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an estimate of the proportion of halal food served in schools.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department does not collect information on the proportion of halal food served in schools.
The government sets out required minimum standards for school food in the School Food Standards. The standards do not specify food requirements in terms of cultural and religious needs. Headteachers, governors and their caterers are best placed to make decisions about their school food policies, taking into account cultural, religious and special dietary needs and by working with parents.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of SEND support recipients were children of non-UK nationals in the latest year for which data is available.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The department does not hold information on the nationality of parents of children with special educational needs.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average cost per pupil was of providing English as an Additional Language support in state schools in the most recent academic year.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
Each year, schools receive core funding from the department to cover their expenditures, which includes teacher salaries, support staff, school resources, and other expenses. The funding schools receive is not ringfenced for any specific form of expenditure and it is for each school to determine how this money will be best used to support their individual children.
The overall core schools budget (CSB) is increasing by £3.2 billion in 2025/26, meaning the CSB will total over £64.8 billion, compared to almost £61.6 billion in 2024/25.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools in England had a majority of pupils without English as a first language in (a) the most recent year for which figures are available and (b) 2005.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The department publishes school-level data on the number and percentage of pupils who have English as an additional language in state-funded schools. This information is available in the ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics’ publication, based on the January school census. The latest figures can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics/2023-24.
School-level data for 2005 is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-pupil-and-their-characteristics-2002-to-2009-data.
English as an additional language does not mean a pupil’s first language is a language other than English, but that they are exposed to another language in the home.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to protect academic and student freedom of speech in schools and universities.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government is absolutely committed to freedom of speech and academic freedom in schools, universities and beyond. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, confirmed to Parliament on 15 January the government’s plans for future of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023, which will create a more proportionate, balanced and less burdensome approach to protecting academic freedom and freedom of speech.
On 28 April, the Secretary of State signed commencement regulations, bringing the following provisions into force from 1 August 2025:
Schools have a statutory duty to ensure a balanced presentation of political issues, but older pupils can engage with the political issues provided activity is conducted sensitively and not targeted at others. The promotion of fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance for those of different faiths and beliefs is considered by Ofsted in their inspections.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many apprenticeships were started by young people aged 16–24 in Great Yarmouth constituency in each of the past five years.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The number of apprenticeship starts in the Great Yarmouth constituency by age group are published in the ‘Apprenticeships’ accredited official statistics publication, which can be accessed here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/a9552480-ccf9-421e-95ad-08dd85738b16. These were last published in March 2025. They include full year figures covering the 2019/20 to 2023/24 academic years, and year-to-date figures for 2024/25 (August 2024 to January 2025).