Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps is she taking to help improve pay and conditions in the further education sector.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Further education (FE) colleges, rather than the government, are responsible for setting and negotiating staff pay and terms and conditions within colleges.

In May 2025, the department announced a further £190 million investment for colleges and other 16 to 19 providers in addition to the £400 million of extra funding we already planned to spend on 16 to 19 education in financial year 2025/26.

Across the Spending Review period, we will provide £1.2 billion of additional investment per year in skills by 2028/2029.

This significant investment will ensure there is increased funding to colleges and other 16 to19 providers to enable the recruitment and retention of expert teachers in high value subject areas, and interventions to retain top teaching talent

Targeted recruitment incentives of up to £6,000 (after tax) are available for eligible early career FE teachers working in key science, technology, engineering and mathematics and technical shortage subjects, in disadvantaged schools and colleges (including in Sixth Form Colleges). This payment is separate to teachers’ usual pay.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to determine the number of educational psychologists required to meet demand as part of the Government's forthcoming plans for SEND.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Educational psychologists play a critical role in the support available to children and young people, including those with special educational needs and disabilities. That is why we are already investing more than £21 million to train 400 more educational psychologists over two cohorts, starting their studies in 2024 and 2025. This is in addition to the £10 million currently being invested in the training of more than 200 educational psychologists who began their training in September 2023.

As these trainees complete their studies, they will join the workforce to support local authority educational psychology services, including contributing to statutory assessments. Trainees who have had their training funded by the department are required to remain in local authority employment for a minimum period. For trainees beginning their course in September 2024, this period is three years.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to increase the number of educational psychologists to respond to SEND needs.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Educational psychologists play a critical role in the support available to children and young people, including those with special educational needs and disabilities. That is why we are already investing more than £21 million to train 400 more educational psychologists over two cohorts, starting their studies in 2024 and 2025. This is in addition to the £10 million currently being invested in the training of more than 200 educational psychologists who began their training in September 2023.

As these trainees complete their studies, they will join the workforce to support local authority educational psychology services, including contributing to statutory assessments. Trainees who have had their training funded by the department are required to remain in local authority employment for a minimum period. For trainees beginning their course in September 2024, this period is three years.

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 level of funding available through the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund on therapeutic support for (a) adopted children and (b) people in kinship care in Yeovil constituency.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department always assesses the impact of changes on vulnerable children. This included reviewing the equalities impact assessment, which was deposited in the House Libraries in July. The funding available through the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) still enables children in Yeovil to access a significant package of support, tailored to meet their individual needs. The department’s delivery partner is routinely processing ASGSF applications within a few days of receipt, including those relating to children in Yeovil.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help tackle delays in funding allocated through the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund to services in Yeovil constituency.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department always assesses the impact of changes on vulnerable children. This included reviewing the equalities impact assessment, which was deposited in the House Libraries in July. The funding available through the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) still enables children in Yeovil to access a significant package of support, tailored to meet their individual needs. The department’s delivery partner is routinely processing ASGSF applications within a few days of receipt, including those relating to children in Yeovil.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has for schools to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

All schools are encouraged to mark Holocaust Memorial Day, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education wrote to schools in 2025 highlighting the importance of commemorating Holocaust Memorial Day. The annual marking of Holocaust Memorial Day is an important moment in the calendar where we remember the six million Jewish men, women and children killed by the Nazis and the millions more murdered under Nazi persecution.

The Holocaust is the only historic event which is compulsory within the current national curriculum for history at key stage 3. The government has made a commitment that the Holocaust will remain a compulsory topic in the reformed national curriculum, which will also be required teaching in academy schools when it is implemented.

The department actively supports schools to provide high quality teaching on the Holocaust through University College London Centre for Holocaust Education’s continuous professional development work, and through the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Lessons from Auschwitz’s programme. In addition, the Supporting Holocaust Survivor Testimony in Teaching programme will support schools in using recorded Holocaust survivor testimony in their teaching.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether a student with settled status, who has lived in the UK for three years, can obtain a student loan.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Eligibility for student finance is determined by several criteria, including residency status, the type of course, its location, the student’s previous study history, and whether they already hold a higher education qualification.

Students residing in England who hold settled status and have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands (the Channel Islands and Isle of Man) for the three years preceding the first day of the first academic year of their course will be eligible for student finance, subject to meeting all other eligibility criteria. To qualify, this period of residence must not have been wholly or mainly for the purpose of receiving full-time education.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, a) whether Voluntary Controlled schools will be eligible for nomination under the school rebuilding programme and b) which responsible body would need to nominate a Voluntary Controlled school for the next round of the school rebuilding programme.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government is investing almost £20 billion in the School Rebuilding Programme (SRP) from 2025/26 through to 2034/35, delivering rebuilding projects at over 500 schools across England within the existing programme and expanding the SRP with a further 250 schools to be selected.

The department plans to launch a nomination process early this year to identify schools for the next 250 places. Responsible bodies will be invited to submit schools for assessment at that point. We will publish full details on GOV.UK when the process launches.

Voluntary controlled schools are eligible for consideration under the SRP, alongside other state funded schools and sixth form colleges in England. The responsible body for a voluntary controlled school is the relevant local authority.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to Written Parliamentary Questions 98665, 98666 and 98668, what recourse exists for Voluntary Controlled schools to carry out urgent repairs to the school estate when the local authority fails to provide funding.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department is investing almost £3 billion per year in capital maintenance by 2034/35 to improve the condition of the school and college estate, rising from £2.4 billion in 2025/26.

As part of this, Norfolk Council received a School Condition Allocation of almost £5.5 million for the 2025/26 financial year to invest across its maintained schools, including voluntary controlled schools in South Norfolk constituency. We expect to set out allocations for the 2026/27 financial year in the spring.

The department expects local authorities to carefully prioritise investment based on evidence of need, so that school buildings remain safe, operational and compliant with relevant regulations. Voluntary controlled schools should speak to their local authority about any issues so that they are considered when prioritising current and future investment.

The department provides additional advice and support to responsible bodies on a case-by-case basis where there are significant and urgent safety issues with buildings that cannot be managed independently.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that schools and academy trusts comply with guidance requiring equal treatment of parents with parental responsibility.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Guidance relating to parental responsibility requires all parents to be treated equally, unless a court order limits a parent’s ability to make educational decisions, participate in school life or receive information about their child. The guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dealing-with-issues-relating-to-parental-responsibility/understanding-and-dealing-with-issues-relating-to-parental-responsibility.

