Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to WPQ109604 answered on 24 February 2026 about Private Education: VAT, whether she has received representations from the independent school sector on introducing a targeted subsidy for small charitable independent schools with fewer than 500 pupils.

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

HM Treasury published a Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) on applying VAT to private school fees. This is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-on-private-school-fees/applying-vat-to-private-school-fees.

The department continues to engage with private school providers, including smaller schools, and representative organisations to ensure they are aware of the requirements outlined in the TIIN.

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 replacing the proposed cap on the number of branded items with a monetary cap set by regulations.

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

Assessments made in relation to the limit on branded school uniform and physical education kit contained in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill (CWSB) have been published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childrens-wellbeing-and-schools-bill-impact-assessments.

The department has also assessed the impact of a cost cap versus a numeric limit on branded uniform items and found a cost cap would be complex, difficult to enforce and burdensome for schools. In contrast a numeric limit is clear, simpler, and will deliver savings for parents more quickly. It remains the best approach for driving down the costs of uniform.

The department published statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms last autumn to allow schools to prepare for September 2026 and have committed to updating it following Royal Assent for the CWSB. The guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms.

This measure does not remove the ability for schools to set their own uniform requirements. We strongly encourage schools to have a uniform, as it can play a key role in promoting the ethos of a school, providing a sense of belonging and identity and setting an appropriate tone for education.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed cap on branded school uniform items on specialist academies, including those with a particular sporting or technical focus.

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

Assessments made in relation to the limit on branded school uniform and physical education kit contained in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill (CWSB) have been published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childrens-wellbeing-and-schools-bill-impact-assessments.

The department has also assessed the impact of a cost cap versus a numeric limit on branded uniform items and found a cost cap would be complex, difficult to enforce and burdensome for schools. In contrast a numeric limit is clear, simpler, and will deliver savings for parents more quickly. It remains the best approach for driving down the costs of uniform.

The department published statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms last autumn to allow schools to prepare for September 2026 and have committed to updating it following Royal Assent for the CWSB. The guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms.

This measure does not remove the ability for schools to set their own uniform requirements. We strongly encourage schools to have a uniform, as it can play a key role in promoting the ethos of a school, providing a sense of belonging and identity and setting an appropriate tone for education.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed cap on branded school uniform items on pupil behaviour and attendance in schools.

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

Assessments made in relation to the limit on branded school uniform and physical education kit contained in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill (CWSB) have been published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childrens-wellbeing-and-schools-bill-impact-assessments.

The department has also assessed the impact of a cost cap versus a numeric limit on branded uniform items and found a cost cap would be complex, difficult to enforce and burdensome for schools. In contrast a numeric limit is clear, simpler, and will deliver savings for parents more quickly. It remains the best approach for driving down the costs of uniform.

The department published statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms last autumn to allow schools to prepare for September 2026 and have committed to updating it following Royal Assent for the CWSB. The guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms.

This measure does not remove the ability for schools to set their own uniform requirements. We strongly encourage schools to have a uniform, as it can play a key role in promoting the ethos of a school, providing a sense of belonging and identity and setting an appropriate tone for education.

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 school uniform policy on academic outcomes.

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

Assessments made in relation to the limit on branded school uniform and physical education kit contained in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill (CWSB) have been published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childrens-wellbeing-and-schools-bill-impact-assessments.

The department has also assessed the impact of a cost cap versus a numeric limit on branded uniform items and found a cost cap would be complex, difficult to enforce and burdensome for schools. In contrast a numeric limit is clear, simpler, and will deliver savings for parents more quickly. It remains the best approach for driving down the costs of uniform.

The department published statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms last autumn to allow schools to prepare for September 2026 and have committed to updating it following Royal Assent for the CWSB. The guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms.

This measure does not remove the ability for schools to set their own uniform requirements. We strongly encourage schools to have a uniform, as it can play a key role in promoting the ethos of a school, providing a sense of belonging and identity and setting an appropriate tone for education.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to review or clarify aspects of the school uniform guidance prior to the provisions of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill coming into force.

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

Assessments made in relation to the limit on branded school uniform and physical education kit contained in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill (CWSB) have been published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childrens-wellbeing-and-schools-bill-impact-assessments.

The department has also assessed the impact of a cost cap versus a numeric limit on branded uniform items and found a cost cap would be complex, difficult to enforce and burdensome for schools. In contrast a numeric limit is clear, simpler, and will deliver savings for parents more quickly. It remains the best approach for driving down the costs of uniform.

The department published statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms last autumn to allow schools to prepare for September 2026 and have committed to updating it following Royal Assent for the CWSB. The guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms.

This measure does not remove the ability for schools to set their own uniform requirements. We strongly encourage schools to have a uniform, as it can play a key role in promoting the ethos of a school, providing a sense of belonging and identity and setting an appropriate tone for education.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed cap on branded uniform items on curricular and extracurricular PE participation.

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

Assessments made in relation to the limit on branded school uniform and physical education kit contained in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill (CWSB) have been published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childrens-wellbeing-and-schools-bill-impact-assessments.

The department has also assessed the impact of a cost cap versus a numeric limit on branded uniform items and found a cost cap would be complex, difficult to enforce and burdensome for schools. In contrast a numeric limit is clear, simpler, and will deliver savings for parents more quickly. It remains the best approach for driving down the costs of uniform.

The department published statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms last autumn to allow schools to prepare for September 2026 and have committed to updating it following Royal Assent for the CWSB. The guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms.

This measure does not remove the ability for schools to set their own uniform requirements. We strongly encourage schools to have a uniform, as it can play a key role in promoting the ethos of a school, providing a sense of belonging and identity and setting an appropriate tone for education.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what feedback her Department has received from schools on the practical application of the three-item cap on branded uniform.

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

Assessments made in relation to the limit on branded school uniform and physical education kit contained in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill (CWSB) have been published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childrens-wellbeing-and-schools-bill-impact-assessments.

The department has also assessed the impact of a cost cap versus a numeric limit on branded uniform items and found a cost cap would be complex, difficult to enforce and burdensome for schools. In contrast a numeric limit is clear, simpler, and will deliver savings for parents more quickly. It remains the best approach for driving down the costs of uniform.

The department published statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms last autumn to allow schools to prepare for September 2026 and have committed to updating it following Royal Assent for the CWSB. The guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms.

This measure does not remove the ability for schools to set their own uniform requirements. We strongly encourage schools to have a uniform, as it can play a key role in promoting the ethos of a school, providing a sense of belonging and identity and setting an appropriate tone for education.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed uniform cap on the overall cost of school uniform for parents.

