Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support and training will be provided to teachers to deliver financial education, as part of the Government response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government has made a commitment to strengthen pupils’ foundational understanding of financial education in mathematics and citizenship, with digital resources to support teaching.
The department will engage with sector experts and young people in working out how best to reflect this in the updated curriculum. There will be a public consultation on the updated curriculum programmes of study in 2026, to seek views on the content before they are finalised.
To support schools with teaching now and longer-term, Oak National Academy, an independent Arm’s Length Body, provides adaptable, optional and free curriculum support for schools, which can be found here: https://www.thenational.academy/ . The department will be examining what further support and training may be needed to help deliver the new financial education curriculum.
No decision has yet been made on whether to participate in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Programme for International Student Assessment financial literacy assessment and will confirm a decision in due course.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to participate in the OECD PISA financial literacy assessment to benchmark pupils’ financial education.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government has made a commitment to strengthen pupils’ foundational understanding of financial education in mathematics and citizenship, with digital resources to support teaching.
The department will engage with sector experts and young people in working out how best to reflect this in the updated curriculum. There will be a public consultation on the updated curriculum programmes of study in 2026, to seek views on the content before they are finalised.
To support schools with teaching now and longer-term, Oak National Academy, an independent Arm’s Length Body, provides adaptable, optional and free curriculum support for schools, which can be found here: https://www.thenational.academy/ . The department will be examining what further support and training may be needed to help deliver the new financial education curriculum.
No decision has yet been made on whether to participate in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Programme for International Student Assessment financial literacy assessment and will confirm a decision in due course.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the proportion of the total value of Plan 2 student loans issued since 2012 that will be written off.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department does not hold an estimate of the proportion of total Plan 2 outlay since 2012 that will be written off. We forecast subsidy portions for outlay for current and future financial years.
We estimate a resource accounting and budget (RAB) charge of 34% for Plan 2 loan outlay issued in the 2025/26 academic year to English domiciled borrowers. The RAB charge represents the subsidy portion of loan outlay as recorded in departmental accounts.
Outstanding debt, including interest accrued, is cancelled at the end of the loan term with no detriment to the borrower, and debt is never passed on to family members or descendants. There are no commercial loans that offer this level of borrower protection. This cancellation/subsidy is a conscious investment in our young people and the skills capacity, people and economy of this country.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment has her department made of the potential benefits to allowing parents of previously looked after children to make financial contributions to the Pupil Premium for therapy.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The purpose of pupil premium funding is to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged pupils in state-funded schools in England.
Pupil premium is not a personal budget for individual pupils. It is for schools to decide how to allocate the funding, after assessing the needs of their disadvantaged cohort, including previously looked after children.
To ensure that pupil premium is focused on effective approaches to raising the educational attainment of disadvantaged pupils, schools must use their pupil premium in line with the evidence-informed 'menu of approaches'. Under the ‘wider strategies’ category this can include supporting pupil’s social and emotional needs.
Previously looked after children and young people under adoption orders, special guardianship orders and child arrangements orders are eligible for funding for therapy through the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to increases levels of emphasis on the development of work-related skills in schools and colleges.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
A reformed national curriculum will provide pupils with a broad range of knowledge and skills that prepares them for adult life.
The department will prepare young people for life and careers in a changing world, embedding vital applied knowledge skills in financial, media and digital literacy in the revised curriculum, improving climate and sustainability education.
We will make citizenship compulsory in key stages 1 and 2 and will explore a new level 3 qualification in data science and artificial intelligence.
We are also setting out a new enrichment framework for every pupil, which will help them play, explore, create, and develop wider life skills.
We will develop ‘V Levels’ as the pathway of vocational qualifications at level 3 for young people. These will be linked to occupational standards.
This will be complemented by sharing best practice between 16-19 providers to ensure students develop the important applied knowledge and transferable skills for adulthood.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to increases levels of emphasis on the development of essential life skills in schools and colleges.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
A reformed national curriculum will provide pupils with a broad range of knowledge and skills that prepares them for adult life.