The guidance referred to is non-statutory but does set out some of the duties on schools that must be complied with. Failure to comply with a duty should first be referred to the school via its complaint procedure. Once the school’s complaint procedure is completed in full, if the parent is dissatisfied with the school’s handling of their complaint, they can contact the department via the customer complaint portal, which can be accessed at: https://customerhelpportal.education.gov.uk/.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure parents with parental responsibility are consistently included in school communications and decision-making.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Anyone who is a parent, as recognised under education law, can participate in their child’s education and there is a general principle that pupils are to be educated in accordance with the wishes of their parents. Section 9 of the Education Act 1996 can be accessed here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/56/section/9.

Schools commonly communicate with the resident parent, but if a non-resident parent requests to receive communications separately, the school should provide it to that parent direct, after satisfying itself that the individual is the child’s parent. If a parent is unhappy with a school’s actions, they can complain to the school.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to update the guidance entitled Parental responsibility: guide for schools and local authorities, updated on 24 August 2023.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The non-statutory guidance, ‘Understanding and dealing with issues relating to parental responsibility’, is currently being updated to reflect changes that came into effect under the School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024. The updated version will be published later this year.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the provision of agricultural education in schools.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education meets with Cabinet colleagues, including my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on the actions she is taking to secure high quality education for all pupils, but has not met to discuss agricultural education as a discrete issue.

The national curriculum is a framework designed to give teachers the flexibility to cover particular topics in greater depth if they wish. For example, giving them the freedom to teach about agriculture within the geography and science curricula.

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Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the risk of using rubber crumb infill in synthetic turf pitches in schools, in light of the ban on safety grounds on disposing of shredded tyre material in landfill sites and with reference to possible (a) inhalation, (b) ingestion and (c) skin absorption of toxic particles.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Responsible bodies are responsible for managing premises, including for health and safety. They should ensure risk assessments are conducted and measures taken to minimise known critical risks, following Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance.

Guidance on promoting good hygiene when taking part in physical activity is available to schools at: https://resources.thegma.org.uk/sportshygiene.

The department’s technical guidance, due to be updated early 2026, outlines alternative pitch materials. While primarily intended for new build schools, this advice is available for wider use and outlines the merits of each material.

The department continues to work with other government departments, including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department for Culture Media and Sport, the UK Health Security Agency and HSE, to ensure any advice and guidance in this area aligns with best practice and the latest scientific evidence.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to a) reduce public access to and b) ensure the online security of the Children Not in School Register proposed in the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Section 436C of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill prohibits information from a local authority Children Not in School register being published or made public in a way that would include the name or address of a parent or eligible child or that would identify them.

The department will highlight in statutory guidance that we expect registers to be held securely on local authority systems. Local authorities should have an appropriate data protection policy document and privacy notice regarding the processing of personal data and its secure storage and destruction. We are continuing to engage with the Information Commissioner’s office to ensure that appropriate mitigations are in place for any risks identified.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many people undertook the Essential Digital Skills qualification in the past two years and how many did not complete the course.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were 23,930 aim enrolments and 19,320 aim achievements on Essential Digital Skills qualifications in England by adult further education and skills learners. In the 2023/24, academic year there were 28,430 and 22,310 respectively. These figures are published in additional supporting files accompanying the ’Further education and skills’ accredited official statistics publication and have been available since November 2025. The ‘Further education and skills’ publication is available at:

https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/further-education-and-skills/2024-25.

Aim enrolments and aim achievements are separate measures and should not be used to infer progress within an academic year. Additionally, learners may undertake or achieve more than one learning aim in an academic year.

Achievement rates for Essential Digital Skills qualifications are published in the national achievement rate tables in the ‘Further education and skills’ publication. The latest published data, available since March 2025, covers the 2023/24 academic year in England and is available at:

https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/5137b787-5c7f-41c5-9510-08de4155ee12.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to written question 100178, if she will publish the criteria used by her Department to evaluate (a) the need for places, (b) value for money, (c) whether they would provide a distinctive or innovative education offer and (d) whether they would negatively affect other local schools.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

We have written to trusts, local authorities and members of Parliament setting out the position on individual projects, as well as offering more detailed feedback.

The department considered whether there was a strong need for the school in the medium term. We assessed published School Capacity data (SCAP24), in line with the department’s longstanding approach to assessing pipeline projects, as well as other data from local authorities, such as plans for future housing developments.

We also considered forecast costs of delivering each school, delivery issues such as finding a suitable site and whether projects would provide a distinctive local offer or risk negatively impacting other local schools.

Final decisions on projects where a ‘minded to cancel’ letter was issued, will be made once trusts and local authorities have had the opportunity to submit any new evidence. Representations should be made by 30 January 2026.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when draft updated statutory guidance on supporting pupils with medical conditions will be published.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The government has committed to ensuring that schools are equipped to support pupils with medical conditions effectively and inclusively. The current statutory guidance, ‘Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions,’ will be updated to reflect best practice and recent developments.

We intend to consult later this year on revised guidance. This consultation will seek views from schools, parents, health professionals, and other stakeholders on proposals to strengthen how schools meet their duties, including improvements to allergy safety and broader medical condition management.

Our aim is to ensure that every child can access education safely and confidently, regardless of their health needs.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of children's homes that are privately owned and operated.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

As at 31 March 2025, 84% (3,360) of all children’s homes were privately owned and operated.

Ofsted publish annual data on children’s social care in England. This includes data on the number of homes and the different types of social care providers. The latest data is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childrens-social-care-in-england-2025.

The government is taking forward work to reshape the children’s social care placement’s market, including increasing the number of foster carers so that more children can be looked after in family-based environments and encouraging more non-profit, local authority, and social investment backed providers to enter the market.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when her Department will resume approvals for applications made by schools to attain purchasing power agreements for the installation of solar panels.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

A temporary pause in Summer 2025 was quickly lifted and the programme is continuing as normal. Schools wishing to take forward solar projects via a Power Purchase Agreement should apply in the usual way following available guidance.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to promote inclusive Physical Education in the rollout of the revised national curriculum.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department recognises the importance of school sport in promoting all pupils’ wellbeing and educational outcomes. In support of this, we have provided a grant of up to £300,000 a year to a consortium led by the Youth Sport Trust to deliver Inclusion 2028 with the aim to provide advice, guidance and training to upskill teachers and the school workforce to deliver high quality, inclusive PE. The grant supports the Inclusive Education Hub, an online platform of resources to help schools make PE and sport more inclusive.

In November 2025, the government published its response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review. The department is working closely with specialists in the education sector to make changes to the national curriculum for PE and will ensure they continue to increase and improve opportunities for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities to be physically active. There will be public consultation on the updated curriculum Programmes of Study, to seek views on the content before they are finalised.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how rejoining the Erasmus scheme will be funded.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department has agreed terms with the European Commission that represent a fair balance between the UK’s contribution and the benefits the programme offers, which paved the way for UK participation.

We have agreed a 30% discount compared to the default terms in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement as well as a review of the UK’s participation in the programme ten months after our association, including data concerning demand for funding in the UK. Any continued UK participation in Erasmus+ under the next Multiannual Financial Framework will be informed by our experience of association in 2027.