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

Assessments made in relation to the limit on branded school uniform and physical education kit contained in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill (CWSB) have been published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childrens-wellbeing-and-schools-bill-impact-assessments.

The department has also assessed the impact of a cost cap versus a numeric limit on branded uniform items and found a cost cap would be complex, difficult to enforce and burdensome for schools. In contrast a numeric limit is clear, simpler, and will deliver savings for parents more quickly. It remains the best approach for driving down the costs of uniform.

The department published statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms last autumn to allow schools to prepare for September 2026 and have committed to updating it following Royal Assent for the CWSB. The guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms.

This measure does not remove the ability for schools to set their own uniform requirements. We strongly encourage schools to have a uniform, as it can play a key role in promoting the ethos of a school, providing a sense of belonging and identity and setting an appropriate tone for education.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to WPQ109601 answered on 23 February 2026, when she last met with the independent school sector to discuss the financial sustainability of small independent schools.

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

HM Treasury published a Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) on applying VAT to private school fees. This is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-on-private-school-fees/applying-vat-to-private-school-fees.

The department continues to engage with private school providers, including smaller schools, and representative organisations to ensure they are aware of the requirements outlined in the TIIN.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of limiting the number of branded school uniform items on the overall cost of school uniforms for families.

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

I refer the hon. Member for Maidenhead to the answer of 09 March 2025 to Question 114997.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the implementation timetable for school uniform guidance on school procurement cycles and existing supplier arrangements.

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

Assessments made in relation to the limit on branded school uniform and physical education kit contained in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill (CWSB) have been published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childrens-wellbeing-and-schools-bill-impact-assessments.

The department has also assessed the impact of a cost cap versus a numeric limit on branded uniform items and found a cost cap would be complex, difficult to enforce and burdensome for schools. In contrast a numeric limit is clear, simpler, and will deliver savings for parents more quickly. It remains the best approach for driving down the costs of uniform.

The department published statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms last autumn to allow schools to prepare for September 2026 and have committed to updating it following Royal Assent for the CWSB. The guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms.

This measure does not remove the ability for schools to set their own uniform requirements. We strongly encourage schools to have a uniform, as it can play a key role in promoting the ethos of a school, providing a sense of belonging and identity and setting an appropriate tone for education.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of time available to schools to implement the recent changes to school uniform guidance ahead of the proposed legislative cap.

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

Assessments made in relation to the limit on branded school uniform and physical education kit contained in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill (CWSB) have been published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childrens-wellbeing-and-schools-bill-impact-assessments.

The department has also assessed the impact of a cost cap versus a numeric limit on branded uniform items and found a cost cap would be complex, difficult to enforce and burdensome for schools. In contrast a numeric limit is clear, simpler, and will deliver savings for parents more quickly. It remains the best approach for driving down the costs of uniform.

The department published statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms last autumn to allow schools to prepare for September 2026 and have committed to updating it following Royal Assent for the CWSB. The guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms.

This measure does not remove the ability for schools to set their own uniform requirements. We strongly encourage schools to have a uniform, as it can play a key role in promoting the ethos of a school, providing a sense of belonging and identity and setting an appropriate tone for education.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment has her Department made of the potential merits of allowing a longer implementation period for changes to school uniform policy.

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

Assessments made in relation to the limit on branded school uniform and physical education kit contained in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill (CWSB) have been published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childrens-wellbeing-and-schools-bill-impact-assessments.

The department has also assessed the impact of a cost cap versus a numeric limit on branded uniform items and found a cost cap would be complex, difficult to enforce and burdensome for schools. In contrast a numeric limit is clear, simpler, and will deliver savings for parents more quickly. It remains the best approach for driving down the costs of uniform.

The department published statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms last autumn to allow schools to prepare for September 2026 and have committed to updating it following Royal Assent for the CWSB. The guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms.

This measure does not remove the ability for schools to set their own uniform requirements. We strongly encourage schools to have a uniform, as it can play a key role in promoting the ethos of a school, providing a sense of belonging and identity and setting an appropriate tone for education.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed cap on branded uniform items on curricular and extracurricular PE participation; and whether her Department has considered allowing a longer implementation period for changes to school uniform policy.

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

The assessments made in relation to the limit on branded school uniform and PE kit contained in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, including consideration of implementation timings, have been published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childrens-wellbeing-and-schools-bill-impact-assessments.

In order to support schools to implement the proposed limit by September 2026, we published our statutory guidance ‘Cost of school uniforms’ and have committed to updating it following Royal Assent for the Bill. This guidance is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce bullying in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools.

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

Tackling and preventing bullying in schools is essential to ensuring that schools can provide calm and inclusive learning environments. All schools are legally required to have a behaviour policy with measures to prevent all forms of bullying. They have the freedom to develop their own anti-bullying strategies appropriate to their environment and are held to account by Ofsted.

Where bullying is reported, it is important that schools take prompt action to support the pupil and prevent the bullying from happening again. ​Ofsted’s renewed Education Inspection Framework, which has been in use from November 2025, evaluates a school’s approach to bullying during school inspections. This is considered through the lens of the attendance and behaviour evaluation area.

​To support schools, the department has procured for the development of a bespoke evidence-based toolkit for teachers to guide them through approaches to tackling misbehaviour and bullying, and actions to focus on prevention. ​

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when the Kinship Allowance Pilot will commence; and when she plans to publish the list of the ten selected local authorities participating in that pilot.

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

The department announced on 27 February that the Kinship Allowance pilot will be delivered through the new Kinship Zones programme, which will operate in seven local authority areas: Bexley, Bolton, Newcastle, North East Lincolnshire, Medway, Thurrock and Wiltshire.

Delivery of support through the Kinship Zones will begin on 1 April 2026, with local authorities leading engagement with eligible kinship families ahead of the rollout.

The seven participating local authorities were selected following last year’s expression of interest process. The final seven were selected because they provided the strongest conditions for generating robust evidence across a diverse range of local contexts and helping the maximum number of children while remaining within budget constraints.

Details of the participating areas have already been published, and further information about the wider Kinship Zones programme is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-launches-investment-in-support-for-kinship-carers.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to reduce regional inequalities in the ability to access private tutoring.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ White Paper sets out plans to build on support at home with a stretching, enriching and inclusive school experience to ensure every child has what they need to get on in life.

We know that many schools use their pupil premium to fund tuition. Schools can use their pupil premium to provide peer tutoring and one-to-one or small group tuition when choosing support that will most improve progress, using the department’s ‘menu of approaches’, which is informed by evidence of how best to improve disadvantaged pupils’ attainment.

