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 merits of extending the length of paid parental leave.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government is committed to making life better for families. In the Plan to Make Work Pay we promised to review the parental leave system. We are delivering on this commitment and launched this review on 1^st July.

The review presents a much-needed opportunity to consider our approach to the system of parental leave and pay. All current and upcoming parental leave and pay entitlements will be in scope.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the birth rate on school rolls.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The department’s National Pupil Projections are updated annually to take account of the latest population estimates and population projections published by the Office for National Statistics, which incorporate the latest birth rate trends. The department’s projections are published here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/national-pupil-projections/2024.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the Institute for Fiscal Studies' report entitled The short- and medium-term effects of Sure Start on children’s outcomes, published in May 2025.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Institute for Fiscal Studies' report offers interesting insight into parental employment support provided through Sure Start. We will consider the findings and reflect on learning as part of DWPs key strategic aims.

The Department is actively engaged in supporting families including through the work of the child poverty taskforce. The value evidence and analysis as part of this policy making process. The taskforce will consider this report and others in this work.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Centre for Young Lives report, entitled Everything to Play For, published in June 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of decline in the duration of free playtime during school breaktimes on children's (a) development and (b) wellbeing.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The department supports active lunch and break times, and government guidance sets a minimum school week of 32.5 hours, inclusive of breaks, to allow time for play.

The early years foundation stage framework is clear that play is essential for learning and development, with schools and providers responsible for ensuring the school day includes opportunities for social interaction, physical activity and enrichment.

The department also values understanding pupils’ school experience and has recently committed to publishing annual data on, amongst other things, pupils’ sense of belonging, enjoyment and safety at school. In 2026, we will also publish a national best practice framework to support pupil engagement, offering guidance and case studies for schools.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to publish her Department's White Paper on reforms to the SEND system.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

We are clear that the current system is difficult for parents, carers and young people to navigate and simply not delivering the outcomes we want to see for our children.

Details of the government's intended approach to SEND reform will be set out in a Schools White Paper in the autumn.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to increase the number of pupils learning modern foreign languages to GCSE level in Bournemouth.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The department is providing funding to support the uptake of languages across the country. We continue to fund the National Consortium for Languages Education, which delivers online continuing professional development for teachers and a new model of language support for schools. This programme is designed to have national reach, ensuring that all schools can benefit regardless of their location.

To further support languages education, the department is offering a £26,000 tax-free bursary for trainee language teachers starting courses in 2025, or alternatively, a £28,000 tax-free scholarship for those training to teach French, German, or Spanish. Additionally, Oak National Academy is developing modern foreign languages lesson resources for key stages 2 to 4, to be fully released by autumn 2025, helping teachers deliver high-quality lessons and reduce planning time.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the disability employment gap on (a) the public purse and (b) trends in the level of economic growth.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department has published analysis which estimated the costs to the economy of working age ill-health or disabilities that prevent working in the UK, to be between £240 and £330 billion.

The Government is committed to reducing the disability employment gap, as part of a clear ambition to raise the overall employment rate to 80%. The Government has published a set of key indicators, including the disability employment rate gap, which is monitored regularly to assess progress and identify influencing factors.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the potential impact of the NHS 10-Year Plan on (a) levels of employment and (b) the cost to the public purse of (i) health and (ii) incapacity benefits.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department for Work and Pensions and Department of Health and Social Care Joint Work and Health Directorate was set up in recognition of the significant link between work and health and to improve employment opportunities for disabled people and people with health conditions. The Directorate is staffed by officials in both Departments who report to both Department of Health and Social Care and Department for Work and Pensions Ministers. The Secretaries of State and Junior Ministers for Work and Pensions and for Health and Social Care meet on a regular basis.

We know that good work is generally good for health and wellbeing and that there are many disabled people who want to work. Our Pathways to Work Guarantee will provide work, health and skills support for disabled people and those with health conditions claiming out of work benefits.

The Department for Work and Pensions and the Department of Health and Social Care have worked together on the 10 Year Health Plan. The Plan will break down barriers to opportunity by delivering the holistic support that people need to access and thrive in employment by ensuring a better health service for everyone, regardless of condition or service area. The Plan sets out the vision for what good joined-up care looks like for people with a combination of health and care needs, including for disabled people. Furthermore, it outlines how the neighbourhood health service will join up support from across the work, health and skills systems to help address the multiple complex challenges that often stop people finding and staying in work. Neighbourhood health services will support people to access services closer to home, which will benefit people whose disability may make travelling challenging.

NHS Health and Growth Accelerators are testing a novel approach where local NHS systems are supported to increase – and are held accountable for – the impact they have on people’s work status. If those Accelerators are successful, we will expect all integrated care boards (ICBs) to establish specific and measurable outcome targets on their contribution to reducing economic inactivity and unemployment based on this model. In developing that approach, we will expect ICBs to seek the closest possible collaboration with local government partners – including mayors and strategic health authorities in particular – so that citizens benefit from a seamless work, health and skills offer in their area

The Department for Work and Pensions and the Department of Health and Social Care are working together and will continue to do so as the package of reforms is developed in detail.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his polices on the wellbeing of children of the level of effectiveness of the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024 in Australia.

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

We have a close relationship with the Australian government, formalised through the Online Safety and Security MoU. This engagement forms part of our ongoing work to develop the evidence-base and monitor technological developments and international interventions to protect children online.