Erasmus+ costs will be funded above the department’s Spending Review settlement and scored in the usual way at the next fiscal event.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the (a) number and (b) variety of available work experience places for under 18s in the latest period for which data is available.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Post-16 providers must record work placement activities as part of planned hours for each student for funding purposes and this data is not publicly available. Small scale sample audit checks are undertaken by the department.

Schools and colleges self-report institution level data on the proportion of students undertaking work experience by academic year. Data captured through the Compass+ online self-assessment tool shows that the majority of students in 74% schools and colleges had an experience of the workplace in the 2024/25 academic year.

The department is funding the Careers & Enterprise Company to deliver the first phase of activity to prepare schools and employers to deliver the government’s commitment to ensure every pupil has access to two weeks’ worth of work experience during their secondary education.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to consider autistic burnout when shaping policies on SEND.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

As part of our Plan for Change, we are determined to fix the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system and restore the trust of parents. We will do this by ensuring schools have the tools to better identify and support children before issues escalate. We will bring forward a full Schools White Paper early this year, building on the work we have already done to create a system that is rooted in inclusion.

To support the development of the reforms, we are drawing on insights from experts, including the department’s Expert Advisory Group for Inclusion and the Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group, who were established to provide an expert view and make recommendations on how to best meet the needs of neurodivergent children and young people within mainstream education settings.

The department has also launched a further period of listening and engagement to strengthen co-creation, listening to children and young people, parents, experts, and education professionals across the country, so that lived experience and partnership are at the heart of the solutions.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending support for adopted children up to the age of 25.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

When a young person has an education, health and care plan, they are eligible for the adoption and special guardianship support fund up to the age of 25. This is on the basis that these young people are likely to be in the greatest longer-term need. Otherwise, young people are eligible up to the age of 21.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to written statement 1163, on what grounds the Government approved the Eton Star academy projects in Dudley and Oldham.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

All free school projects were evaluated in line with consistent criteria focusing on assessing the need for places and value for money. This included considering whether projects would provide a distinctive local offer and whether they would risk negatively impacting other local schools or colleges.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing independent Local Authority Designated Officers.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) plays a vital role in safeguarding children by overseeing the management of allegations made against adults who work with children in any capacity.

The department is aware of proposals to introduce independent LADOs, including a recommendation from the Children’s Commissioner in September 2025.

To ensure this vital role is delivered consistently and effectively across all local authorities, we continue to work with key stakeholders across the sector including the Office of the Children’s Commissioner on key policy developments and to explore how the role of LADO can be strengthened. Evidence and intelligence gathered through this engagement will be considered alongside wider stakeholder input to inform future policy development.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number of Plan 2 student loan borrowers who will begin making repayments as a result of the freeze to the Plan 2 repayment threshold.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department currently forecasts around 240,000 additional English Plan 2 loans (4.8% of all English Plan 2 loans for which borrowers are eligible to make repayments) will see a repayment in financial year 2030/31 given the announced threshold freeze when compared to a scenario with inflationary increases to thresholds. These are current estimates and are subject to change given updates to economic forecasts and other key forecast inputs.

The department will release an equalities impact assessment, including the impact on the number of borrowers forecast to make obligatory repayments, alongside other borrower impacts.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many visas a) her Department, b) Ofsted, c) the Construction Industry Training Board, d) the Office of the Children's Commissioner and e) the Student Loans Company have sponsored since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The table below details how many visas the department and named arm’s length bodies have sponsored since July 2024:

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the press release entitled Young people from all backgrounds to get opportunity to study abroad as UK-EU deal unlocks Erasmus+, published on 17 December 2025, if she will make an estimate of the cost of a) establishing and b) operating the new national agency.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

​​In order for the UK to participate in Erasmus+, EU regulations require the UK to establish a National Agency separate to any existing government department to manage the indirect management actions of the programme. The European Commission entrusts the distribution of indirect management funding to the National Agency to bring Erasmus+ as close as possible to its beneficiaries. National Agencies promote and implement the Erasmus+ Programme at the national level and are the link between the European Commission and participating organisations at local, regional, and national levels.

A National Agency will be appointed in due course to deliver Erasmus+ for the UK.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the press release entitled Young people from all backgrounds to get opportunity to study abroad as UK-EU deal unlocks Erasmus+, published on 17 December 2025, for what reason she plans to establish a dedicated national agency.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

​​In order for the UK to participate in Erasmus+, EU regulations require the UK to establish a National Agency separate to any existing government department to manage the indirect management actions of the programme. The European Commission entrusts the distribution of indirect management funding to the National Agency to bring Erasmus+ as close as possible to its beneficiaries. National Agencies promote and implement the Erasmus+ Programme at the national level and are the link between the European Commission and participating organisations at local, regional, and national levels.

A National Agency will be appointed in due course to deliver Erasmus+ for the UK.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help ensure young people from all backgrounds can pursue a career in STEM.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Following the Curriculum and Assessment review, our new national curriculum and GCSEs will have improved coherence, specificity, sequencing, and will be grounded in the most important knowledge and disciplinary skills.

We will take forward many subject-specific Review recommendations for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), including working with schools to support them in developing a triple science offer for all pupils, ahead of introducing a statutory entitlement. We will build on support for early years and year 7 maths teaching, including through Maths Hubs programmes.

Through the Careers and Enterprise Company, the department funds high quality resources to embed STEM insights into the curriculum and match over 3,500 business volunteers, including 1,400 from STEM backgrounds, with schools and colleges to provide strategic support to develop their careers programme.

These measures will ensure that every child leaves school having mastered the subjects they have been taught and is able to pursue a career in their chosen field.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Smith of Malvern on 16 December 2025 (HL Deb col 645), whether the 6.5 per cent pay increase over three years that they recommended to the School Teachers’ Review Body will be met through existing budgets or whether cost savings will be required.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

We expect that pay awards over the next three years will be covered through a combination of the funding announced at the Spending Review and from schools making a sustained contribution using the support we are making available to maximise value from their budgets.

This is a shared endeavour. We know that the government has a role to play to tackle systemic challenges at a national level, and we have established the Maximising Value for Pupils programme to help schools and groups. The new programme will provide an expanded level of support in the form of benchmark data, toolkits, commercial offers, capability building, case studies, and investment in areas such as technology.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many young people are taking training in digital skills.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Digital and artificial intelligence (AI) skills are essential for young people to succeed in education, employment and to engage effectively in a digital world. Following the recommendations of the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, we are strengthening digital education. The computing curriculum will remain the main route for teaching digital literacy, with clearer guidance on what pupils should learn. We are also considering how digital content should be included within other subjects and will work with experts to assess viability.