Through our AI Tutoring Tools Programme, we will be co‑creating and trialling curriculum‑aligned, safe‑by‑design AI tutoring tools with teachers, pupils and experts. This will support teaching, build evidence of impact on attainment and inclusion to ensure pupils, including those who often cannot access private tuition, benefit from high quality individual learning support.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure children from disadvantaged backgrounds can access private tutoring.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ White Paper sets out plans to build on support at home with a stretching, enriching and inclusive school experience to ensure every child has what they need to get on in life.

We know that many schools use their pupil premium to fund tuition. Schools can use their pupil premium to provide peer tutoring and one-to-one or small group tuition when choosing support that will most improve progress, using the department’s ‘menu of approaches’, which is informed by evidence of how best to improve disadvantaged pupils’ attainment.

Through our AI Tutoring Tools Programme, we will be co‑creating and trialling curriculum‑aligned, safe‑by‑design AI tutoring tools with teachers, pupils and experts. This will support teaching, build evidence of impact on attainment and inclusion to ensure pupils, including those who often cannot access private tuition, benefit from high quality individual learning support.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support her Department offers to state schools to ensure the provision of adequate tutoring for pupils.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ White Paper sets out plans to build on support at home with a stretching, enriching and inclusive school experience to ensure every child has what they need to get on in life.

We know that many schools use their pupil premium to fund tuition. Schools can use their pupil premium to provide peer tutoring and one-to-one or small group tuition when choosing support that will most improve progress, using the department’s ‘menu of approaches’, which is informed by evidence of how best to improve disadvantaged pupils’ attainment.

Through our AI Tutoring Tools Programme, we will be co‑creating and trialling curriculum‑aligned, safe‑by‑design AI tutoring tools with teachers, pupils and experts. This will support teaching, build evidence of impact on attainment and inclusion to ensure pupils, including those who often cannot access private tuition, benefit from high quality individual learning support.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the impact on local authority finances of accumulated high needs Dedicated Schools Grant deficits ahead of the statutory override ending in 2027-28.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department has set out plans for a reformed special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system in the recent Schools White Paper. The department's assessment of future SEND spending will be updated following the SEND consultation.

We have set out plans to address high needs deficits up to the end of 2025/26, providing grants to cover 90% of each council’s deficit once they have produced and received approval for a strong plan to drive sustained and energetic action in accordance with our new system set out in the Schools White Paper, which will begin to improve outcomes for children and bring costs under control through effective early intervention stopping needs from escalating.

For deficits that arise in 2026/27 and 2027/28, local authorities can expect that we will continue to take an appropriate and proportionate approach, though it will not be unlimited.

From 2028/29, SEND spending will be covered by the overall government DEL budget, meaning local authorities are not expected to fund future SEND costs from general funds, once the Statutory Override ends at the end of 2027/28.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans her Department has to expand access to practical trade-based qualifications within mainstream secondary schools before the age of 16, including through partnerships with further education colleges and local employers.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

There are 46 key stage 4 Technical Awards, which pupils can take alongside GCSEs. These qualifications cover broad sector areas such as health and social care, building and construction and support the development of knowledge and practical skills.

In 2024/25, 45% of students in state-funded schools took at least one Technical Award. The Curriculum and Assessment Review emphasised maintaining stability to allow these qualifications to embed fully in the system and did not propose significant reforms to change delivery or uptake at this stage.

School careers programmes introduce pupils to technical and trade occupations early. Under Provider Access legislation, schools must provide at least six opportunities for pupils in years 8 to 13 to meet technical education or apprenticeship providers. The Schools White Paper also sets out the department’s commitment to broadening pupils’ horizons by ensuring access to high quality careers advice and two weeks’ worth of work experience for every secondary pupil.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her department is taking to ensure children in foster care receive adequate mental support.

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

The government is committed to ensuring children in foster care receive appropriate emotional and mental health support. Regulations require every looked-after child to have their emotional and mental health assessed by a medical practitioner. Local authorities must ensure this happens. Integrated care boards and NHS England must cooperate with requests for services. Joint statutory guidance sets clear expectations that local authorities and health partners should promote wellbeing, act early on signs of difficulty, and ensure assessors have the right skills. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/promoting-the-health-and-wellbeing-of-looked-after-children--2.

We are working with the Department of Health and Social Care to strengthen mental health support for care‑experienced children. Through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, new corporate parenting responsibilities will be placed on government departments and relevant public bodies, ensuring they consider the needs of looked-after children and care leavers when designing and delivering health services. In December 2025, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and I announced a three year pilot to ensure children in care have access to the support they need sooner. This will build on existing work across the country, bringing social workers and NHS professionals together to provide direct mental health support to children and families when they need it most.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure children in foster care are sufficiently supported in the mainstream education system.

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

Every local authority in England must appoint a Virtual School Head to promote the educational attainment of the children they look after, including children in foster care, wherever they live or are educated. All schools must also appoint a designated teacher with expertise in the needs of looked-after children. These children attract pupil premium plus funding of £2,630 per child up to the age of 16, managed by the Virtual School Head, to support meeting objectives in each child’s individual Personal Education Plan. We also provide post‑16 funding to help young people progress into further and higher education, training or employment. The full offer for children in care is set out in in the ‘Promoting the education of looked-after and previously looked-after children’ statutory guidance, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/promoting-the-education-of-looked-after-children.

Through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, we are extending the Virtual School Head’s duties to include promoting the educational achievement of all children with a social worker and children in kinship care.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that young people are fully informed about student loan repayment terms.

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

The government continuously reviews student finance to ensure it remains fair, sustainable, and supportive of students from all backgrounds.

Interest accrues on loan balances from the first day the loan is paid to the learning provider, and/or to the student, until the loan has been repaid in full or cancelled. Interest rates are linked to the Retail Price Index to maintain the real value of the loan over a long loan term but do not impact monthly repayments made by borrowers.

Prospective students have access to information across a range of platforms before submitting their loan application. Student loan terms and conditions make clear that the conditions of the loan may change in line with the regulations that govern the loans. Students sign these terms and conditions before any money is paid to them.

Repayments are calculated solely on earnings, not on amount borrowed or the rate of interest applied. Any outstanding loan, including interest accrued, will be cancelled after the loan term ends, and debt is never passed on to family members or descendants.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will commit to a review of the student loan interest rate system.

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

The government continuously reviews student finance to ensure it remains fair, sustainable, and supportive of students from all backgrounds.