Under the UK’s Online Safety Act, online platforms are required to put in place strong protections against illegal content and harmful material for children. The government is committed to taking the action needed to ensure that children are protected while enjoying the benefits of being online.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of Personal Independence Payments claims are related to an ongoing mental health condition for the last 12 months for which data is available.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

PIP is assessed on the needs arising from a long-term health condition or disability rather than a diagnosis. Information on claimants whose primary health condition is a mental health condition can be found on Stat Xplore. The information you need can be found on the ‘PIP Cases with Entitlement from 2019’ table. You can use the “month” filter to select the previous 12 months for which data is available, and the ‘Disability’ filter can be used to select those under mental health conditions. The “table options” setting can be used to select “percentages”.

You can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest user and, if needed, you can access guidance on how to extract the information required.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the number of asylum seekers being housed in hotels in (a) Bournemouth and (b) the UK.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders to fulfil our statutory obligations and deliver our commitment to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation, including ending the use of hotels by the end of this Parliament.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposals by the French Government to allow the interception of small boats up to 300 metres from shore on the number of small boats crossing the Channel.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government acknowledges France’s commitment to review its maritime strategy and it will continue to engage with French counterparts to support any changes arising from that review with the intention of reducing the number of dangerous small boat crossings.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the use of hotels as accommodation for asylum seekers on the (a) hospitality and (b) tourism sectors.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office works closely with local authorities and other key stakeholders across the UK to ensure that any asylum accommodation is successfully and securely managed and that the impact upon the local community is minimised.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her oral contribution of 12 May 2025, Official Report, column 2, what assessment she has made of the potential value of the review being completed before changes to eligibility for Personal Independence Payments come into force.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

As I stated in the House of Commons on 1 July 2025, Official Report, column 219, any changes to PIP eligibility will come after the comprehensive review of the PIP assessment which I am leading to ensure that the PIP assessment is fair and fit for the future.

We are committed to co-producing this review with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, clinicians, experts, MPs and other stakeholders, so a wide range of views and voices are heard. The review is expected to conclude in Autumn 2026.

Over the summer we will engage widely with stakeholders to design the process for the work of the review and consider how it can best be co-produced to ensure that expertise from a range of different perspectives is drawn upon.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has a target for narrowing the disability employment gap.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Government is committed to reducing the disability employment gap as part of an ambition to raise the overall employment rate to 80%. The Government has published a set of key indicators, including the disability employment rate gap, which is monitored regularly to assess progress and identify influencing factors.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the disability employment gap in (a) Bournemouth and (b) the South West.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The disability employment gap is monitored and published in the official statistics release The employment of disabled people 2024 - GOV.UK in data tables LMS008, LMS009 and LMS010. This includes statistics on the South West region, parliamentary constituencies Bournemouth East, Bournemouth West and local authority area Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

The disability employment gap for 2020 to 2022 was 23.6 percentage points for the South West, 23.8 percentage points for Bournemouth East, and 35.2 percentage points in Bournemouth West. This compares to the UK wide disability employment gap of 27.4 percentage points for 2020 to 2022. This is the latest period for which reliable data is available.

Estimates below national level are based on smaller sample sizes and should therefore be used with caution.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her oral contribution of 12 May 2025, Official Report, column 2, whether the Personal Independent Payment assessments review will include (a) equality and (b) employment law experts.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

We have launched a review of the PIP assessment, which I am leading. Through the review, we want to make sure the PIP assessment is fair and fit for the future in a changing world and helps support disabled people to achieve better health, higher living standards and greater independence.

The review will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, clinicians, experts, Members of Parliament and other stakeholders, to ensure that a range of views and voices are heard.

I have now spoken to a range of stakeholders to gather views on how best to approach the review. Proposed Terms of Reference have been published. I will engage widely over the summer to design the process for the work of the review, including to ensure that expertise from a range of different perspectives is drawn upon.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many veteran ID cards have been issued to veterans who were discharged before December 2018, by council area.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

Over 192,000 HM Armed Forces Veteran Cards have been issued to eligible veterans discharged before December 2018. Due to the data collected, it can only be accurately mapped to region and postcode area, rather than council areas.

The tables below include all Veteran Cards posted since January 2024, excluding cards automatically issued to those leaving service after December 2018. The data is rounded to the nearest hundred to allow for:

• A small number of duplicate cards posted, for example replacements;
• Any inaccuracies in mapping postcodes on area boundaries;
• Address changes since postage; and
• Disclosure protection for areas with low numbers.

The Veterans Data Dashboard also provides more robust population data, including by local authorities, using census and other open government data - https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/office.for.veterans.affairs/viz/2024-07-29VeteransDataDashboardv2final/Story1

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 merits of (a) increasing the soft drinks industry levy and (b) lowering the threshold for drinks to be subject to the levy.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

HM Treasury is the department responsible for taxation policy. The Department of Health and Social Care provides input and support as appropriate.

Indicative analysis has been conducted by the Department to estimate the calorie reduction through reformulation and substitution to alternative drinks, and the subsequent health and economic benefits as a result of the proposed changes to the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL). This includes lowering the standard sugar threshold from 5 grams to 4 grams total sugar per 100 millilitres, and removing the current exemption for pre-packaged milk based and milk substitute drinks.

