Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, in the context of recent uncertainty about the future of the ASGSF, what steps her Department is taking to ensure consistent, high quality therapeutic support for adopted children and their families and Regional Adoption Authorities (RAAs) is continued beyond 2028.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government has carefully considered the impact of changes to adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF) funding as part of the wider Spending Review process. That is why we have confirmed continued funding through to 2027/28, alongside consultation on reform, to ensure families continue to receive support while we improve how it is delivered.
The current consultation, available at: https://consult.education.gov.uk/adoption-and-special-guardianship-support-fund-team/adoption-support-that-works-for-all/supporting_documents/adoption-support-that-works-for-all-consultation-document-feb-2026pdf recognises that while many adopted and kinship children thrive, support can be slow, fragmented and inconsistent when needs arise. It sets out a vision for a more predictable and joined-up system, with universal and targeted early help, clearer support pathways and stronger multi‑disciplinary working across social care, health and education where people need more intensive support. The consultation is also a key opportunity for stakeholders to share their views on what support is effective for children. A report on the outcomes of the consultation, together with next steps, will be published later this year.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment her Department has made of the availability of post-16 provision in Lincolnshire.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department works closely with the Lincolnshire councils and local further education (FE) colleges to ensure there is sufficient post-16 provision in Lincolnshire.
The department works with local authorities to assess significant change applications from schools for new post-16 provision or to close existing provision to ensure that any closure proposals do not create 16 to 19 sufficiency challenges within an area.
In October 2025, we published the ‘Post-16 education and skills white paper’, setting out reforms to the skills system. This includes the introduction of V Levels to sit alongside A and T Levels, the Further Study pathway, supported by a new Foundation Certificate, to support students to progress onto V, T or A levels and also the Occupational pathway. This is supported by a new Occupational Certificate, assisting students develop skills to go into apprenticeships or employment.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to hold universities to account on their duty of care to students.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department’s position is that a duty of care in higher education (HE) may arise in certain circumstances. Such circumstances would be a matter for the courts to decide, based on the specific facts and context of the case being considered, and will be dependent on the application by a court of accepted common law principles.
The department continues to work closely with students, parents, mental health experts and the HE sector to drive meaningful change in mental health practice through the HE mental health implementation taskforce. The taskforce published its second stage report, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/higher-education-mental-health-implementation-taskforce.
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what is her estimate of the number of days of education lost during 2025 as a result of water leaks in school buildings.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Schools and their responsible bodies are not obliged to report school closures to the department and therefore the department does not hold the information requested. Many responsible bodies manage school closures locally and without central government support.
Where the department is notified of a significant event or issue with a school or college building that cannot be managed with local resources, we consider additional support on a case-by-case basis. We work closely with these responsible bodies and schools to minimise the impact of any closures and ensure continuity of education for pupils.
Effective and proactive estate management is key to maintaining a high-quality estate and preventing issues materialising that can disrupt education, like leaks. We already set out clear expectations in our School Estate Management Standards and, in February, launched a new digital service to bring together estates-related guidance, data, tools, programmes and funding in one place. From this autumn, we will ask responsible bodies to make an annual return to confirm they are meeting those standards. For those that are not, we will put in place an estate management capability support plan in agreement with the responsible body.
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps with relevant stakeholders to help reduce the number of leaks in school buildings.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Schools and their responsible bodies are not obliged to report school closures to the department and therefore the department does not hold the information requested. Many responsible bodies manage school closures locally and without central government support.
Where the department is notified of a significant event or issue with a school or college building that cannot be managed with local resources, we consider additional support on a case-by-case basis. We work closely with these responsible bodies and schools to minimise the impact of any closures and ensure continuity of education for pupils.
Effective and proactive estate management is key to maintaining a high-quality estate and preventing issues materialising that can disrupt education, like leaks. We already set out clear expectations in our School Estate Management Standards and, in February, launched a new digital service to bring together estates-related guidance, data, tools, programmes and funding in one place. From this autumn, we will ask responsible bodies to make an annual return to confirm they are meeting those standards. For those that are not, we will put in place an estate management capability support plan in agreement with the responsible body.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the proposed International Student Levy aligns with the Government’s International Education Strategy and its target for growth in education exports.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
As outlined in the International Education Strategy, the UK aims to both grow the value of education exports to £40 billion per year by 2030, whilst ensuring the sustainable recruitment of high-quality students, in line with the Immigration White Paper.
International higher education (HE) students are only one part of the UK’s wider international education offer, which includes education exports and transnational education provision across the entire sector, from early years to schools, colleges and universities.
Introducing a £925 flat-fee International Student Levy on English HE providers will support sustainable international student recruitment, whilst ensuring students contribute to the communities where they study, with the levy revenue funding the reintroduction of targeted maintenance grants for disadvantaged students.
The UK’s world‑class HE sector will continue to offer an attractive and fulfilling experience to students from around the globe.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has considered alternative funding models for the reintroduction of maintenance grants, other than revenues raised through the proposed International Student Levy.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department is reintroducing targeted, means-tested maintenance grants of up to £1,000 per year, funded by a levy on international student fees, with both being introduced in the 2028/29 academic year.
This will ensure that the proceeds from international student fees benefit domestic learners, furthering our national opportunity mission, and creating stronger economic links between both home and international students.
This government is clear that it welcomes and values the contributions to our society, economy and higher education providers made by overseas students who want to come to the UK. But it is right to ensure that the financial benefit these students provide also helps our most disadvantaged home students.
Asked by: Alberto Costa (Conservative - South Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to introduce increased statutory rights and protections for foster carers, including safeguards against unsubstantiated allegations; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of such reforms on the stability and wellbeing of children in foster care.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department does not hold data centrally on the number of fostering placements at constituency level. Nationally, placement sufficiency remains under strain, which is why reforms are essential to renewing fostering and improving support for carers and children.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the report entitled Evaluation of pupil attainment and progression in Maths Schools, published in October 2025 by The Observatory for Mathematical Education.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
When forming maths policy, the department considers a broad range of evidence. The department is aware of this report and will consider it alongside evidence from a range of other stakeholders, as well as internal analysis, when designing future policy.
The government recognises the valuable contribution that maths schools make towards high-quality maths and further maths provision across the country, including in the Torbay constituency which is served by the Exeter Maths School. The department will open new maths schools in Durham and Nottingham, ensuring talented students in every region gain a chance to pursue advanced mathematics.
Asked by: Lord Freyberg (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government how current higher education outcome metrics for creative subjects align with their plans to grow the creative industries as a priority sector as part of the Industrial Strategy 2025; and whether the Department for Education plans to review, in consultation with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, whether existing measurement methodologies adequately reflect the labour market structures and earnings patterns of the creative economy.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department works with Skills England to identify which occupations are the highest priority to the creative industries and which educational pathways lead to these occupations. These occupations cover many skill sets, such as IT, alongside those in creative subjects.
The Creative Industries Sector Plan is a 10-year plan to tackle barriers to growth and maximise opportunities across the sector, with the aim of making the UK the number one destination for creativity and innovation. It sets out how government is partnering with industry to build a skills landscape that meets business needs and ensures that our creative workforce is fit for the future. This includes policies such as short courses, funded through the Growth and Skills Levy, in areas such as digital and artificial intelligence.
The department has had discussions with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on ways of measuring the wider value of higher education subjects, including on matters of culture and heritage.