Interest accrues on loan balances from the first day the loan is paid to the learning provider, and/or to the student, until the loan has been repaid in full or cancelled. Interest rates are linked to the Retail Price Index to maintain the real value of the loan over a long loan term but do not impact monthly repayments made by borrowers.

Prospective students have access to information across a range of platforms before submitting their loan application. Student loan terms and conditions make clear that the conditions of the loan may change in line with the regulations that govern the loans. Students sign these terms and conditions before any money is paid to them.

Repayments are calculated solely on earnings, not on amount borrowed or the rate of interest applied. Any outstanding loan, including interest accrued, will be cancelled after the loan term ends, and debt is never passed on to family members or descendants.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of schools’ mobile phone policies in preventing disruption in learning.

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

Mobile phones have no place in schools.

Research from the Children’s Commissioner, published in April 2025, shows that the overwhelming majority of schools, 99.8% of primary schools and 90% of secondary schools, already have policies in place that limit or restrict the use of mobile phones during the school day.

The department’s recently strengthened guidance on mobile phones in schools is clear that all schools should be mobile phone-free by default. Pupils should not have access to their devices during lessons, break times, lunch times, or between lessons.

The guidance will be implemented through behaviour management in schools, and by setting out clear expectations for teachers and school staff. Our attendance and behaviour hub lead schools will support other schools to implement and enforce a mobile phone policy where needed.

From April, Ofsted will also check school mobile phone policy on every inspection, with schools expected to be mobile phone-free by default. Ofsted will examine both schools' mobile phone policies and how effectively they are implemented when judging behaviour during inspections.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what is the evidential basis for her view that graduates will pay back £8 more a month on average due to the freezing of the repayment threshold for student loans.

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

Monthly repayments for a borrower earning above the repayment threshold in a scenario with no threshold freeze was calculated as £8 lower in the 2027/28 financial year compared to the repayments of the same borrower in a scenario with a freeze. This is calculated as 9% (the repayment rate) of the difference between the frozen threshold and the non-frozen threshold. This figure was based on Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) inflation forecasts from the 2025 Spring Statement.

Following updated OBR economic forecasts released on 3 March 2026 as part of the Spring Statement, this figure has been recalculated and remains £8.

For borrowers earning less than the threshold calculated without a freeze, the increased repayments compared to the freeze scenario will be less than £8, and borrowers earning below the frozen threshold will continue to repay nothing.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether there is a minimum age to participate in the (a) Turing and (b) Erasmus+ scheme.

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

Most Erasmus+ activities do not have a specific age limit, except for youth activities which are only available to 18 to 30-year-olds. Erasmus+ is designed for a wide range of participants, including learners, trainees, and staff across higher education (HE), further education, vocational education and training, schools, adult education, youth programmes and sport programmes.

Students can participate in Turing Scheme placements if they are receiving education from an eligible provider from primary school through to HE.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Turing scheme will be renewed for (a) 2027-28 and (b) 2028-29.

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

Guidance on the Turing Scheme for the 2026/27 academic year has been published on GOV.UK, and applications for funding are open until 16 March 2026. The budget for 2026/27 will be confirmed in due course.

​The Turing Scheme is a demand led, competitive programme, so providers can shape applications to the needs of their students. We do not set targets for the number of Turing Scheme placements in each year, as this is highly dependent on the numbers of students that individual providers intend to send, where they intend to go and how long for. Instead, we allocate funding to prioritise the participation of students from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with special educational needs and disabilities.​

The UK has agreed in principle to associate with Erasmus+ from 2027, and decisions on the Turing Scheme for 2027/28 will be shared in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to provide additional funding to colleges for staff pay.

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

Further education (FE) colleges, rather than 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 the 2025/26 financial year.

In October 2025, the department announced plans to go further in the 2026/27 financial year. From the Spending Review settlement, we will invest nearly £800 million extra on top of the original £400 million announced in 2025/26.

This significant investment will support 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 maths and technical shortage subjects, in colleges, including in sixth form colleges. This is separate to teacher salaries.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many higher education institutions have sought to withdraw staff from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme in each of the past four quarters.

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

The government recognises that the financial environment of the higher education (HE) sector is challenging for both providers and for their staff. We are aware that some providers are making difficult decisions around staffing in order to safeguard their financial sustainability, including in relation to pension arrangements.

As providers are independent, the government does not routinely collect information regarding pay and workforce matters in HE. However, we remain committed to engaging with both HE unions and the employer body to better understand the issues affecting the sector, including the workforce.

Furthermore, we appreciate both the impact of the increased Teachers’ Pension Scheme employer contribution rate on providers and that defined benefit pensions are highly valued by staff across the sector. As set out in the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, the government is therefore seeking to better understand concerns within the post-1992 HE sector regarding pension provision.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will introduce supplementary grants for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, as other associated countries provide.

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

The government are committed to supporting the aspiration of every person who meets the requirements and wants to go to university.

The government currently provides three mean-tested dependants’ grants that low-income students with childcare and/or caring responsibilities can apply for in addition to the regular package of maintenance and tuition fee loans. These are intended to reflect the greater costs that recipients face when going to university, providing a level playing field for students who face additional barriers to study.

From 2028/29, we will also reintroduce maintenance grants to support full-time students from low-income households studying courses aligned with the government’s missions and Industrial Strategy. The grants will provide disadvantaged full-time students with up to £1,000 extra per year, on top of existing maintenance loans, increasing cash for students without increasing their debt.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to provide financial provision to respond to potential legal challenges by students who did not fully understand the implications for repayment of interest for their student loans.

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

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

Given the inherited fiscal situation, the government is making tough but necessary decisions to protect both taxpayers and students. The government continuously reviews student finance to ensure it remains fair, sustainable, and supportive of students from all backgrounds.

Prospective students have access to a wide range of information across a range of platforms before they submit their loan application. Student loan terms and conditions make clear that the conditions of the loan may change in line with the relevant regulations and students sign these terms and conditions before any money is paid to them. Having access to this information early in the process enables prospective borrowers to seek independent advice if they feel they do not understand aspects of the student loan process, or to better understand the longer-term commitment of a student loan.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Department will take to ensure the Erasmus+ programme reaches less advantaged young people who are in further education or apprenticeships.

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

This iteration of Erasmus+ has a strong focus on inclusion, with diversity and inclusion set as a core priority. The UK’s association will support this commitment, continuing the ambition set by the Turing Scheme to prioritise mobilities involving participants from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The EU allocates dedicated budgets to support ‘people with fewer opportunities’ to take part in mobility activities, including those facing financial, social or health-related barriers. Grant rates are set out in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide for each year of the programme.