Where the proposed changes to the SDIL are successful in influencing behaviour and lowering consumption of high sugar drinks, positive health and economic outcomes are expected from reduced calorie intake in diets. The indicative analysis estimates per person per day calorie reductions of 0.9 kcal in five to 10 year olds, 2.1 kcal in 11 to 18 year olds, 1.2 kcal in 19 to 64 year olds, and 0.5 kcal in those aged 65 years old and over. This is the equivalent to approximately 15 million kcals per day in children and 46 million kcals per day in adults on a population level in England. The contribution to the calorie reduction from the two proposed changes to the SDIL varies by age group, however, as an example for those aged 19 to 64 years old, the contribution is 85% for reducing the lower sugar threshold and 15% for removing the previous exemptions for milk-based and milk substitute drinks.

These calorie reductions could achieve health and economic benefits of approximately £4.2 billion over 25 years, including:

- reduced morbidity, which could result in reduced cost pressures to the National Health Service, resulting in NHS savings of £100 million;

- wider health benefits to the population through improved quality of life, leading to reduced mortality and premature morbidity, which are estimated to be worth approximately £3.1 billion;

- social care savings that could amount to £100 million; and

- reduced morbidity and premature mortality, which could be expected to deliver approximately £800 million in economic output through additional labour force participation.

The Department has not done an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the SDIL.

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 health inequalities on the (a) demand for and (b) cost of delivering NHS services in Bournemouth.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Health Service is responsible for determining allocations to the integrated care boards (ICBs). In allocating budgets, they have two aims: equal opportunity of access for equal need; and reducing health inequalities that are amenable to NHS healthcare. There are a range of adjustments made in the core ICB allocations formula that account for the fact that the costs of providing health care may vary in coastal areas like Bournemouth.

The NHS South West Regional Team, whose area includes Bournemouth, provides assurance and support on inequalities, system performance, and productivity. Engagement with key stakeholders in the region is undertaken through the Regional Reducing Inequalities Group.

In response to the NHS’s Statement on Information on Health Inequalities, NHS Dorset publishes an annual report on health inequalities which includes comprehensive information relating to the 24 health inequality indicators by ICBs as a whole, and where relevant by the NHS trust specifically. Further information on the NHS’s Statement on Information on Health Inequalities and the latest annual report on health inequalities is available, respectively, at the following two links:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/nhs-englands-statement-on-information-on-health-inequalities/

https://nhsdorset.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Health-Inequalities-annual-report-2024.pdf

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of long-term mental health conditions starting in childhood on employment rates amongst those young people.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

DfE published statistics estimated that in 2024 over 1 in 6 young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) had a mental health condition compared with 1 in 13 in 2012².

As part of our mission driven Government, regular cross-Government collaboration takes place at both Ministerial and official level. The Government has an ambitious goal of an 80% employment rate: we do not want to just support people who are closest to the labour market nearer towards it, but focus on the people who, and the places that are, furthest away from the labour market. A crucial part of this is improving the support that we offer to those with mental health conditions. Current measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well as joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies, Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care and WorkWell.

Building on our WorkWell, Employment Advisers in Talking Therapies and Connect to Work programmes, we will ensure people with a health condition have access to the holistic support they need. In the Government’s Pathways to Work green paper, we further committed to developing a support guarantee, so that disabled people and those with a health condition, including those with mental health conditions get the work, health and skills support they need to access and thrive in employment. We will further pilot the integration of employment advisers and work coaches into the neighbourhood health service, so that working age people with long term health conditions have an integrated public service offer. A patient’s employment goals will be part of care plans, to support more joined up service provision.

¹ Is work good for your health and well-being? An independent review - GOV.UK

² NEET age 16 to 24, Calendar year 2024 - Explore education statistics - GOV.UK

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Education on the potential impact of early years support on long-term mental health barriers to employment.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

DfE published statistics estimated that in 2024 over 1 in 6 young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) had a mental health condition compared with 1 in 13 in 2012².

As part of our mission driven Government, regular cross-Government collaboration takes place at both Ministerial and official level. The Government has an ambitious goal of an 80% employment rate: we do not want to just support people who are closest to the labour market nearer towards it, but focus on the people who, and the places that are, furthest away from the labour market. A crucial part of this is improving the support that we offer to those with mental health conditions. Current measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well as joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies, Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care and WorkWell.

Building on our WorkWell, Employment Advisers in Talking Therapies and Connect to Work programmes, we will ensure people with a health condition have access to the holistic support they need. In the Government’s Pathways to Work green paper, we further committed to developing a support guarantee, so that disabled people and those with a health condition, including those with mental health conditions get the work, health and skills support they need to access and thrive in employment. We will further pilot the integration of employment advisers and work coaches into the neighbourhood health service, so that working age people with long term health conditions have an integrated public service offer. A patient’s employment goals will be part of care plans, to support more joined up service provision.

¹ Is work good for your health and well-being? An independent review - GOV.UK

² NEET age 16 to 24, Calendar year 2024 - Explore education statistics - GOV.UK

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of the cost of (a) living and (b) housing on the number of families choosing to have a child.

Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

We know increased costs in essential areas worrying and cause hardship and hardship for many families with children. The Government is taking a comprehensive approach—providing support while addressing the structural changes necessary to fix the country's foundations.