To equip pupils for a digitally enabled world, we will replace the computer science GCSE with a broader computing GCSE and incorporate AI, data science, and topics such as bias into the curriculum in an age-appropriate way. We are also exploring a potential Level 3 qualification in data science and AI. Draft proposals will be subject to public consultation later this year.

Evidence on the benefits and risks of students using generative AI is still emerging, so we will continue to build evidence and support the education sector to use AI safely and effectively. Schools using pupil-facing generative AI must carefully follow legal responsibilities, as outlined in our Generative AI policy paper.

Student numbers for a range of approved Level 2 and 3 subjects can be found within educational statistics here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/.

The actions we are taking forward are expected to increase the teaching of digital literacy and AI within the curriculum and encourage more young people to consider digital qualifications, bolstering the future pipeline of talent.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to provide young people with digital skills.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Digital and artificial intelligence (AI) skills are essential for young people to succeed in education, employment and to engage effectively in a digital world. Following the recommendations of the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, we are strengthening digital education. The computing curriculum will remain the main route for teaching digital literacy, with clearer guidance on what pupils should learn. We are also considering how digital content should be included within other subjects and will work with experts to assess viability.

To equip pupils for a digitally enabled world, we will replace the computer science GCSE with a broader computing GCSE and incorporate AI, data science, and topics such as bias into the curriculum in an age-appropriate way. We are also exploring a potential Level 3 qualification in data science and AI. Draft proposals will be subject to public consultation later this year.

Evidence on the benefits and risks of students using generative AI is still emerging, so we will continue to build evidence and support the education sector to use AI safely and effectively. Schools using pupil-facing generative AI must carefully follow legal responsibilities, as outlined in our Generative AI policy paper.

Student numbers for a range of approved Level 2 and 3 subjects can be found within educational statistics here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/.

The actions we are taking forward are expected to increase the teaching of digital literacy and AI within the curriculum and encourage more young people to consider digital qualifications, bolstering the future pipeline of talent.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to engage (a) disabled students and (b) sector representatives when developing policy.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department regularly engages with a range of stakeholders, including organisations representing disabled students, disability experts, higher education providers and the Student Loans Company, to gather feedback and insights that inform policy development. These contributions help ensure that the needs and experiences of disabled students are reflected in the department’s policymaking processes.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps are the government taking to ensure young people can use AI.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Digital and artificial intelligence (AI) skills are essential for young people to succeed in education, employment and to engage effectively in a digital world. Following the recommendations of the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, we are strengthening digital education. The computing curriculum will remain the main route for teaching digital literacy, with clearer guidance on what pupils should learn. We are also considering how digital content should be included within other subjects and will work with experts to assess viability.

To equip pupils for a digitally enabled world, we will replace the computer science GCSE with a broader computing GCSE and incorporate AI, data science, and topics such as bias into the curriculum in an age-appropriate way. We are also exploring a potential Level 3 qualification in data science and AI. Draft proposals will be subject to public consultation later this year.

Evidence on the benefits and risks of students using generative AI is still emerging, so we will continue to build evidence and support the education sector to use AI safely and effectively. Schools using pupil-facing generative AI must carefully follow legal responsibilities, as outlined in our Generative AI policy paper.

Student numbers for a range of approved Level 2 and 3 subjects can be found within educational statistics here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/.

The actions we are taking forward are expected to increase the teaching of digital literacy and AI within the curriculum and encourage more young people to consider digital qualifications, bolstering the future pipeline of talent.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with the Home Secretary on plans to end the use of strip search powers against minors.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government is committed to introducing new legal safeguards around the strip search of children. Department officials are working with officials from the Home Office to deliver this important commitment.

Strip search is one of the most intrusive powers available to the police, and the government is clear that such searches must only be conducted when absolutely necessary in order to protect people, prevent harm, or secure evidence. This must always be done with full regard for the dignity and welfare of the individual involved, particularly where the individual is a child.

The ’Searching, Screening and Confiscation guidance for schools’ supports head teachers and staff to fully understand their rights and the rights of the child, so that searching powers are used in a way that ensures schools are calm, safe and supportive environments in which to learn and work.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of childcare costs on the ability of parents to undertake postgraduate study.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

It is our ambition that all families have access to high quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life and delivering on our Plan for Change.

Student parents are eligible for the universal 15 hours of free early education which is available to all 3 and 4-year-olds regardless of family circumstances.

Students who work in addition to studying may be eligible for 30 hours free childcare if they meet the income requirements.

The government recognises the value of parents continuing in education and provides a range of support for students in higher education to support them with childcare.

Support available to full-time students with dependent children includes the Childcare Grant and Parents’ Learning Allowance. Entitlement to these grants is based on a student’s household income.

Further information on the childcare offers available to parents can be found at: https://www.beststartinlife.gov.uk/.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Association of Colleges' report entitled From treatment to prevention: how colleges can build a healthier society, published in December 2025, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of access to further education colleges' adult community learning programmes on supporting public health outcomes for local people, including on the level of demand for primary care services.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The primary purpose of Tailored Learning, which includes what used to be called Community Learning, is to support learners into employment and to progress to further learning, in line with the overall purpose of the Adult Skills Fund.

It plays a vital role within adult learning provision of supporting those furthest from the workplace and in improving wider outcomes, such as the health and well-being of learners and equipping parents/carers to support their child’s learning.

It is an important stepping stone for learners, including disadvantaged learners, who are not ready for formal accredited learning or who would benefit from learning in a more informal way.

In the 2024/25 academic year, 62,390 learners participated in learning to improve their health and well-being.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to written statement HCWS1163 made on 15 December 2025, how much government funding has been given to date to each of the 28 mainstream free school projects ahead of their cancellation.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department provides capital funding for the acquisition of sites/land and the construction of free schools.

Where sites have been secured, details and costs of acquisitions will be set out on the Land Registry website. The department also publishes contract details and costs for all free school projects on Contracts Finder.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many child sexual exploitation cases were closed with no action in children's services in (a) Birmingham and (b) the west midlands in the last five years.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department does not hold the information centrally. Birmingham Children’s Trust and other councils and Children’s Trusts in the West Midlands region may hold this information for their areas.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Association of Colleges' report entitled From treatment to prevention: how colleges can build a healthier society, published in December 2025, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on supporting further education colleges to deliver programmes for young people not in education, employment or training due to health reasons.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department consults with Cabinet colleagues on a range of policies, and we are determined to break down barriers to opportunity for all young people, including those with specific needs.

We have introduced the Youth Guarantee to tackle the number of those who are not in education, employment or training and improve access to opportunities.

Colleges are responsible for ensuring that their provision is designed, delivered, and continuously improved to meet the needs of all students and are subject to statutory duties and responsibilities in the area of special educational needs and disabilities. This underpins our commitment to providing all young people with learning difficulties and disabilities with the opportunities they need.