The department is working closely with all relevant sectors to maximise take up, particularly among disadvantaged groups. A UK National Agency will be appointed to administer the programme, with a dedicated website and guidance issued well-ahead of the 2027 funding call. Alongside this, there will also be a broad range of sector outreach activities to increase awareness and engagement, such as webinars and targeted communications to eligible organisations.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what specific mechanisms within Erasmus+ will be used to prioritise learners from disadvantaged backgrounds in a manner similar to the Turing Scheme.

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

This iteration of Erasmus+ has a strong focus on inclusion, with diversity and inclusion set as a core priority. The UK’s association will support this commitment, continuing the ambition set by the Turing Scheme to prioritise mobilities involving participants from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The EU allocates dedicated budgets to support ‘people with fewer opportunities’ to take part in mobility activities, including those facing financial, social or health-related barriers. Grant rates are set out in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide for each year of the programme.

The department is working closely with all relevant sectors to maximise take up, particularly among disadvantaged groups. A UK National Agency will be appointed to administer the programme, with a dedicated website and guidance issued well-ahead of the 2027 funding call. Alongside this, there will also be a broad range of sector outreach activities to increase awareness and engagement, such as webinars and targeted communications to eligible organisations.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether grant levels for students from low-income households under Erasmus+ will be comparable to those of the Turing Scheme.

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

This iteration of Erasmus+ has a strong focus on inclusion, with diversity and inclusion set as a core priority. The UK’s association will support this commitment, continuing the ambition set by the Turing Scheme to prioritise mobilities involving participants from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The EU allocates dedicated budgets to support ‘people with fewer opportunities’ to take part in mobility activities, including those facing financial, social or health-related barriers. Grant rates are set out in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide for each year of the programme.

The department is working closely with all relevant sectors to maximise take up, particularly among disadvantaged groups. A UK National Agency will be appointed to administer the programme, with a dedicated website and guidance issued well-ahead of the 2027 funding call. Alongside this, there will also be a broad range of sector outreach activities to increase awareness and engagement, such as webinars and targeted communications to eligible organisations.

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 including maintenance loans as part of a student loan on students from lower income backgrounds.

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

We have future-proofed our maintenance offer by confirming that we will increase maintenance loans in line with forecast inflation every academic year. This will provide students with long-term financial certainty on the support they will receive while studying and ensure that students from the lowest income families receive the largest year-on-year cash increases in support. Maximum loans for living costs for undergraduate students will increase by 2.71% for the 2026/27 academic year.

From 2028/29, maintenance grants will support full-time students from low-income households studying courses aligned with the government’s missions. The grants will provide disadvantaged full-time students with up to £1,000 extra per year on top of existing maintenance loans, increasing cash for students without increasing their debt.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure schools are promoting reading as a substitute to social media use.

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

We know that reading for pleasure is hugely important and brings a range of benefits. However, we also know that just one in three children aged 8 to 18 read in their free time, and a recent Omnibus Survey by the department found that 31% of parents of primary-aged children and 40% of parents of secondary-aged children said their child prefers spending time online or playing video games, citing this as a barrier to encouraging reading in their free time.

We have launched the National Year of Reading 2026, in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust, to address long-term declines in reading enjoyment through engaging new audiences, reshaping public attitudes and building the systems needed to embed lasting, meaningful change.

The National Year of Reading encourages everyone to see how reading, in all forms, can unlock more of our existing passions and interests, from reading a story in a print book or on an e-reader, to reading a magazine article or an online blog, to listening to an audio book on a phone or tablet. With this in mind, digital technology is not incompatible with the National Year of Reading.

The national rollout of Best Start Family Hubs is underpinned by £500 million of government investment to help families in every part of the country. This includes increased investment in home learning and parenting support in the early years, enhancing support for families through integrated advice, targeted outreach and partnerships to empower more parents and carers to chat, play, and read with their children every day to nurture early reading skills and language development from birth.

This government is also providing £5 million of funding for secondary schools to purchase books to encourage reading for pleasure, as well as committing over £10 million in funding to guarantee a library for every primary school by the end of this Parliament.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how her Department defines a partial closure of a Sixth Form College; and whether removal of A-Level provision constitutes a partial closure.

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

The arrangements for closing a standalone sixth form college are set out in the Dissolution of Further Education Corporations and Sixth Form College Corporations (Prescribed Bodies) Regulations 2012, and do not include partial closure.

It is for the college to decide the provision offered, taking into account the local authority’s statutory duty to ensure sufficient provision for 16 to 18 year-olds and their learner demographic and needs.

For school sixth forms, it is up to individual schools to decide which post-16 qualifications to offer in line with the 16 to 19 study programmes guidance.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate she has made of the average pay gap between further education college lecturers and school teachers.

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

The government’s role in relation to pay and conditions across schools and colleges differs.

The statutory requirements for teachers' pay and conditions within maintained schools in England are set out in the ‘School teachers’ pay and conditions’ document. This is updated each year, based on recommendations from the independent School Teachers’ Review Body.

In 2023/24, the median Full Time Equivalent (FTE) salary for classroom teachers in secondary schools was £47,666.

Further education (FE) colleges were incorporated under the terms of the 1992 Further and Higher Education Act, which gave them autonomy over the pay of their staff. The government does not set or recommend college teacher pay.

In 2023/24, the median FTE average salary for teaching staff on permanent or fixed term contracts in general further education colleges was £36,316 and £47,133 in sixth form colleges.

The school and FE pay figures are sourced from different datasets and recorded differently which may make it difficult to make direct comparisons.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the budget is for the Turing scheme in 2026-27; and what the target number of UK students supported is.

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

Guidance on the Turing Scheme for the 2026/27 academic year has been published on GOV.UK, and applications for funding are open until 16 March 2026. The budget for 2026/27 will be confirmed in due course.

​The Turing Scheme is a demand led, competitive programme, so providers can shape applications to the needs of their students. We do not set targets for the number of Turing Scheme placements in each year, as this is highly dependent on the numbers of students that individual providers intend to send, where they intend to go and how long for. Instead, we allocate funding to prioritise the participation of students from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with special educational needs and disabilities.​

The UK has agreed in principle to associate with Erasmus+ from 2027, and decisions on the Turing Scheme for 2027/28 will be shared in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the proportion of students who are international students in each of the past five years.

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

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) is responsible for collecting and publishing data on the UK higher education (HE) sector. These data are shared with the department and include a wide range of information on students in UK higher education providers (HEPs), including their country of domicile.

