Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support access to training in artificial intelligence tools for employees of small and medium-sized enterprises.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government is supporting workforce readiness for AI through a range of initiatives. The new AI Skills Hub, developed by Innovate UK and PwC, provides streamlined access to digital training. We are also partnering with 11 major companies to train 7.5 million UK workers in essential AI skills by 2030. This will help tackle critical skills gaps and improve workforce readiness, including amongst SMEs.
Confidence in the responsible use of AI systems is central to AI adoption. To build confidence among SMEs, DSIT previously published AI Management Essentials to help SMEs implement responsible AI governance practices. We are currently revising the guidance to ensure it can effectively meet industry need.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to promote more positive mental wellbeing in the workplace.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Good work is generally good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. In our March Green Paper, we set out our Pathways to Work Guarantee, backed by £1 billion a year of new additional funding by 2030. We will build towards a guaranteed offer of personalised work, health and skills support for all disabled people and those with health conditions on out of work benefits.
In recognition of employer’s vital role in addressing health-related economic activity we appointed Sir Charlie Mayfield to lead the Keep Britain Working independent review, which was published on 5 November. In partnership with DBT and DHSC colleagues we are immediately launching Vanguards to test new employer-led approaches to support individuals to stay in work, putting his key recommendations into action from day one, including working with Northern Ireland and the other Devolved Governments. In the review, Sir Charlie has recommended that mental health in young people should be a potential priority area as a deep dive for the Vanguards.
Additionally, the DWP and DHSC Joint Work and Health Directorate has developed a digital information service for employers, continues to oversee the Disability Confident Scheme, and continues to increase access to Occupational Health.
Asked by: Baroness Redfern (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what support they are providing to communities to access media literacy education and bridge the digital divide.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Government has adopted a holistic approach to digital inclusion, integrating digital skills and media literacy. The Digital Inclusion Action Plan outlines steps towards delivering digital inclusion and bridging the digital divide, including supporting community initiatives for boosting digital skills and media literacy. Through our TechFirst programme, we are committed to giving one million students in schools and colleges across the UK the chance to develop their digital skills.
Under their Online Safety Act media literacy duties, Ofcom is developing a ‘place-based’ model to embed media literacy into community digital strategies, working with the Good Things Foundation to support Digital Inclusion Hubs to offer media literacy support.
Prevent’s network of Civil Society Organisations also deliver projects across England & Wales related to media literacy and critical thinking skills.
Asked by: Baroness Redfern (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of poor media literacy on young people's employability.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
According to the Essential Digital Skills Framework, media literacy-related skills, including understanding online risks, are essential for work. FutureDotNow research funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology showed that improving essential skills such as media literacy delivers measurable value to society and the economy.
The government’s Digital Inclusion Action Plan outlines steps towards delivering digital inclusion and media literacy for everyone in the UK. Through our Tech First programme, we are committed to giving one million students in schools and colleges across the UK the chance to develop their digital skills. We welcome the report of the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, published on 4 November, which recommends children should be taught how to spot fake news and disinformation, including AI-generated content, and develop critical thinking skills to help protect themselves online.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has had recent discussions with relevant stakeholders on financial education in schools in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle and (d) the North East.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
On 5 November, the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review published its final report which includes recommendations for a refreshed curriculum and assessment system in England.
The Review was informed by a wealth of perspectives from experts, stakeholders and the public, including over 7,000 responses to the call for evidence, and a range of research and polling. Its final report includes a section on stakeholder engagement, which sets out the details of regional public events and roundtables that were held as part of the Review’s evidence gathering.
As part of the response to the Review’s report the government has made a commitment to strengthen pupils’ foundational understanding of financial education in mathematics and citizenship, with digital resources to support teaching. From budgeting to understanding credit, through our revised curriculum all children will learn about the fundamentals of money, ensuring every pupil develops the skills needed to succeed in the modern world, no matter where they went to school.
Asked by: Lord Allen of Kensington (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase skills and employment support for people receiving sickness benefits.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are taking steps to support people into work including for disabled people and people with health conditions on out of work benefits. In our Pathways to Work Green Paper we set out our plan for the “Pathways to Work Guarantee” and we are building towards our guaranteed offer of personalised work, health and skills support for disabled people and those with health conditions on out of work benefits. The guarantee is backed by £1 billion a year of new, additional funding by the end of the decade.