We are supporting families with everyday costs, including an uplift of over £1.6 billion per year by 2028-29 for government-funded childcare, rolling out Best Start Family Hubs to every LA in England, and extending Free School Meals eligibility to all children in England with a parent receiving Universal Credit.

The Government has also extended the Household Support Fund in England which helps households facing the greatest hardship with the cost of essentials such as food, energy and water. At the Spending Review, we committed to continue investing in crisis support to enable a new Crisis and Resilience Fund, including support for housing costs and to fund councils to support some of the poorest households so that their children do not go hungry outside of term time. We also funded the biggest boost to social and affordable housing in a generation through the Affordable Homes Programme.

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 tackle mental health barriers to employment in Bournemouth.

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

The Department of Health and Social Care is committed to cutting mental health waiting lists and intervening earlier with more timely mental health support, to help people stay in work or return to work to grow the economy and support people to thrive.

Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies services bring together employment advice and support within local services, including those available to people in Bournemouth. Therapists and employment advisors support people with common mental health conditions who are in work but who are struggling or facing difficulties in the workplace, off work sick, or who are looking for work.

In addition, the Department for Work and Pensions has announced a £1 billion employment support package to support more people with health conditions, including mental ill health, back into work, unlocking opportunity and growing the economy as part of the Plan for Change.

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 (a) Bournemouth University, (b) Health Sciences University and (c) other higher education institutions on the delivery of the Industrial Strategy.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The UK has some of the best universities in the world - four in the top ten – and according to research by Global University Venturing, in 2022 was second only to the US in total investment into university spin-outs. The Government recognises the contribution that Bournemouth University, Health Sciences University and other institutions make to higher education and their unique and critical role as engines for innovation and for meeting the skills needs of our growth-driving sectors and places where they concentrate. We will continue to support our universities including through Higher Education Innovation Funding, worth £280 million in 2024-2025, and as part of our broader record public investment in R&D of more than £86 billion over the Spending Review period.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps is she taking to improve the use of technology to support inclusion for children with SEND in schools in Bournemouth.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

Assistive technology has the potential to improve early intervention and enable more children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to achieve and thrive in a mainstream setting, by supporting both confidence and independence.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has announced £740 million for high needs capital in 2025/26 to support children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision. Local authorities can use this to create new places, but also to adapt classrooms to be more accessible for children with SEND, including through investment in assistive technology interventions to support pupils in mainstream settings. Of this £740 million, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council has been allocated over £4 million in 2025/26.

We will continue to build our evidence base on the potential for assistive technology to improve inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, including testing a pilot of assistive technology lending libraries through the SEND and alternative provision Change Programme. This will allow up to 4,000 mainstream schools in participating local authorities to borrow and trial technology on a temporary basis, to identify the right products to support their pupils.

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 improve residents' mental health in coastal communities.

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

We know that too many people living and working in coastal communities are not receiving the mental health care and support they need.

The 10-Year Health Plan for England sets out ambitious plans to boost mental health support across the country so that the right people get the right support, at the right time. We will invest up to £120 million to bring the number of mental health emergency departments to approximately 85. People will get better access to mental health support and advice 24 hours a day, seven days a week directly through the NHS App, including self-referral for talking therapies, without needing a general practice appointment.  In addition, the Government is committed to working beyond the health system to create an environment that promotes good mental health, prevents people from developing mental health problems, and improves the lives of people living with a mental health problem.

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 improve mental health outcomes in coastal communities.

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

We know that too many people living and working in coastal communities are not receiving the mental health care and support they need.

The 10-Year Health Plan for England sets out ambitious plans to boost mental health support across the country so that the right people get the right support, at the right time. We will invest up to £120 million to bring the number of mental health emergency departments to approximately 85. People will get better access to mental health support and advice 24 hours a day, seven days a week directly through the NHS App, including self-referral for talking therapies, without needing a general practice appointment.  In addition, the Government is committed to working beyond the health system to create an environment that promotes good mental health, prevents people from developing mental health problems, and improves the lives of people living with a mental health problem.

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 retention rates for domestically trained NHS (a) doctors and (b) other clinical staff.

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

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government is committed to making the National Health Service the best place to work, by supporting and retaining our hardworking and dedicated healthcare professionals. We will publish a 10 Year Workforce Plan this autumn setting out how we will ensure staff are better treated, have better training, more fulfilling roles, and have hope for the future, so they can achieve more.

We will work with the Social Partnership Forum to introduce a new set of staff standards for modern employment, covering issues such as access to healthy meals, support to work healthily and flexibly, and tackling violence, racism, and sexual harassment in the workplace.

We have made significant progress over the past year in improving the working lives of resident doctors. This includes agreeing to an improved exception reporting system which will ensure doctors are compensated fairly for the additional work that they do, and reviewing how resident doctors rotate through their training.

NHS England is leading work nationally through its retention programme to drive a consistent, system-wide approach to staff retention across NHS trusts.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Institute for Fiscal Studies report entitled, The short- and medium-term effects of Sure Start on children’s outcomes, published in May 2025, what assessment she has made of the impact of Sure Start children's centres on long term potential earnings.

Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The Government shares the IFS’s assessment that Sure Start made a positive impact on children’s outcomes. To this end, the government recently announced over £500 million investment by the end of 2028 to roll out Family Hubs to every local authority in England over the Spending Review period. The programme aims to reach children in the most disadvantaged areas and draws on the legacy of Sure Start to ensure all children have the best start in life.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential suitability of locations in Dorset for a new Small Modular Nuclear Reactor.