The department will prepare young people for life and careers in a changing world, embedding vital applied knowledge skills in financial, media and digital literacy in the revised curriculum, improving climate and sustainability education.
We will make citizenship compulsory in key stages 1 and 2 and will explore a new level 3 qualification in data science and artificial intelligence.
We are also setting out a new enrichment framework for every pupil, which will help them play, explore, create, and develop wider life skills.
We will develop ‘V Levels’ as the pathway of vocational qualifications at level 3 for young people. These will be linked to occupational standards.
This will be complemented by sharing best practice between 16-19 providers to ensure students develop the important applied knowledge and transferable skills for adulthood.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2026 to Question 101957 on Erasmus+ Programme, what estimate she has made of the potential cost to the public purse of participating in Erasmus+ in (a) 2026-27 and (b) 2027-28.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
We have now concluded negotiations with the European Commission on the UK’s association to Erasmus+ in 2027. This commitment covers the 2027/28 academic year. Any participation in Erasmus+ into the next Multiannual Financial Framework needs to be agreed in future and be based on a fair and balanced contribution.
We have secured significantly improved financial terms compared to default arrangements, ensuring a fairer balance between the UK’s contribution to the EU and the number of UK participants who receive funding. We negotiated a 30% discount, securing participation for 2027 at a cost of approximately £570 million, saving UK taxpayers around £240 million while securing the benefits of participation for young people in the UK and across the EU.
The UK will receive most of that money back to distribute amongst UK beneficiaries. UK participants can compete for grants from an approximate £1 billion central pot directly managed by the European Commission.
Our experience of associating in 2027 will inform any future participation in Erasmus+ under the next Multiannual Financial Framework from 2028/2034.
We will report to Parliament the costs arising from participation, including costs related to the implementation of the programme, in its annual accounts.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate has she made of the number of places that will be available for a) young British nationals and b) young EU nationals in each of the next five years under the new Erasmus scheme; and what assessment has she made of the expected regional allocation and breakdown of places.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
We have now concluded negotiations with the European Commission on the UK’s association to Erasmus+ in 2027. This commitment covers the 2027/28 academic year. Any participation in Erasmus+ into the next Multiannual Financial Framework from 2028/34 will need to be agreed in the future and be based on a fair and balanced contribution.
We expect that over 100,000 people could benefit from mobility and partnership opportunities from participation in 2027.
We will have detailed information on the UK’s Erasmus+ beneficiaries after our first year of participation.
Asked by: Elsie Blundell (Labour - Heywood and Middleton North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of financial literacy and basic life skills education in secondary schools.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government is committed to strengthening pupils’ foundational understanding of financial education in mathematics and citizenship following publication of the Curriculum and Assessment Review final report in November 2025. The department will engage with sector experts and young people in how best to reflect this, and life skills content, in the updated curriculum. There will be public consultation on updated curriculum programmes of study in 2026, seeking views on the content before they are finalised.
Oak National Academy, an independent arm’s length body, provides high quality curriculum materials to support financial literacy.
The government is determined that every child has access to enriching activities that develop their essential skills. We have set out an enrichment offer schools and colleges should aim to provide for all children, including civic engagement; arts and culture; nature, outdoor and adventure; sport and physical activities; and developing wider life skills.
Asked by: Elsie Blundell (Labour - Heywood and Middleton North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to include financial literacy and life skills education as a mandatory and assessed part of the secondary school curriculum.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government is committed to strengthening pupils’ foundational understanding of financial education in mathematics and citizenship following publication of the Curriculum and Assessment Review final report in November 2025. The department will engage with sector experts and young people in how best to reflect this, and life skills content, in the updated curriculum. There will be public consultation on updated curriculum programmes of study in 2026, seeking views on the content before they are finalised.
Oak National Academy, an independent arm’s length body, provides high quality curriculum materials to support financial literacy.
The government is determined that every child has access to enriching activities that develop their essential skills. We have set out an enrichment offer schools and colleges should aim to provide for all children, including civic engagement; arts and culture; nature, outdoor and adventure; sport and physical activities; and developing wider life skills.