The department also continues to work closely with the further education (FE) sector to promote and support providers to develop mental health and wellbeing approaches. This is supported by the FE student support champion, Polly Harrow, who is improving colleges' ability to give learners the full opportunity to succeed and progress.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure continuity of local provision and specialist staffing be during transition, in the context of the number of colleges providing the Level 3 BTEC Forensic and Criminal Investigation.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

On 20 October 2025, alongside the publication of the Post-16 Education and Skills white paper, the department published a consultation on Post-16 level 3 and below pathways, which closed on the 12 January. As part of our consultation, we have been engaging with the sector on transition arrangements. We will set out our response to the consultation in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to protect learners (a) in and (b) planning to enter the BTEC pipeline before first teaching in September 2025.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

On 20 October 2025, alongside the publication of the Post-16 Education and Skills white paper, the department published a consultation on Post-16 level 3 and below pathways, which closed on the 12 January. As part of our consultation, we have been engaging with the sector on transition arrangements. We will set out our response to the consultation in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to tailor the National Year of Reading to engage with (a) teenage boys, (b) early years children and (c) families from disadvantaged communities.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department, in partnership with the National Literacy Trust, is leading the National Year of Reading 2026 to tackle declining reading enjoyment. This UK-wide campaign combines a marketing initiative with events in schools, libraries and communities, prioritising boys aged 10 to 16, early years children and families from disadvantaged communities.

Grounded in evidence, the campaign uses the “Go All In” branding to help make reading appealing and relevant, particularly for the priority audiences. The campaign’s message, “If you’re into it, read into it”, encourages individuals to explore reading through their passions, whether music, sport, baking, family time, films, sci-fi, or anything else.

Activities will take place across the year and includes national events, alongside resources for schools and early years, and library engagement through initiatives such as the Summer Reading Challenge. The campaign aims for lasting impact by engaging new audiences, making reading relevant, transforming practice, and building infrastructure. An independent evaluation in 2027 will assess its impact and sustainability beyond the campaign year and will assess its influence on reading behaviours and wider impact on the literacy sector.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that the National Year of Reading leads to improvements in reading enjoyment beyond the campaign period.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department, in partnership with the National Literacy Trust, is leading the National Year of Reading 2026 to tackle declining reading enjoyment. This UK-wide campaign combines a marketing initiative with events in schools, libraries and communities, prioritising boys aged 10 to 16, early years children and families from disadvantaged communities.

Grounded in evidence, the campaign uses the “Go All In” branding to help make reading appealing and relevant, particularly for the priority audiences. The campaign’s message, “If you’re into it, read into it”, encourages individuals to explore reading through their passions, whether music, sport, baking, family time, films, sci-fi, or anything else.

Activities will take place across the year and includes national events, alongside resources for schools and early years, and library engagement through initiatives such as the Summer Reading Challenge. The campaign aims for lasting impact by engaging new audiences, making reading relevant, transforming practice, and building infrastructure. An independent evaluation in 2027 will assess its impact and sustainability beyond the campaign year and will assess its influence on reading behaviours and wider impact on the literacy sector.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking with (a) libraries, (b) charities and (c) the wider literacy sector to deliver the National Year of Reading.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department, in partnership with the National Literacy Trust, is leading the National Year of Reading 2026 to tackle declining reading enjoyment. This UK-wide campaign combines a marketing initiative with events in schools, libraries and communities, prioritising boys aged 10 to 16, early years children and families from disadvantaged communities.

Grounded in evidence, the campaign uses the “Go All In” branding to help make reading appealing and relevant, particularly for the priority audiences. The campaign’s message, “If you’re into it, read into it”, encourages individuals to explore reading through their passions, whether music, sport, baking, family time, films, sci-fi, or anything else.

Activities will take place across the year and includes national events, alongside resources for schools and early years, and library engagement through initiatives such as the Summer Reading Challenge. The campaign aims for lasting impact by engaging new audiences, making reading relevant, transforming practice, and building infrastructure. An independent evaluation in 2027 will assess its impact and sustainability beyond the campaign year and will assess its influence on reading behaviours and wider impact on the literacy sector.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of excluding full-time higher-education student households from childcare support schemes when mandatory placements prevent parents from working on those households.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Students with children who are undertaking work placement years with private employers do not qualify for the full-rate partially means-tested loans for living costs or means-tested dependants’ grants (Childcare Grant or Parents’ Learning Allowance). They only qualify for a reduced rate loan for living costs from Student Finance England. The government expects private employers who benefit from students’ work to provide support for students during work placements rather than the taxpayer

The government makes an exception for many work placements in the public sector by making available the full-rate partially means-tested loan for living costs and dependants grants to encourage students to gain work experience in these areas. This ensures that low-income students with children undertaking working placements in the public sector receive targeted support through the student support system.

Public sector work placements include unpaid service with a hospital, with a local authority in relation to the care of children and young persons, health and welfare, with the prison and probation service, and with either House of Parliament. They also include unpaid research at a UK or overseas institution.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on the percentage of doctoral loans used by students to cover the costs of childcare.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Doctoral loans are intended to contribute to the cost of study, rather than to specifically cover tuition fees or livings costs, which provides flexibility to the student. The department does not hold any information on the proportion of doctoral loan funding that is spent on childcare.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make new capital funding available for school buildings in South Holland and the Deepings constituency.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

We are investing almost £3 billion per year by 2034/35 in capital maintenance to improve the condition of the school and college estate, rising from £2.4 billion in 2025/26.

As part of this, in 2025/26, Lincolnshire County Council was allocated almost £6 million to invest across its maintained schools. Capital funding for other bodies responsible for schools in South Holland and the Deepings are also available on GOV.UK. We expect to publish capital allocations and the outcomes of the Condition Improvement Fund for the 2026/27 financial year in the spring.

We are also investing almost £20 billion in the School Rebuilding Programme through to 2034/35, delivering rebuilding projects at over 500 schools within the existing programme, with a further 250 schools to be selected within two years. We plan to open a nomination round early in 2026.

Lincolnshire has also been allocated £62.2 million of Basic Need capital funding to support it to create mainstream school places needed between May 2024 and September 2028.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number and percentage of a) undergraduate and b) postgraduate students who are parents with caring responsibilities.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The Higher Education Statistics Agency is responsible for collecting and publishing data on the UK higher education (HE) sector. This data is shared with the department and includes a wide range of information on students studying at UK HE providers.

However, information on students who are parents with caring responsibilities is not collected, and therefore numbers and percentages of students in this position cannot be identified by the department.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on the number of local authorities which voluntarily provide support for self-employed adoptive parents in each of the last five years.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department does not collect information from local authorities or regional adoption agencies on the extent to which they provide voluntary support for self-employed adoptive parents.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to increase teacher retention.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

A strong retention strategy is at the heart of the government’s pledge for 6,500 more expert teachers, as part of its Plan for Change. The department has already implemented a near 10% pay award over two years and we are offering the Targeted Retention Incentive, worth up to £6,000 after tax for teachers of key subjects in the first five years of their careers who work in disadvantaged schools.