Between 2020/21 and 2024/25, the proportion of students who are international in UK HE has ranged from 22% in 2020/21, to a peak of 26% in 2022/23. Since this peak, the proportion has decreased year on year, to 24% in 2024/25.

Year on year detailed table available below. Note that data provided is for all UK HE providers. The data source link to the table is: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/sb273/figure-9.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to page 22 of her Department's consultation entitled SEND reform: Putting Children and Young People First, CP1509, when she plans to implement a fast-track route to support for children under five.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department will work closely with colleagues at the Department for Health and Social Care and with parents and carers, to develop a fast-track route to support children under five years old with the most complex special educational needs to access the support they and their families need to achieve and thrive in early education. This will include exploring options to trial such a process ahead of legislation.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the change in business rates liability for the university sector in 2026/7 relative to 2024/5.

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

Information about business rates, including changes that will come into effect on 1 April 2026, can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/introduction-to-business-rates.

As universities are independent of government, they are responsible for understanding the potential impact of these changes and ensuring their business models enable them to address emerging risks effectively.

The Office for Students (OfS) is responsible for monitoring the sector’s financial sustainability. The department works closely with the OfS to understand the sector’s changing financial landscape and level of risk.

While the sector is autonomous, this government is committed to creating a secure future for our world-leading sector so it can deliver for students, taxpayers, workers and the economy. Our decision to raise tuition fees annually in line with inflation, alongside refocusing the OfS on monitoring the sector’s financial health, demonstrates this commitment.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure (a) primary and (b) secondary schools are able to support pupils with hearing difficulties.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The majority of children and young with hearing impairments are already taught in mainstream schools and we aim to improve inclusivity and expertise in these schools further. In addition to requiring those teaching children with sensory impairment to hold the relevant Mandatory Qualification in Sensory Impairment, the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education has launched a Sensory Impairment apprenticeship route into the school workforce.

Early years settings, schools and colleges have clear legal duties under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments so that disabled children and young people, including those with hearing impairments, are not placed at a substantial disadvantage. Making these adjustments is central to ensuring full participation in school life and delivering high-quality, inclusive education.

To help schools meet these duties, we are improving the clarity and practicality of guidance on reasonable adjustments. This includes developing more accessible tools and examples with partners such as the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of additional powers for Ofsted to respond in cases where a school's SEN information report is not written in straightforward language that is accessible to young people and parents.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Ofsted’s school inspection toolkit makes clear that inspectors will consider the extent to which special educational needs (SEN) information reports are easily accessible when gathering evidence about special education needs and disabilities (SEND).

As set out in our proposals for SEND reform, schools will be required to detail the support they provide through a new duty to produce an inclusion strategy. This will ultimately replace the current duty to produce SEN information reports. Schools will be required to ensure this report is easily accessible, so that parents and local partners can understand how inclusion is being delivered.

Through its inspection framework, Ofsted will assess how leaders ensure the inclusion strategy is embedded in practice, and how staff are equipped to deliver it.

We have proposed the creation of new National Inclusion Standards for the first time, based on evidence, to inform best practice in identifying barriers and meeting needs. We will work with Ofsted to ensure that these standards inform its inspections in the future.

The consultation for these reforms is underway and we would encourage anyone with views on SEN information reports or our inclusion strategy proposals to participate.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what powers Ofsted have to respond where a school's SEN information report is not written in straightforward language that is accessible to young people and parents.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Ofsted’s school inspection toolkit makes clear that inspectors will consider the extent to which special educational needs (SEN) information reports are easily accessible when gathering evidence about special education needs and disabilities (SEND).

As set out in our proposals for SEND reform, schools will be required to detail the support they provide through a new duty to produce an inclusion strategy. This will ultimately replace the current duty to produce SEN information reports. Schools will be required to ensure this report is easily accessible, so that parents and local partners can understand how inclusion is being delivered.

Through its inspection framework, Ofsted will assess how leaders ensure the inclusion strategy is embedded in practice, and how staff are equipped to deliver it.

We have proposed the creation of new National Inclusion Standards for the first time, based on evidence, to inform best practice in identifying barriers and meeting needs. We will work with Ofsted to ensure that these standards inform its inspections in the future.

The consultation for these reforms is underway and we would encourage anyone with views on SEN information reports or our inclusion strategy proposals to participate.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help protect the UK University sector from a potential loss of income from overseas students.

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

The government welcomes international students who meet the requirements to study in the UK. The Immigration White Paper, published in May 2025, sets out a balanced approach that helps the government achieve our manifesto commitment on reducing net migration while maintaining the UK’s global competitiveness.

The Office for Students (OfS) has identified a reliance on international student fee income as a risk to English providers’ financial sustainability. It has been clear that providers will need to change their business models to protect their financial health as a response to this risk and others. As higher education (HE) providers are independent from government, they are responsible for managing their finances.

To support the English HE sector, the government has increased tuition fee caps in line with inflation and has asked the OfS to focus on financial sustainability. The financial sustainability of providers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a matter for the devolved administrations.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what criteria her Department uses to decide how much 16 to 19 Bursary funding is distributed to each a) Local Education Authority, b) Multi-Academy Trust and c) school within a Local Education Authority and Multi-Academy Trust.

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

The department allocates the bulk of 16 to 19 bursary funding in advance for institutions to make discretionary bursary awards to students.

For mainstream schools and academies, allocations are made to individual institutions. Each local authority-maintained school, or academy within a multi-academy trust, will get its own allocation from the department. It is up to these organisations how to allocate this funding.

Calculations for an institution’s discretionary bursary funding are based on data around the financial needs and costs faced by its students. The methodology for calculating discretionary bursary allocations has two elements:

• Element One: financial disadvantage is based on students’ home postcodes, matched against the Index of Multiple Deprivation.

• Element Two: student costs is intended to provide a general indicator of the main costs faced by students. It includes funding for travel costs by using the rurality of the student’s home postcode and the delivery location of their learning, together with funding for industry placement costs for students on T Levels.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to her Answer of 12 January 2026 to Question 104726 on Department for Education: Business Rates, what estimate she has made of the change in business rates liability for the 2026-27 financial year compared to 2024-25 financial year for the (a) schools (b) other hereditaments for which her Department and the Education and Skills Funding Agency covered the business rates liability in 2024-25 financial year.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Claims for national non-domestic rates for schools are processed on a reactive basis by the department, once all claims have been submitted for payment. Claims can be made and adjusted for up to six years, which means that levels of payment and reimbursement for the 2024/25 financial year will continue to be subject to change. The department is therefore not yet able to provide a final figure for the 2024/25 financial year.