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

Earlier this year we published the draft of a refreshed planning framework for new nuclear, EN-7, that enables developers to identify their own sites for nuclear development, including accommodating small and advanced modular reactors. Developers are encouraged to identify potentially suitable sites and technologies using the framework as EN-7 moves towards designation.

Great British Energy - Nuclear owns sites at Wylfa (Ynys Mon/ Anglesey) and Oldbury-on-Severn (Gloucestershire), although no decisions have yet been taken on any projects to be deployed at sites. We will set out our plans in due course

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she is taking steps to encourage local authorities to buy playground equipment from UK manufacturers.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Playgrounds are a vital part of our social infrastructure. They contribute to the health and development of children and young people across the nation and build on the government’s mission of opportunities for all by ensuring everyone has the best start in life.

Local authorities work locally to support adults and children to lead more active lives through access to public leisure services, green space, parks and playground spaces. Their public health budgets are used to deliver local physical activity interventions such as the purchasing of playground equipment. The majority of funding in the Local Government Finance Settlement is unringfenced, recognising that local leaders are best placed to identify local priorities and that procurement is up to the discretion of Local authorities rather than the Government.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment has she made of the potential impact of the Social and Affordable Homes Programme on housing affordability in Bournemouth.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 2 July 2025 (HCWS771).

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the 10 year Social and Affordable Housing Programme. how many new council homes will be built in (a) Bournemouth and (b) Dorset.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 2 July 2025 (HCWS771).

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many new social homes will be delivered in Bournemouth as a result of the 10 year Social and Affordable Homes Programme.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 2 July 2025 (HCWS771).

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information her Department holds on the proportion of Personal Independence Payment claimants who were below the poverty line on 4 July 2025.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Estimates of the proportion of Personal Independence Payment claimants below the poverty line in July 2025 are not available. Estimates for the 2025/26 financial year are due to be published in March 2027 as part of the “Households Below Average Income” publication. The most recent publication covers the 2023/24 financial year and can be found here: Households below average income: for financial years ending 1995 to 2024 - GOV.UK

Statistics on the number of individuals living in families where at least one member is in receipt of Personal Independence Payment that are in Absolute and/or Relative Poverty in 2023/24 are published on Stat-Xplore (https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/) in the Households Below Average Income dataset.

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 the implementation of the Cass Review on trans people under the age of 18.

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

The Government is committed to implementing the Cass Review in full to ensure that children and young people get the safe and holistic care they need.

NHS England closed the Gender Identity Development Service on 31 March 2024 and opened new, regional southern and northern services on 1 April 2024, operating under a new delivery model headed up by a multi-disciplinary team. A third clinic opened in Bristol on 4 November 2024. These services have started taking patients off the national waiting list. NHS England has committed to a further three services by 2026.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the uplift to the basic standard allowance of Universal Credit on the incomes of low income households in Bournemouth East constituency.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The department does not have constituency level estimates of the forecasts available.

The latest published data on UC, in November 2024, shows that, in Bournemouth East, there were approximately 10,225 households on UC that were not subject to the benefit cap.

The Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payments Bill was introduced to Parliament on 18 June 2025 and, subject to parliamentary approval, it will increase the Universal Credit Standard Allowance above inflation every year from 2026/27 to 2029/30. Based on current forecasts, the increase to the Standard Allowance in Universal Credit is estimated to be worth £725 a year by 2029/30 in cash terms for a single person aged 25 or over, which is around £250 more a year than if it were only uprated by inflation.

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 proposals to create a subsidiary company by NHS trusts in Dorset on (a) jobs and (b) existing terms and conditions.

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

Contract award decisions in the National Health Service fall directly to individual NHS bodies, who are responsible for running their own procurement exercises. Ministers at the Department do not have general powers in legislation to direct trusts in relation to the exercise of any of their functions, including in relation to specific contractual decisions. The NHS has established governance processes, in line with Government procurement policy and best practice, to ensure that appropriate contractual decisions are made that represent value for money.

The three NHS Dorset foundation trusts have undertaken two months of engagement concerning proposals to establish a wholly owned subsidiary company to deliver estates and facilities management services. Relevant papers concerning the proposal were placed in the public domain in June 2025 for board meetings held in that month. Under the proposals, the trusts have advised NHS England that there will be no job reductions, and that transferred staff will keep their pay and terms and conditions exactly aligned with the NHS. This covers both current and new staff. NHS England will review the level of assurance around the trust boards’ self-certification as to their readiness to proceed to the next formal consultation stage, which will involve staff and unions.

The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations allow for terms and conditions of service to be protected or frozen as they stand on the date of transfer to a new employer, like a wholly owned subsidiary. NHS trust wholly owned subsidiaries can apply for access to the NHS Pension Scheme for compulsorily transferring staff, and new starters.

The Government expects that any outsourced services are delivered by trusts in a way that improves quality, ensures greater stability and longer-term investment in the workforce, and delivers better value for money, as part of the broader commitments on procurement, as set out in the Make Work Pay programme, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/make-work-pay

NHS staff continue to work incredibly hard on delivering the best possible care for patients, and wherever they work across the health service, we expect the highest standards and good terms and conditions.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with (a) Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, (b) University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust and (c) Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust on their proposals to create a subsidiary company.

