Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has plans to review the Disability Student Allowance.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department keeps all support funded through the Disabled Students’ Allowance under regular review to ensure that it continues to meet the needs of disabled students. Any future changes will be communicated publicly.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Availability, Accessibility, Acceptability and Quality framework will ensure that scene-based competencies including scene management, evidence recovery, contamination control, forensic photography are (a) delivered and (b) assessed at Level 3.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
On 20 October 2025, alongside the publication of the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, the department published a consultation on Post-16 level 3 and below pathways, which closed on the 12 January. The reforms set out in the consultation simplify the level 3 qualifications landscape into 3 pathways: T Levels, V Levels and A levels. They also reform the level 2 landscape so that it better supports students to progress to level 3 or into employment.
V Levels will focus on core knowledge and skills linked with occupational standards, enabling progression to higher education, apprenticeships, or employment. T Levels combine sector-specific core content with a specialist component that develops competence in an occupation.
As part of our consultation, we have been engaging with the sector on transition arrangements. We will set out our response to the consultation in due course.
The department is working with awarding organisations, training providers, Skills England and sector representative organisations to develop these new qualifications, which will go through a series of checks for their quality and appropriateness for learners before being approved for funding.
The UNICEF Availability, Accessibility, Acceptability and Quality framework is used primarily in humanitarian, healthcare, gender-based violence, and child protection settings to assess barriers to service access, rather than qualification content design. As with all new policies the department needs to meet the Public Sector Equality Duty, and the consultation included an equality and diversity impact assessment.
The information requested on participation and regional access is not held centrally.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether an Equality Impact Assessment been completed and published for changes to scene-based competencies; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of those changes on (a) participation and (b) regional access.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
On 20 October 2025, alongside the publication of the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, the department published a consultation on Post-16 level 3 and below pathways, which closed on the 12 January. The reforms set out in the consultation simplify the level 3 qualifications landscape into 3 pathways: T Levels, V Levels and A levels. They also reform the level 2 landscape so that it better supports students to progress to level 3 or into employment.
V Levels will focus on core knowledge and skills linked with occupational standards, enabling progression to higher education, apprenticeships, or employment. T Levels combine sector-specific core content with a specialist component that develops competence in an occupation.
As part of our consultation, we have been engaging with the sector on transition arrangements. We will set out our response to the consultation in due course.
The department is working with awarding organisations, training providers, Skills England and sector representative organisations to develop these new qualifications, which will go through a series of checks for their quality and appropriateness for learners before being approved for funding.
The UNICEF Availability, Accessibility, Acceptability and Quality framework is used primarily in humanitarian, healthcare, gender-based violence, and child protection settings to assess barriers to service access, rather than qualification content design. As with all new policies the department needs to meet the Public Sector Equality Duty, and the consultation included an equality and diversity impact assessment.
The information requested on participation and regional access is not held centrally.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department will take to set accountability measures to guarantee equitable access to the enrichment entitlement across all regions.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Almost all schools offer some form of enrichment activity to pupils. Ofsted inspects provision as part of its personal development judgement.
To support all schools to develop, improve and widen access to their offers, the department is developing an Enrichment Framework which will include benchmarks for how schools and colleges can build a strategic and intentional offer of enrichment that can benefit all children and young people. The Framework will be published in early 2026.
Our ambition is that all schools should provide an enrichment offer to all pupils that meets the new benchmarks. This includes access to civic engagement, arts and culture, nature, outdoor and adventure, sport and physical activities, and developing wider life skills. We will consult on how enrichment is embedded in School Profiles, ensuring they are co-designed with the input of schools and frontline expertise. To provide more targeted support, we are working closely with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the design of the enrichment expansion programme, and more details will be provided shortly. This will go alongside wider support such as £132.5 million of Dormant Assets funding to support the provision of services, facilities, and opportunities to young people, particularly those from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department will take to scale provision of the enrichment entitlement beyond the 400 schools covered by the £22.5 million enrichment expansion programme.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Almost all schools offer some form of enrichment activity to pupils. Ofsted inspects provision as part of its personal development judgement.
To support all schools to develop, improve and widen access to their offers, the department is developing an Enrichment Framework which will include benchmarks for how schools and colleges can build a strategic and intentional offer of enrichment that can benefit all children and young people. The Framework will be published in early 2026.
Our ambition is that all schools should provide an enrichment offer to all pupils that meets the new benchmarks. This includes access to civic engagement, arts and culture, nature, outdoor and adventure, sport and physical activities, and developing wider life skills. We will consult on how enrichment is embedded in School Profiles, ensuring they are co-designed with the input of schools and frontline expertise. To provide more targeted support, we are working closely with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the design of the enrichment expansion programme, and more details will be provided shortly. This will go alongside wider support such as £132.5 million of Dormant Assets funding to support the provision of services, facilities, and opportunities to young people, particularly those from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to publish a timetable and delivery framework to ensure that the enrichment entitlement becomes a universal offer for all pupils.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Almost all schools offer some form of enrichment activity to pupils. Ofsted inspects provision as part of its personal development judgement.