Regarding the change in business rates liability between the 2024/25 and 2026/27 financial years, the department does not hold a central estimate on changes between financial years. This is because payments are made on a reactive basis and will continue to be subject to change, depending on the rates that the Valuation Office Agency and billing authorities charge to individual schools.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Answer of 12 January 2026 to Question 104726 on Department for Education: Business Rates, what was the level of (a) payment and (b) reimbursement of business rates in (a) her Department and the (b) Education and Skills Funding Agency in the 2024-25 financial year.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Claims for national non-domestic rates for schools are processed on a reactive basis by the department, once all claims have been submitted for payment. Claims can be made and adjusted for up to six years, which means that levels of payment and reimbursement for the 2024/25 financial year will continue to be subject to change. The department is therefore not yet able to provide a final figure for the 2024/25 financial year.

Regarding the change in business rates liability between the 2024/25 and 2026/27 financial years, the department does not hold a central estimate on changes between financial years. This is because payments are made on a reactive basis and will continue to be subject to change, depending on the rates that the Valuation Office Agency and billing authorities charge to individual schools.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether (a) her Department and (b) the arms length bodies sponsored by her Department are compliant with the Supreme Court ruling in the case of For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers [2025].

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

All duty bearers, including departments and arm’s-length bodies, are expected to follow the law as clarified by the Supreme Court ruling. My right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, has underlined this recently.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has submitted a draft Code of Practice on services, public functions and associations to Ministers. This is being carefully reviewed by the Cabinet Office and will provide further guidance to duty bearers.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of using parenting programmes such as that implemented in Australia to support parents in managing their children’s screen time.

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

The department is monitoring policies put in place in other countries, including Australia, and we are working with counterparts there to share learnings and best practice. Ministers at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology will also be visiting Australia to understand the approach taken.

Last month, the government announced a package of measures to improve children’s relationship with mobile phones and social media, including a commitment to produce evidence-based screen time guidance for parents of children aged 5 to 16. This builds on ongoing work to develop screen time guidance for parents 0 to 5 year-olds.

The government also announced that we will be launching a consultation and national conversation on further measures to ensure technology is enriching children’s lives. The consultation will include exploring the option of banning social media for children below a certain age, alongside a range of other measures.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help address concerns raised in relation to the Judicial Review of Oak National Academy by (a) education unions, (b) publishers, (c) authors and (d) any other educational suppliers.

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

I cannot comment on the Judicial Review of Oak National Academy, which is ongoing.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve safeguarding practices at (a) nurseries and (b) childcare centres.

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

The safety of our youngest children is our utmost priority, and the department continually monitors and strengthens safeguarding requirements across early years settings, including nurseries and childcare centres.

In September 2025, we implemented changes to the early years foundation stage statutory framework to strengthen safeguarding requirements across early years settings. These changes include enhanced expectations on safer recruitment, child absences, safer eating, safeguarding training and whistleblowing.

The department works closely with local authorities and other safeguarding partners to strengthen multi-agency safeguarding. Through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, we are seeking to require the automatic involvement of education and childcare settings in local safeguarding arrangements, ensuring their views are represented.

In addition, we have appointed an expert panel to inform the development of guidance for the early years sector on the use of digital devices and CCTV within safeguarding. This guidance is due to be published in the autumn and will set out best practice, technical information and clear expectations for providers.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to her Answer of 2 February 2026 to Question 109084, on Free Schools, what information her Department holds on the reasons for Walsall Council's payment of £1million to the Department for Education; and whether this formed part of her criteria for approval of the Swift Academy.

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

The payment represents a contribution towards the capital costs of developing the school site, as has happened with a number of free school projects. It is included within an agreement with the local authority, signed prior to the commencement of the pipeline review. This contribution did not form part of the decision-making process.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of safeguarding in settings that offer extracurricular activities for children outside of schools in (a) Yeovil constituency, (b) Somerset and (c) England.

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

This government is committed to safeguarding children and protecting them from harm across all extracurricular activities. Local authorities have legal safeguarding duties towards children in their areas and, where concerns arise, we expect them to intervene using the wide range of powers available to them.

The department also works closely with regions, including in Somerset and Yeovil, to support the delivery of these duties. To help ensure all children can receive safe and enriching education and activities, we launched a Call for Evidence seeking to better understand current practice and invite views on possible approaches to further strengthen safeguarding.

​The department intends to supplement the Call for Evidence with further engagement, including focus groups with parents and smaller providers, and sector roundtables with safeguarding experts, national governing bodies and other community representatives, before issuing a full response in due course.

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Found: Committee to the Secretary of State for Education regarding higher education, 6 May 2025 88 Department for Education

Found: that nearly 200 teachers earned more than £150,000 in 2025, according to data from the Department for Education

Found: which in turn affects continuity and quality. 3.4 Impact on sustained paid employment outcomes DWP and DfE

Found: apprenticeships, adult further education, skills, training and careers, and Skills England from the Department for Education

Found: In terms of access to education, the DHSC must work with the Department for Education to ensure fair

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Found: democratic system to lead to a lifelong habit of informed, engaged, and responsible participation.42 DfE

Found: democratic system to lead to a lifelong habit of informed, engaged, and responsible participation.42 DfE

Found: DfE is already working with MHCLG on supporting democratic engagement and will work with the Parliament

Found: DfE is already working with MHCLG on supporting democratic engagement and will work with the Parliament

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Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) travel expenses and (b) other financial support are available to nursing students.

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

The Department for Education provides the primary funding support package for English domiciled students in higher education through the student loans system.

We want to remove the barriers to training in clinical roles like nursing, which is why in addition to student loans, the Department of Health and Social Care provides supplementary non-repayable grants via the NHS Learning Support Fund (LSF). Eligible nursing students receive a minimum of £5,000 in each academic year, with an additional £1,000 per academic year available for priority areas such as mental health nursing or learning disabilities nursing. Further financial support is also available for childcare, dual accommodation costs, and travel.

These funding arrangements are reviewed annually ahead of the start of each academic year.

The 10-Year Health Plan, published in July 2025, set out that we will help students overcome financial obstacles to learning. We are working with the NHS Business Services Authority to reform and modernise the process of supporting students with their placement expenses, including reducing delays to reimbursement of their placement travel and accommodation costs.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the [i] FA and [ii] other football bodies the use of [a] schools and [b] multi-use sports facilities by local youth football clubs for training and playing matches.

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

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, including children and young people, have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.

In 2026/27, we will invest £85m across the UK via the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities (MSGF) Programme, building on the £98m being invested through the programme in 2025/26. This supports communities, including children and young people, to get active through funding artificial grass pitches, floodlights, changing pavilions and other facility improvements.