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

Contract award decisions in the National Health Service fall directly to individual NHS bodies, who are responsible for running their own procurement exercises. Ministers at the Department do not have general powers in legislation to direct trusts in relation to the exercise of any of their functions, including in relation to specific contractual decisions. The NHS has established governance processes, in line with Government procurement policy and best practice, to ensure that appropriate contractual decisions are made that represent value for money.

The three NHS Dorset foundation trusts have undertaken two months of engagement concerning proposals to establish a wholly owned subsidiary company to deliver estates and facilities management services. Relevant papers concerning the proposal were placed in the public domain in June 2025 for board meetings held in that month. Under the proposals, the trusts have advised NHS England that there will be no job reductions, and that transferred staff will keep their pay and terms and conditions exactly aligned with the NHS. This covers both current and new staff. NHS England will review the level of assurance around the trust boards’ self-certification as to their readiness to proceed to the next formal consultation stage, which will involve staff and unions.

The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations allow for terms and conditions of service to be protected or frozen as they stand on the date of transfer to a new employer, like a wholly owned subsidiary. NHS trust wholly owned subsidiaries can apply for access to the NHS Pension Scheme for compulsorily transferring staff, and new starters.

The Government expects that any outsourced services are delivered by trusts in a way that improves quality, ensures greater stability and longer-term investment in the workforce, and delivers better value for money, as part of the broader commitments on procurement, as set out in the Make Work Pay programme, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/make-work-pay

NHS staff continue to work incredibly hard on delivering the best possible care for patients, and wherever they work across the health service, we expect the highest standards and good terms and conditions.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to retain (a) job numbers and (b) existing terms and conditions when NHS trusts create subsidiary companies.

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

Contract award decisions in the National Health Service fall directly to individual NHS bodies, who are responsible for running their own procurement exercises. Ministers at the Department do not have general powers in legislation to direct trusts in relation to the exercise of any of their functions, including in relation to specific contractual decisions. The NHS has established governance processes, in line with Government procurement policy and best practice, to ensure that appropriate contractual decisions are made that represent value for money.

The three NHS Dorset foundation trusts have undertaken two months of engagement concerning proposals to establish a wholly owned subsidiary company to deliver estates and facilities management services. Relevant papers concerning the proposal were placed in the public domain in June 2025 for board meetings held in that month. Under the proposals, the trusts have advised NHS England that there will be no job reductions, and that transferred staff will keep their pay and terms and conditions exactly aligned with the NHS. This covers both current and new staff. NHS England will review the level of assurance around the trust boards’ self-certification as to their readiness to proceed to the next formal consultation stage, which will involve staff and unions.

The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations allow for terms and conditions of service to be protected or frozen as they stand on the date of transfer to a new employer, like a wholly owned subsidiary. NHS trust wholly owned subsidiaries can apply for access to the NHS Pension Scheme for compulsorily transferring staff, and new starters.

The Government expects that any outsourced services are delivered by trusts in a way that improves quality, ensures greater stability and longer-term investment in the workforce, and delivers better value for money, as part of the broader commitments on procurement, as set out in the Make Work Pay programme, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/make-work-pay

NHS staff continue to work incredibly hard on delivering the best possible care for patients, and wherever they work across the health service, we expect the highest standards and good terms and conditions.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with UNISON in relation to proposals by NHS Trusts in Dorset to create a subsidiary company.

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

Contract award decisions in the National Health Service fall directly to individual NHS bodies, who are responsible for running their own procurement exercises. Ministers at the Department do not have general powers in legislation to direct trusts in relation to the exercise of any of their functions, including in relation to specific contractual decisions. The NHS has established governance processes, in line with Government procurement policy and best practice, to ensure that appropriate contractual decisions are made that represent value for money.

The three NHS Dorset foundation trusts have undertaken two months of engagement concerning proposals to establish a wholly owned subsidiary company to deliver estates and facilities management services. Relevant papers concerning the proposal were placed in the public domain in June 2025 for board meetings held in that month. Under the proposals, the trusts have advised NHS England that there will be no job reductions, and that transferred staff will keep their pay and terms and conditions exactly aligned with the NHS. This covers both current and new staff. NHS England will review the level of assurance around the trust boards’ self-certification as to their readiness to proceed to the next formal consultation stage, which will involve staff and unions.

The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations allow for terms and conditions of service to be protected or frozen as they stand on the date of transfer to a new employer, like a wholly owned subsidiary. NHS trust wholly owned subsidiaries can apply for access to the NHS Pension Scheme for compulsorily transferring staff, and new starters.

The Government expects that any outsourced services are delivered by trusts in a way that improves quality, ensures greater stability and longer-term investment in the workforce, and delivers better value for money, as part of the broader commitments on procurement, as set out in the Make Work Pay programme, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/make-work-pay

NHS staff continue to work incredibly hard on delivering the best possible care for patients, and wherever they work across the health service, we expect the highest standards and good terms and conditions.

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 tackle health inequalities in coastal communities.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Chief Medical Officer, in his 2023 Annual Report, made clear that future health and care needs will vary significantly, with the populations of rural, semi-rural, and coastal areas more likely to experience worse health outcomes.

In the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government commits to reducing the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest areas by tackling health inequalities and the social determinants of health.