Last year we accepted in full the School Teacher Review Body’s recommendations on Teaching and Learning Responsibility payments. From September 2026, these additional payments will be paid to teachers based on the proportion of responsibility they carry out, rather than their contracted hours. This change follows calls from the sector and will improve equality of opportunity for part-time workers, better enabling them to move into leadership roles.

In addition to financial incentives, our ’Improve workload and wellbeing for school staff’ service provides a range of resources for schools to review and reduce workload and improve staff wellbeing. This service can be accessed here: https://improve-workload-and-wellbeing-for-school-staff.education.gov.uk/.

We are seeing signs of improvement: the latest School Workforce Census reported one of the lowest leaver rates since 2010, with 1,300 fewer teachers leaving the state-funded sector than the year before, and more teachers are returning to state schools after having previously left than at any point in the last ten years, with 17,274 teachers returning to the classroom.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support families of disadvantaged pupils with the cost of school trips.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

It is for schools to decide whether to offer school trips to their pupils. Schools receive pupil premium funding to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged pupils, which may be used to support extracurricular activities, including school trips.

Schools must comply with the law on charging for school activities, which prohibits charging for education provided during school hours. This means they may not make compulsory charges for a trip which takes place during school hours but they may ask parents for voluntary contributions towards the cost of the trip.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to written question 93138, what her planned timetable is for publication of the (a) terms of reference and (b) membership of the regional improvement for standards and excellence Operations Working Group.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department will publish the terms of reference, membership details and minutes of the first meeting of the Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence Operations Working Group by the end of January 2026. Minutes for future meetings with be published following each meeting.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the equitability of the current national funding formula for the Dedicated Schools Grant, in light of disparities in per-pupil funding between local authorities.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The schools national funding formula (NFF) distributes funding for mainstream schools based on schools’ and pupils’ characteristics.

The purpose of the schools NFF is not to give every school, or local authority area, the same level of per-pupil funding. It is right that schools with lots of pupils with additional needs, such as those indicated by measures of deprivation or low prior attainment, attract extra funding to help them meet the needs of all their pupils.

The formula also includes an area cost adjustment to reflect differences in labour market costs across the country. Staffing costs usually make up 70% to 80% of school expenditure, so it is important that schools’ funding takes into account that these costs vary.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to the level of funding for standalone Level 3 BTEC Forensic and Criminal Investigation on (a) progression and (b) employer outcomes in forensic roles.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

On 20 October 2025, alongside the publication of the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, the department published a consultation on Post-16 level 3 and below pathways, which closed on 12 January. As part of our consultation, we have been engaging with the sector on transition arrangements. We will set out our response to the consultation in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of progression rates from foundation to other low-level courses in colleges in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department works closely with the four general further education colleges in Surrey: Brooklands, East Surrey, Nescot and Activate. The colleges collaborate through Surrey FE to support recruitment and progression across Surrey. Each college has worked towards targets in their accountability agreements, which include clear progression routes at all levels. This work is supported by the FE Provider Dashboard, which provides insight into progression and employment outcomes and informs annual strategic conversations with colleges.

Ofsted’s new framework will measure college achievement and performance, particularly in relation to those who are disadvantaged, those with special educational needs and disabilities or high needs, those who are known (or previously known) to social care, and those who may face other barriers to their learning and well-being, including those without level 2 English or mathematics

The Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper sets out how we will make 16-19 pathways easier to navigate. The department will introduce V Levels as a new vocational option that sits alongside A levels and T Levels at Level 3, and will feature nationally set content linked to job standards, giving students clear, industry relevant choices. We will also introduce two new dedicated pathways at Level 2: an occupational pathway to prepare students for work, and a further study pathway to help students progress to higher levels of study.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of support available to schools who wish to decarbonise their buildings but who currently do not have the means to do so.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department recognises that decarbonising the school estate is an important part of meeting the government’s net zero commitments.

The Great British Energy Solar Partnership (GBESP) programme is supporting 250 schools and colleges to decarbonise by investing £100 million on solar panels and other energy efficiency and net zero interventions including LED lighting and electric vehicle chargers.

We are providing support for all schools and colleges to start on their journey towards net zero through our Sustainability Support Programme, which includes an online platform of guidance, tools and resources to help schools plan and deliver climate action available here: https://www.sustainabilitysupportforeducation.org.uk/.

The publicly available Department for Energy Security and Net Zero commissioned schools decarbonisation guidance, along with tools and checklists developed by Energy Systems Catapult can be found here: https://es.catapult.org.uk/tools-and-labs/public-sector-decarbonisation-guidance/developing-your-strategy/schools-resource-hub/. We will be issuing guidance to school settings in spring 2026 to help schools plan future retrofit and adaptation strategies to support decarbonisation and good education outcomes using their estates effectively.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the safeguarding bruising protocol on people from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Nothing is more important than keeping children safe.

Our Families First Partnership Programme guidance, published in March 2025, is clear that practice should be inclusive, anti-discriminatory and responsive to the needs and experiences of children and families of different ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds. We would encourage local safeguarding partnerships to align any local protocols, including in relation to bruising, with this guidance, the latest available evidence and with national child safeguarding guidance, and consider the impact of local protocols on children and families from ethnic minority backgrounds.

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will introduce new measures including improved information sharing and the introduction of multi-agency child protection teams to prevent children falling through the cracks.

We are also investing in the recruitment, training and development of child and family social worders to ensure the workforce has the capacity, skills and knowledge to identify, support and protect vulnerable children who may be at risk of maltreatment.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support young carers in school in Eastleigh constituency.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Statutory guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’ states that all school staff should be alert to the potential need for early help for young carers and requires designated safeguarding leads to be trained to understand and respond to their needs. These expectations apply to all schools ensuring young carers, including those in Eastleigh, are supported to thrive in education.

The department is using school census data to shine a light on the educational disadvantage faced by young carers and published data on their attainment at key stages 2 and 4 for the first time last autumn. This increased visibility will ensure they receive tailored support and do not miss out on vital educational opportunities.