To support all schools to develop, improve and widen access to their offers, the department is developing an Enrichment Framework which will include benchmarks for how schools and colleges can build a strategic and intentional offer of enrichment that can benefit all children and young people. The Framework will be published in early 2026.
Our ambition is that all schools should provide an enrichment offer to all pupils that meets the new benchmarks. This includes access to civic engagement, arts and culture, nature, outdoor and adventure, sport and physical activities, and developing wider life skills. We will consult on how enrichment is embedded in School Profiles, ensuring they are co-designed with the input of schools and frontline expertise. To provide more targeted support, we are working closely with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the design of the enrichment expansion programme, and more details will be provided shortly. This will go alongside wider support such as £132.5 million of Dormant Assets funding to support the provision of services, facilities, and opportunities to young people, particularly those from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many young people are taking training in digital skills.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Digital and artificial intelligence (AI) skills are essential for young people to succeed in education, employment and to engage effectively in a digital world. Following the recommendations of the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, we are strengthening digital education. The computing curriculum will remain the main route for teaching digital literacy, with clearer guidance on what pupils should learn. We are also considering how digital content should be included within other subjects and will work with experts to assess viability.
To equip pupils for a digitally enabled world, we will replace the computer science GCSE with a broader computing GCSE and incorporate AI, data science, and topics such as bias into the curriculum in an age-appropriate way. We are also exploring a potential Level 3 qualification in data science and AI. Draft proposals will be subject to public consultation later this year.
Evidence on the benefits and risks of students using generative AI is still emerging, so we will continue to build evidence and support the education sector to use AI safely and effectively. Schools using pupil-facing generative AI must carefully follow legal responsibilities, as outlined in our Generative AI policy paper.
Student numbers for a range of approved Level 2 and 3 subjects can be found within educational statistics here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/.
The actions we are taking forward are expected to increase the teaching of digital literacy and AI within the curriculum and encourage more young people to consider digital qualifications, bolstering the future pipeline of talent.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to provide young people with digital skills.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Digital and artificial intelligence (AI) skills are essential for young people to succeed in education, employment and to engage effectively in a digital world. Following the recommendations of the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, we are strengthening digital education. The computing curriculum will remain the main route for teaching digital literacy, with clearer guidance on what pupils should learn. We are also considering how digital content should be included within other subjects and will work with experts to assess viability.
To equip pupils for a digitally enabled world, we will replace the computer science GCSE with a broader computing GCSE and incorporate AI, data science, and topics such as bias into the curriculum in an age-appropriate way. We are also exploring a potential Level 3 qualification in data science and AI. Draft proposals will be subject to public consultation later this year.
Evidence on the benefits and risks of students using generative AI is still emerging, so we will continue to build evidence and support the education sector to use AI safely and effectively. Schools using pupil-facing generative AI must carefully follow legal responsibilities, as outlined in our Generative AI policy paper.
Student numbers for a range of approved Level 2 and 3 subjects can be found within educational statistics here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/.
The actions we are taking forward are expected to increase the teaching of digital literacy and AI within the curriculum and encourage more young people to consider digital qualifications, bolstering the future pipeline of talent.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to engage (a) disabled students and (b) sector representatives when developing policy.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department regularly engages with a range of stakeholders, including organisations representing disabled students, disability experts, higher education providers and the Student Loans Company, to gather feedback and insights that inform policy development. These contributions help ensure that the needs and experiences of disabled students are reflected in the department’s policymaking processes.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps are the government taking to ensure young people can use AI.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Digital and artificial intelligence (AI) skills are essential for young people to succeed in education, employment and to engage effectively in a digital world. Following the recommendations of the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, we are strengthening digital education. The computing curriculum will remain the main route for teaching digital literacy, with clearer guidance on what pupils should learn. We are also considering how digital content should be included within other subjects and will work with experts to assess viability.
To equip pupils for a digitally enabled world, we will replace the computer science GCSE with a broader computing GCSE and incorporate AI, data science, and topics such as bias into the curriculum in an age-appropriate way. We are also exploring a potential Level 3 qualification in data science and AI. Draft proposals will be subject to public consultation later this year.
Evidence on the benefits and risks of students using generative AI is still emerging, so we will continue to build evidence and support the education sector to use AI safely and effectively. Schools using pupil-facing generative AI must carefully follow legal responsibilities, as outlined in our Generative AI policy paper.
Student numbers for a range of approved Level 2 and 3 subjects can be found within educational statistics here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/.
The actions we are taking forward are expected to increase the teaching of digital literacy and AI within the curriculum and encourage more young people to consider digital qualifications, bolstering the future pipeline of talent.