The Department will address under performance in areas with the worst health outcomes, including coastal communities, where access is often poor. National Health Service regions are compiling action plans for each provider in these areas to begin improvements.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to take steps to help support domestic manufacturing of playground equipment.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Industrial Strategy launched in June 2025 sets out this government's plans to kickstart an era of economic prosperity. A new approach, it will create a more connected, high-skilled and resilient economy where every person, place and business can flourish.

The accompanying Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan sets out specific support for manufacturers, outlining how government will work with industry to build resilience, champion innovation, support businesses to scale up and develop a skilled future workforce.

The Plan features interventions focused on six frontier industries – batteries, automotive, aerospace, space, agri-tech, advanced materials as well as cross-sector measures supporting the wider manufacturing ecosystem.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of higher education providers on exports produced by Bournemouth.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Exports from the UK’s higher education providers have a significant economic impact on the UK and their respective regions. In 2022, total education-related exports and transnational education revenue was estimated to be £32.9 billion, with higher education contributing £23.7 billion to this figure. According to the latest Higher Education Statistics Agency data, 4,525 international students were enrolled in Bournemouth’s higher education institutions in the academic year 2023/24, directly contributing to education export revenue generated in Bournemouth through tuition fees and living expenditure.

The government is currently reviewing its international education strategy to ensure that it continues to be an effective tool in increasing the value of education exports across the UK.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the contribution of (a) Bournemouth University, (b) Health Sciences University and (c) other higher education institutions in tackling skills gaps in the Dorset economy.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The Dorset Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP), led by Dorset Chamber, identified specific skills needs across the following key sectors: health and social care, advanced manufacturing and engineering, defence and marine; construction; digital technology and creative; agriculture, agricultural biotechnology and aquaculture. It also identified cross-cutting skills needed by employers in all sectors of the local economy.

Higher education providers in the area are engaging in the LSIP process and responding to the area’s identified needs in a number of ways, including by establishing new provision. As set out in the recently published LSIP Progress Report, Bournemouth University is creating five new degree apprenticeships in identified skills needs in digital marketing, accounting finance management, biomedical science, social work and midwifery to begin in September 2025. The Health Sciences University is developing four new level six apprenticeships in the areas of diagnostic radiographer, occupational therapist, podiatrist and speech and language therapist.

The government wants higher education providers across the country to be fully engaged in the LSIP process and in meeting local skills needs. The updated LSIP statutory guidance, which is due for publication this autumn, will encourage designated employer representative bodies leading LSIPs to work closely with the higher education providers in their area to agree the different ways in which they can engage and support the development of the LSIP and delivery of the priorities identified within it.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on proposals for a Dorset Clean Energy Supercluster.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Regional growth is one of the three sub-objectives of our Industrial Strategy. The growth potential of clean energy innovation, supply chain scale-up, and deployment mean that there are opportunities across the whole UK.

The Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan, published as part of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy on 23^rd June, introduces policies that will support industries such as offshore wind and nuclear to capitalise on growth opportunities across the country, including in the Southwest. Additionally, ministers have also engaged in discussions regarding strategic regional investment sites, including in the Southwest of England.

The Sector Plan outlines several national initiatives, including a £1 billion Clean Energy Supply Chains Fund, of which £300 million is dedicated to strengthening offshore wind supply chains; a £544 million Clean Industry Bonus for offshore wind, and the Heat Pump Investment Accelerator, offering grants to manufacturers. Furthermore, over £2.5 billion has been allocated to support Small Modular Reactors, with a further £2.5 billion committed to fusion energy over the next five years.

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 implications for his policies of the Institute for Fiscal Studies' report entitled The short- and medium-term effects of Sure Start on children’s outcomes, published in May 2025.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are committed to giving every child the best start in life and recognise the importance of early years services as essential for future health and education outcomes. The findings of the Institute for Fiscal Studies' report showed that Sure Start generated widespread, long-lasting benefits on children’s outcomes.

Building on lessons from Sure Start, the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme provides joined-up support for babies, children, and families. As a first step, the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme has been extended in 2025/26, with £126 million being made available for families to deliver on the Plan for Change.

We will consider the findings from the Institute for Fiscal Studies as we continue to develop our approach to the future of support for babies, children, and their families.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of local LGBT+ youth groups on supporting young LGBT+ people.

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

Through our work on the National Youth Strategy, we’ve engaged with over 20,000 young people across the country — each with diverse and valuable lived experiences — to better understand their interactions with youth services and their hopes for the future.

In May and June, we conducted a series of in-depth ‘Deep Dive’ sessions, including one with LGBTQ+ young people. These were small, confidential discussions designed to create a safe space for more sensitive and honest conversations.

Our interim report, Today’s Youth, Tomorrow’s Nation, will be published shortly, with the full Strategy to follow in the autumn.

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 availability of mental health services in (a) Bournemouth and (b) Dorset.

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

The NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board is responsible for commissioning National Health Service mental health services to meet the needs of its local populations in Bournemouth and Dorset.

At national level, we will fulfil our commitments to recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers by the end of the Parliament to help cut waiting times and to expand mental health support teams to cover all schools in England by 2029/30. We will also expand NHS Talking Therapies and individual placement and support schemes, so more people can access the support they need.

