Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to (a) promote and (b) monitor the use of individual healthcare plans in schools to support young people living with arthritis.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units to make arrangements for supporting pupils with medical conditions. Some children with medical conditions may be considered to be disabled under the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010. Where this is the case, governing bodies must comply with their duties under that Act.

Governing bodies should ensure that all schools develop a policy for supporting pupils with medical conditions that is reviewed regularly and is readily accessible to parents and school staff. They must ensure that the arrangements they put in place are sufficient to meet their statutory responsibilities and should ensure that policies, plans, procedures and systems are properly and effectively implemented.

The statutory guidance ‘Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions’ recommends the use of individual healthcare plans as good practice. They can help schools support pupils with medical conditions, providing clarity about what needs to be done, when and by whom. The school, healthcare professionals and parents should agree, based on evidence, when a healthcare plan would be appropriate. The guidance can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5ce6a72e40f0b620a103bd53/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions.pdf.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support children living with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis in schools.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units to make arrangements for supporting pupils with medical conditions. Some children with medical conditions may be considered to be disabled under the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010. Where this is the case, governing bodies must comply with their duties under that Act.

Governing bodies should ensure that all schools develop a policy for supporting pupils with medical conditions that is reviewed regularly and is readily accessible to parents and school staff. They must ensure that the arrangements they put in place are sufficient to meet their statutory responsibilities and should ensure that policies, plans, procedures and systems are properly and effectively implemented.

The statutory guidance ‘Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions’ recommends the use of individual healthcare plans as good practice. They can help schools support pupils with medical conditions, providing clarity about what needs to be done, when and by whom. The school, healthcare professionals and parents should agree, based on evidence, when a healthcare plan would be appropriate. The guidance can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5ce6a72e40f0b620a103bd53/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions.pdf.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to provide financial assistance mirroring arrangements for schools via the Music and Dance Scheme to cover the cost of changes to (a) employer National Insurance contributions and (b) the National Minimum Wage.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The Music and Dance Scheme grant funding of both private schools and Centres for Advanced Training relates to financing places via means-tested bursaries only and is not intended as direct funding to meet wider employment costs.

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Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps to exempt training provided by the Music and Dance Scheme from VAT.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Performing arts schools that offer full-time education to children of compulsory school age and/or 16-19 year olds for a charge will remain in scope of the policy to apply VAT to their fees and this includes the Music and Dance Scheme. This is to ensure fairness and consistency across all schools that provide education services and vocational training for a charge. The Government has no plans to exempt further schools from this policy.

However, the Department for Education has decided to adjust its Music and Dance Scheme bursary contribution for families with a relevant income below £45,000 to account for the VAT that will be applied on fees, ensuring that the total parental fee contributions for families with below average relevant incomes remain unchanged for the rest of the 2024/25 academic year.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure investment in social rent homes at the spending review.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

At Spring statement, the government announced an immediate injection of £2 billion to support delivery of the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation and contribute to our ambitious Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament. Further detail can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 25 March 2025 (HCWS549).

The investment made at Spring statement follows the £800 million in new in-year funding which has been made available for the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme and that will support the delivery of up to 7,800 new homes, with more than half of them being Social Rent homes.

We will set out set details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme at the Spending Review. This new investment will deliver a mix of homes for sub-market rent and homeownership, with a particular focus on delivering homes for social rent.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on reducing food supply chain waste through mandatory food waste reporting.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues. No recent discussions have taken place between the Secretary of State and the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the subject of mandatory food waste reporting.

This Government is committed to setting a clear roadmap to a circular economy – a future where our resources are used as efficiently and productively as possible for as long as possible, and waste is reduced. We are reviewing policies to address the challenges associated with tackling food waste in the supply chain and we are working with businesses to drive down food waste and make sure food is put on the plates of those in greatest need. This includes supporting surplus food redistribution to charities and programmes to help citizens reduce their food waste.

Found: _NC1 Tonia Antoniazzi Tracy Gilbert Mrs Sharon Hodgson Carolyn Harris Margaret Mullane Jess Asato

Found: _NC1 Tonia Antoniazzi Tracy Gilbert Mrs Sharon Hodgson Carolyn Harris Margaret Mullane Jess Asato

Found: COMMITTEE STAGE Tuesday 8 April 2025 10 _NC1 Tonia Antoniazzi Tracy Gilbert Mrs Sharon Hodgson Carolyn

Found: COMMITTEE STAGE Monday 7 April 2025 10 _NC1 Tonia Antoniazzi Tracy Gilbert Mrs Sharon Hodgson Carolyn

Found: COMMITTEE STAGE Friday 4 April 2025 10 _NC1 Tonia Antoniazzi Tracy Gilbert Mrs Sharon Hodgson Carolyn

Found: _NC1 Tonia Antoniazzi Tracy Gilbert Mrs Sharon Hodgson Carolyn Harris Margaret Mullane Jess Asato

Found: _NC1 Tonia Antoniazzi Tracy Gilbert Mrs Sharon Hodgson Carolyn Harris Margaret Mullane Jess Asato

Found: _NC1 Tonia Antoniazzi Tracy Gilbert Mrs Sharon Hodgson Carolyn Harris Margaret Mullane Jess Asato

Found: _NC1 Tonia Antoniazzi Tracy Gilbert Mrs Sharon Hodgson Carolyn Harris Margaret Mullane Jess Asato

Found: _NC1 Tonia Antoniazzi Tracy Gilbert Mrs Sharon Hodgson Carolyn Harris Margaret Mullane Jess Asato

Found: _NC1 Tonia Antoniazzi Tracy Gilbert Mrs Sharon Hodgson Carolyn Harris Margaret Mullane Jess Asato