Further, Ofsted’s new education inspection framework places a direct focus on their inclusion, safeguarding and personal development, with explicit reference to young carers. This will drive stronger practice, identification and support for young carers in Eastleigh and nationally.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the press release entitled Government modernises exam records with new app, published on 8 January 2026, how the £30m savings figure was estimated; and what the average saving for a state secondary school is estimated to be.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The £30 million saving in the education sector is based on reducing administrative processes in further education and apprenticeships. Extensive user research with colleges identified activities that could be eliminated or streamlined, including photocopying documentation, manually matching emails with applications, and reducing data entry and correction through improved quality. Other efficiencies include removing support time for paperwork, eliminating manual searches for unique learner numbers and reducing checks on prior attainment to simplify enrolment for mathematics and English. These changes will also reduce delays caused by missing documentation and cut follow-up activities linked to incomplete records. Due to the nature of the calculation, the department has not estimated a saving per secondary school.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to improve lessons about (a) financial responsibility and (b) budgeting in 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, with digital resources to support teaching, following publication of the Curriculum and Assessment Review final report in November 2025.

The department will be engaging with sector experts and young people in how best to reflect this in the updated curriculum. There will be public consultation on the updated curriculum Programmes of Study in 2026, to seek views on the content before they are finalised.

Oak National Academy, an independent Arm’s Length Body, is providing high quality curriculum materials to support financial literacy.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her Department holds on the proportion of neurodivergent and disabled teachers currently working in schools.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Information on the school workforce, including the number of teachers in state-funded schools, is published in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical publication, available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england/2024.

Schools are asked to record whether staff self‑report a disability. In the November 2024 school workforce census, disability information was either not yet obtained or was refused for around 59% of teachers, the most recent data available. Where disability information was reported, around 3% of teachers were recorded as disabled. However, this may not represent the true proportion due to the level of missing data. This has been available since 5 June 2025.

The department does not collect data centrally on whether school staff are neurodivergent.

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Found: Several providers noted that the Home Office, DfE and DWP are not working in a cross-departmental

Found: We advocate for the Department for Education to change the regulations that define persons subject to

Found: Some of this sits in DFE as well so we have a joint Minister with Jacqui Smith doing that and a team

Found: For example, how can DBT, DFE and the DfT coordinate in a way than improves matters at a local level

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Found: educational relationships held by universities with trade and investment strategies and the Department for Education

Found: They deliver Skills Bootcamps and Skills Connect programmes, funded by the Department for Education

Found: A clear, cross-departmental approach linking the Department for Business and Trade, the Department for Education

Found: small business policy but cannot dictate HMRC tax policy, DSIT digital infrastructure priorities, DfE

Found: For example, how can DBT, DFE and the DfT coordinate in a way than improves matters at a local level

Found: That would cut across Government Departments, working with the Department for Education, DCMS, arm’s

Found: of doing things, and it could be integrated into the curriculum again if conversations happen with DFE

Found: Detail on DSIT’s role with Science Education Centres, and how we are working with DCMS and DfE to provide

Found: How much communication have you had from the Department for Education?

Found: money, spread across a whole host of Departments—the MoD, the Home Office, MHCLG, the Department for Education

Found: How much communication have you had from the Department for Education?

Found: All the work that we did on unaccompanied asylum-seeking children jointly with the DfE we also did with

Found: Neil McIvor, the Chief Data Officer at the Department for Education, was appointed to lead this comprehensive

Found: The joint MOD/Department of Education (DfE) Cadet Expansion Project provides data on Combined Cadet

Found: The joint MOD/Department of Education (DfE) Cadet Expansion Project provides data on Combined Cadet

Found: The joint MOD/Department of Education (DfE) Cadet Expansion Project provides data on Combined Cadet

Found: The joint MOD/Department of Education (DfE) Cadet Expansion Project provides data on Combined Cadet

Found: The joint MOD/Department of Education (DfE) Cadet Expansion Project provides data on Combined Cadet

Found: Neil McIvor, the Chief Data Officer at the Department for Education, was appointed to lead this comprehensive

Found: Neil McIvor, the Chief Data Officer at the Department for Education, was appointed to lead this comprehensive

Found: Neil McIvor, the Chief Data Officer at the Department for Education, was appointed to lead this comprehensive

Found: Neil McIvor, the Chief Data Officer at the Department for Education, was appointed to lead this comprehensive

Found: Neil McIvor, the Chief Data Officer at the Department for Education, was appointed to lead this comprehensive

Found: Neil McIvor, the Chief Data Officer at the Department for Education, was appointed to lead this comprehensive

Found: The joint MOD/Department of Education (DfE) Cadet Expansion Project provides data on Combined Cadet

Found: These homes are not registered with or inspected by Ofsted, giving us, and the Department for Education

Found: .  Network analysis: Department for Education used social network analysis to uncover organised fraud

Found: Before that, I held roles in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Department for Education

Found: .  Strengthen cross-departmental collaboration (e.g., DfT, DEFRA, DESNZ, MHCLG, DfE).  Invest in regional

Found: In your experience, how well do different Government Departments such as the Department for Education

Found: recommend that the Department for Work and Pensions establish a joint taskforce with the Department for Education

Found: Closer collaboration between the UK Department for Education and Education Scotland is also critical

Found: All of us need to be around the table with the Government and DFE, continually inputting into that,

Found: All of us need to be around the table with the Government and DFE, continually inputting into that,

Found: All of us need to be around the table with the Government and DFE, continually inputting into that,

Found: Are there discussions at this point between the Department for Transport and Department for Education

Found: At the individual level, I think it is generally recognised, including by the DfE, that high-quality

Found: We have done work for DfE on valuing schools or measuring schools so that they can determine how best

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education on special measures for local authorities not meeting statutory requirements for vulnerable children on safeguarding matters.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government is in regular discussion with the Secretary of State for Education on a large number of issues, including on matters related to local authority performance. The Department for Education is responsible for policy on safeguarding and the statutory requirements local authorities must meet in relation to vulnerable children.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made towards (1) identifying, and (2) compensating, families affected by the inadvertent legislative change that was reversed by the Child Benefit (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2025 (SI 2025/818); and when they expect to complete the correction exercise.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The correction exercise opened to claims for both Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit on 1 October 2025.

As affected individuals may not have had an active claim, HMRC is unable to identify affected individuals from its records and is reliant on them contacting HMRC. Prior to the launch, HMRC provided messaging directly to third-party welfare rights stakeholders to advertise the exercise and encourage claimants to self-identify. HMRC officials worked with the Department for Education and the Department for Work and Pensions to amplify this messaging through homeschooling networks and local authorities, respectively. The exercise also received national press coverage.

The communications campaign is expected to run until October 2026. HMRC will continue to publicise through stakeholders, and consider further press releases or targeted social media.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of mobility associated with armed forces service on the educational continuity of the children of service personnel with special educational needs and disabilities.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is aware of the potential impact of Service related mobility on children with additional needs from Armed Forces families. December 2025 saw the publication of MOD commissioned research carried out by Oxford Brookes University entitled ‘Supporting ALL to Thrive’ (See link: https://sattproject.org.uk/|).