We anticipate the guarantee, once fully rolled out, will include: a support conversation to identify next steps, one-to-one caseworker support, periodic engagement - and an offer of specialist long-term work health and skills support.
We are already making progress and have deployed over 1000 Pathways to Work Advisors in Jobcentres across England, Scotland and Wales who are helping disabled people and people with health conditions towards and into work. A key focus of the Pathways to Work advisers is offering voluntary support to Universal Credit claimants with a Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA) element. The support aims to help customers identify and overcome obstacles which may stop them from moving towards or into work and for those who are ready to access employment and wider skills support, and our employment programmes earlier.
Alongside this, our Supported Employment programme Connect to Work is rolling out across all of England and Wales throughout 2025 and early 2026 to help disabled people, people with health conditions and individuals with complex barriers to employment to find work and sustain work. This complements support delivered through the health and care system, including Employment Advice in Talking Therapies, which gives employment support for people being treated for mental health conditions, and WorkWell which is being trialled in 15 areas across England to deliver integrated work and health support.
More generally, DWP helps people build the skills they need to get a job and move forward in their careers. Work Coaches offer a wide range of support, including help with job searching and referrals to training opportunities. These can include apprenticeships, short skills courses, training in English, maths, and digital skills, support for learning English as a second language (ESOL), careers advice, and Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs).
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to ensure the Curriculum review includes a focus on practical financial skills.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The Curriculum and Assessment Review's final report was published on 5 November. As part of its focus on preparing learners for a changing world, the Review has recommended updating or strengthening five areas of applied knowledge: financial literacy, media literacy, digital literacy, oracy and climate education.
The government’s response to the Review’s report was published on the same day. Through our reforms, children will be better prepared for the modern world.
Improved financial literacy, taught from an early age, will help children and young people master money skills. The department will do this by making citizenship compulsory in key stages 1 and 2. Additionally, references to financial education in the mathematics and citizenship programmes of study will be strengthened, and the relevant content sequenced appropriately, so that content can then be applied to practical situations, contexts, and problems. We will ensure that key concepts relevant to financial education, such as calculating interest, are first introduced in mathematics.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability of high-quality apprenticeships for young people in the (a) digital and (b) STEM sectors.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
This government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will offer greater flexibility to employers and learners across the country, including those in the digital and STEM sectors, and support the industrial strategy.
As a first step, the government has introduced new foundation apprenticeships, which are an employment-based training offer that give young people a route into careers in critical sectors, enabling them to earn a wage while developing vital skills. The first seven foundation apprenticeships became available in August 2025 focussed on four industrial strategy and priority areas, including digital and engineering and manufacturing.
From April 2026, the government will enable employers to also use the growth and skills levy for new short courses in areas such as digital, artificial intelligence and engineering, to support Industrial Strategy sectors.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the ongoing Curriculum Review will include a focus on expanding or deepening the teaching of practical financial skills for pupils.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
On 5 November, the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review published its final report which includes recommendations for a refreshed curriculum and assessment system in England. The government responded to this report. The response includes a commitment to strengthen pupils’ foundational understanding of financial education in mathematics and citizenship, with digital resources to support teaching.
Work is now underway to deliver a new curriculum and assessment system that is ambitious for every child, rich in knowledge and strong on skills.
The government is legislating so that academies will be required to teach the reformed national curriculum, alongside maintained schools. This will give parents certainty over the core of their child’s education.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Government plans to strengthen the enforcement and delivery of financial education across all types of schools.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
On 5 November, the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review published its final report which includes recommendations for a refreshed curriculum and assessment system in England. The government responded to this report. The response includes a commitment to strengthen pupils’ foundational understanding of financial education in mathematics and citizenship, with digital resources to support teaching.
Work is now underway to deliver a new curriculum and assessment system that is ambitious for every child, rich in knowledge and strong on skills.
The government is legislating so that academies will be required to teach the reformed national curriculum, alongside maintained schools. This will give parents certainty over the core of their child’s education.