The 10-Year Health Plan sets out ambitious plans to boost mental health support across the country. We are transforming mental health services into 24 hours a day, seven days a week neighbourhood mental health centres, improving assertive outreach and increasing access to evidence based digital interventions. People will get better access to mental health support and advice 24 hours a day, seven days a week directly through the NHS App, including through self-referral for talking therapies, without needing a general practice appointment.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) family hubs and (b) former Sure Start children centres are in operation in each council area.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

On 25 January 2024, the government published a list of family hubs which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/list-of-family-hub-sites. 75 local authorities have received joint funding from the department and the Department of Health and Social Care as part of the Family Hubs and Start for Life Programme. As of March 2025, there were 551 family hubs in these local authorities. A further 13 local authorities have received support through the department’s Family Hubs Transformation Fund. As of March 2025, there were 90 family hubs in these local authorities. The department does not routinely collect data on family hubs created by local authorities outside of these two programmes.

Data on children’s centres that are in operation is supplied by local authorities via the Get Information about Schools database. A list of children’s centres that are currently open is available to download at: https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Downloads.

On 2 August 2023, the government published Family Hubs and Start for Life: section 31 grant determination letters. A link to the letters can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/family-hubs-and-start-for-life-section-31-grant-determination-letters. These letters set out the details of £301.75 million of funding for 75 upper-tier local authorities in England to deliver Start for Life and Family Hubs over three financial years between 2022 and 2025.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many existing Family Hubs received funding through the 2022 Family Hubs and Start for Life Programme scheme by council area.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

On 25 January 2024, the government published a list of family hubs which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/list-of-family-hub-sites. 75 local authorities have received joint funding from the department and the Department of Health and Social Care as part of the Family Hubs and Start for Life Programme. As of March 2025, there were 551 family hubs in these local authorities. A further 13 local authorities have received support through the department’s Family Hubs Transformation Fund. As of March 2025, there were 90 family hubs in these local authorities. The department does not routinely collect data on family hubs created by local authorities outside of these two programmes.

Data on children’s centres that are in operation is supplied by local authorities via the Get Information about Schools database. A list of children’s centres that are currently open is available to download at: https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Downloads.

On 2 August 2023, the government published Family Hubs and Start for Life: section 31 grant determination letters. A link to the letters can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/family-hubs-and-start-for-life-section-31-grant-determination-letters. These letters set out the details of £301.75 million of funding for 75 upper-tier local authorities in England to deliver Start for Life and Family Hubs over three financial years between 2022 and 2025.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many new Family Hubs were established by the Family Hubs and Start for Life Programme scheme in 2022 by council area.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

On 25 January 2024, the government published a list of family hubs which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/list-of-family-hub-sites. 75 local authorities have received joint funding from the department and the Department of Health and Social Care as part of the Family Hubs and Start for Life Programme. As of March 2025, there were 551 family hubs in these local authorities. A further 13 local authorities have received support through the department’s Family Hubs Transformation Fund. As of March 2025, there were 90 family hubs in these local authorities. The department does not routinely collect data on family hubs created by local authorities outside of these two programmes.

Data on children’s centres that are in operation is supplied by local authorities via the Get Information about Schools database. A list of children’s centres that are currently open is available to download at: https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Downloads.

On 2 August 2023, the government published Family Hubs and Start for Life: section 31 grant determination letters. A link to the letters can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/family-hubs-and-start-for-life-section-31-grant-determination-letters. These letters set out the details of £301.75 million of funding for 75 upper-tier local authorities in England to deliver Start for Life and Family Hubs over three financial years between 2022 and 2025.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what criteria she will use to decide the (a) placement and (b) funding of Best Start Family Hubs.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Ensuring every child has the best start in life and the chance to achieve and thrive is the foundation of the government’s Opportunity Mission.

We will spend close to £1.5 billion over the next three years on improving family services and early years education to begin the hard work needed.

We will fund Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority to ensure that children and families who need support the most, especially those from low-income backgrounds or with additional vulnerabilities, can access it. These hubs will be open to all families but will be located in disadvantaged communities where support is most needed. This ensures services are both inclusive and targeted.

The department will be providing guidance to local authorities in due course to support service delivery from April 2026.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether Best Start Family Hubs will be located within walking distance of deprived communities.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Ensuring every child has the best start in life and the chance to achieve and thrive is the foundation of the government’s Opportunity Mission.

We will spend close to £1.5 billion over the next three years on improving family services and early years education to begin the hard work needed.

We will fund Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority to ensure that children and families who need support the most, especially those from low-income backgrounds or with additional vulnerabilities, can access it. These hubs will be open to all families but will be located in disadvantaged communities where support is most needed. This ensures services are both inclusive and targeted.

The department will be providing guidance to local authorities in due course to support service delivery from April 2026.

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 support research into the health needs of trans young people.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

In line with the findings of the recent Cass Review, the Government is committed to supporting the development of research that delivers a robust, evidence-based understanding of gender dysphoria and transgender issues, especially where these issues relate to children and young people. The programme of research includes investments in research capacity to enable National Health Service clinicians to dedicate time to research and ongoing service evaluation, and a living systematic review that will provide a regularly updated review of the latest international evidence to inform policy and frontline and clinical practice. These may produce new evidence to help safeguard and improve the health of children and young people who are questioning their gender identity or experiencing gender dysphoria.

The Department, through the National Institute for Health Research, welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including research into the health needs of young people. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.