This project investigated the educational opportunities, experiences and outcomes of children with additional learning or support needs and/or disabilities from UK Armed Forces families. The Oxford Brookes research team have presented their findings to the Department for Education and continue to work with the MOD in developing an evidence base that can help shape future policy development.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of levels of financial literacy in relation to pensions among the UK population.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is committed to supporting people to build their financial literacy.

As part of the Financial Inclusion Strategy, the Government announced plans to make financial education compulsory in primary schools in England through a new statutory requirement to teach citizenship, alongside a renewed focus on the subject in secondary schools in the subjects of mathematics and citizenship. The Department for Education will be engaging with sector experts and young people to determine how best to reflect this in the updated curriculum, including appropriate content on pensions and long-term saving. There will be a period of public consultation in 2026 before it is finalised.

The Financial Conduct Authority’s nationally representative Financial Lives Survey gathers insights into the financial behaviour, attitudes and experiences of adults aged 18 and over in the UK. It covers a wide range of topics, including financial capability and detailed information on how people engage with their pensions – such as their awareness, decision-making and approach to saving for retirement. Taken together, these findings provide an indication of financial literacy in the pensions context, although this is not measured as a standalone metric.

Building on these insights, the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), an arm’s length body of Government, provides free, impartial financial guidance for consumers to support them at every stage of their financial lives. Its MoneyHelper services – available online, via webchat and over the phone – offers information on a wide range of financial topics, including pensions, along with easy-to-use tools and calculators to support people in managing their finances.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2025, to Question, 90238, on Government Communications Service: Staff, if he will publish the number of (a) headcount and (b) FTE Government Communication Service staff in each government department, central public body and Arm’s Length Body, including NHS, according to information collated in the most recent Government Communications Service audit; and what are the aggregate figures.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Please see the table below that contains the full-time equivalent figures for departments. These figures incorporate the ALBs, which are grouped under their respective sponsoring organisations.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that businesses planning AI investment can access appropriate digital infrastructure and skills training.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The government is committed to facilitating the diffusion of AI across the whole of the UK by addressing the barriers to adoption faced by businesses and workers. DSIT is working with DfE and Skills England to assess the AI skills gap and map pathways to fill it and recently announced a joint commitment with industry to upskill 7.5 million workers by 2030 with vital AI skills.

Through the Industrial Strategy the government is taking steps to boost access to digital infrastructure such by supporting strategic demand projects to connect to the grid. UK businesses can also access the AI Research Resource which offers free access to high-performance AI compute, with dedicated user support and skills development to help UK-based start‑ups and SMEs experiment, innovate, and scale.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to help ensure that UK universities remain competitive in attracting global research talent.

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

To keep our world-leading universities globally competitive, the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper sets out a joint DfE–DSIT vision for a financially sustainable higher education sector that delivers better value for students, supports local growth, and meets labour market needs. This includes record DSIT R&D investment of £58.5 billion between 2026/27 and 2029/30.

The UK’s immigration offer attracts research talent through visa routes such as the fast-track Global Talent visa, complemented by funding via UKRI and National Academies fellowships and professorships, our association to Horizon Europe, and the Global Talent Fund to retain world-class researchers.

UKRI allows visa costs, including the Immigration Health Surcharge, to be claimed on grants, and many other organisations also allow these costs on their grants. Visa costs are also allowable costs for researchers on Horizon Europe grants.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to engage with road safety public awareness campaigns that educate children in schools in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

Through THINK!, the government’s flagship road safety campaign, we provide a wide range of free educational resources to help improve children's road safety. These are made available to schools and local road safety officers via the THINK! website, social channels and partnerships with organisations such as the Department for Education. https://www.think.gov.uk/education.

In 2024, THINK! launched a ‘Safe Adventures’ campaign to help parents across the country prepare their children for independent travel ahead of moving to secondary school: https://www.think.gov.uk/campaign/safe-adventures/. This activity focuses on the risky behaviours assigned to child pedestrian casualties, which includes failing to look and distractions, finding a safe place to cross and being in a hurry.

THINK! routinely engages with local authorities to assist them with using and promoting our campaigns, and we work closely with Road Safety GB who help disseminate and coordinate our outreach to their network of road safety officers and professionals.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how she will support children, parents and carers to understand the safe use and risks of generative AI tools.

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

Protecting children from harm online is a top priority for this government.

This year, the government will be supporting a NSPCC summit at Wilton Park on the impact of AI on childhood. This will bring together experts, technology companies, civil society and young people to explore how AI can benefit children without exposing them to harm.

Media literacy is also a key part of our approach, helping children and adults develop critical thinking skills to navigate the growing presence of AI-generated content. DSIT is working with the Department for Education to develop an online ‘parent hub’ providing guidance on media literacy and online safety.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Education on the potential impact of the take-up of AI on adult education requirements.

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

Ministers in DSIT and DfE are working closely together to ensure adult education keeps pace with the rapid take-up of AI.

As AI is increasingly adopted across the workplace, this will create a high demand for workers to have the skills to deploy AI. This will require adult education and upskilling to evolve for the AI age, which is why we’re jointly reviewing AI skills needs, expanding lifelong learning, and rolling out new scholarships and traineeships so adults can upskill and reskill for the jobs AI is creating.

DSIT has also formed a partnership with 11 major technology companies and leading UK businesses to upskill 7.5 million workers in AI by 2030. This will ensure that UK workers benefit from the transformational impact AI will have in the workplace, including those working for small businesses and in all parts of the country.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what plans she has to fund (a) digital inclusion organisations and (b) community-based AI literacy programmes to support people who lack the skills or confidence to use AI-powered services; and what plans her Department has for funding lifelong learning programmes to support transitions towards increased AI use across workplaces.

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

Everyone should be able to benefit from the digital world — from saving on everyday bills to finding better jobs and accessing vital services like the NHS.

That is why – as part of the First Steps confirmed in the Digital Inclusion Action Plan – we launched the £11.9 million Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund to help more people across the UK get the access, skills and confidence to get online. This included 85 community led projects in England.

Numerous projects are supporting people to build AI skills, such as the Age UK Westminster project improving AI literacy for older people, and Aston University and FutureDotNow delivering projects that support youth employability through digital inclusion.

This Fund will conclude by 31 March 2026.

More broadly, reducing the AI skills gap is critical for increasing the UK’s productivity and delivering long-term growth. That is why we are working with DfE and Skills England to assess the AI skills gap and map pathways to fill it, and last year announced a joint commitment with industry to upskill 7.5 million workers with vital AI skills.

Alongside this, DSIT is delivering the £187 million TechFirst programme that will support over 4,000 domestic graduates, researchers and innovators and engage 1 million students in digital skills and AI learning.

Lastly, following the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review’s final report last year, national curriculum will be updated to prepare young people for life and work in a changing world. The Government will embed digital, media and AI literacy across the curriculum, introduce a refreshed, broader computing GCSE, and integrate digital content into other subjects.

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