Last year, the Government announced a new PE and School Sport Partnerships model and a new Enrichment Framework for schools to ensure all young people have equal access to high-quality sport and extracurricular activity. A national network will be developed to build strong partnerships between schools, local clubs and National Governing Bodies to identify and break down barriers to sport for children who are less active. I recently met with colleagues in the Department for Education and the Department for Health and Social Care to discuss this, as we move towards introducing this new approach.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps he is taking to make accessing and understanding support for unpaid carers clear and transparent a) nationally and b) locally.

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

The Government recognises the vital role of unpaid carers and is committed to ensuring they have the support they need. I chair a cross-Government ministerial group that meets regularly, made up of ministers from the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department for Business and Trade, and the Department for Education, to consider how we can provide unpaid carers with the recognition and support they deserve.

Work is underway to introduce a MyCarer section to the NHS App, allowing people to book appointments and communicate more easily with relevant clinical team members on behalf of those for whom they care. This will allow carers to seek guidance directly from health professionals, improving people’s experience, outcomes, and saving admin time for the health professionals and the carer.

Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities must provide a range of high-quality services for unpaid carers. The Better Care Fund supports initiatives such as short breaks and respite care, with local areas deciding how to use funding based on local need.

We have raised the Carer’s Allowance earnings limit from £151 to £196 per week, the equivalent of 16 hours at the National Living Wage and representing the largest cash increase ever.

Nationally, the Department of Health and Social Care, alongside NHS England and local authorities, continue to strengthen guidance to the care sector, and online resources to make support clear and accessible through its work. This includes information on financial help, health and wellbeing services, and respite care.

Locally, integrated care systems and local authorities continue to work towards improving their services. All these steps aim to help ensure unpaid carers can access the services they need efficiently, supporting both their wellbeing and essential caring role.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps he is taking to support unpaid carers a) generally and b) specifically to remove barriers to accessing respite.

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

The Government recognises the vital role of unpaid carers and is committed to ensuring they have the support they need. I chair a cross-Government ministerial group that meets regularly, made up of ministers from the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department for Business and Trade, and the Department for Education, to consider how we can provide unpaid carers with the recognition and support they deserve.

Work is underway to introduce a MyCarer section to the NHS App, allowing people to book appointments and communicate more easily with relevant clinical team members on behalf of those for whom they care. This will allow carers to seek guidance directly from health professionals, improving people’s experience, outcomes, and saving admin time for the health professionals and the carer.

Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities must provide a range of high-quality services for unpaid carers. The Better Care Fund supports initiatives such as short breaks and respite care, with local areas deciding how to use funding based on local need.

We have raised the Carer’s Allowance earnings limit from £151 to £196 per week, the equivalent of 16 hours at the National Living Wage and representing the largest cash increase ever.

Nationally, the Department of Health and Social Care, alongside NHS England and local authorities, continue to strengthen guidance to the care sector, and online resources to make support clear and accessible through its work. This includes information on financial help, health and wellbeing services, and respite care.

Locally, integrated care systems and local authorities continue to work towards improving their services. All these steps aim to help ensure unpaid carers can access the services they need efficiently, supporting both their wellbeing and essential caring role.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 8 September 2025, to Question 71459, on Counter-terrorism: Finance, if she will list the individual quantitative and qualitative elements and metrics used by the Homeland Security Analysis and Insight team to determine the funding to individual councils.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

Each year the Home Office conducts an annual prioritisation exercise to understand which Local Authorities (LAs) are facing the highest threat from radicalisation to terrorism. The process incorporates both quantitative and qualitative elements.

The quantitative element of the model draws on counter-terrorism investigations data and arrests data for terrorism and terrorism-related offences; the number of cases that have been discussed at a Channel multi-agency panel or are being managed separately under the police-led process; community tension reports; hate crime data; Indices of Multiple Deprivation; and annual employment statistics. It is regularly reviewed and adapted to ensure that it provides a sound basis to make effective evidence-based decisions.

As part of the qualitative element, we hold a series of regional roundtables with key Prevent delivery partners, which allows us to sense check the preliminary rankings and make adjustments by drawing on the knowledge and experience of front-line Prevent practitioners from across a range of sectors, including CT Policing; Department for Education; Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government; Health; and HM Prisons and Probation.

Funding for posts and dedicated projects is allocated as part of an annual bidding process, with funding allocations informed by factors including the amount of funding available, the level of threat, the level of funding provided for Prevent posts in the previous financial year, and inflation-related increases.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to page 22 of, SEND Reform: Putting Children and Young People First (CP1509), how will Integrated Care Boards be held more accountable for providing support to children and young people with complex needs.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Schools White Paper and consultation document on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reforms set out proposals on strengthening roles and responsibilities. We are working closely with the Department for Education, and with local area partnerships, for instance integrated care boards and local authorities, to explore further opportunities to strengthen accountability for families and children and young people with SEND.

These reforms are intended to build a system with clearer roles and responsibilities for all partners, and more collective responsibility for the outcomes of children and young people with SEND in a local area. As part of this, we will update the Ofsted and Care Quality Commission (CQC) Area SEND Inspection framework, so that it aligns with the clarified statutory roles of local authorities and integrated care boards. There will be a full consultation on the proposed changes to the framework. Ofsted and the CQC will continue to inspect the role of education, health and social care partners responsible for the planning, commissioning, and delivery of arrangements for children and young people with SEND in the local area, setting clear standards and holding them accountable. In addition, the Children’s Commissioner for England will take on a new role to monitor the progress and effectiveness of SEND reforms for all children with SEND, focusing on the most vulnerable groups.

For the first time, the NHS Medium Term Planning Framework included a clear expectation that integrated care boards and providers fulfil their statutory SEND duties and support the Government’s SEND reform plans. Within their local area partnerships, ICBs are being asked to contribute to Local SEND Reform Plans. This will set out how they will move towards stronger inclusive practices and early intervention, including for children and young people with complex needs. These plans will also be used to assess ongoing performance and delivery of the reforms.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Music and Dance Scheme Schools on the performing arts sector.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

This government is committed to broadening access to arts education, including specialist training for our most promising musicians and dancers irrespective of their personal or financial background through the Music and Dance Scheme. The scheme supports the Creative Industries Sector Plan commitment to increase access to quality specialist creative education provision across England to strengthen our cadre of highly trained young musicians, dancers and performing artists.

My department works closely with the Department for Education who continues to fund the scheme, providing means-tested support to over 2,000 students from lower-income families. The Department for Education currently provides £36.5 million for the MDS this academic year and future funding will be announced in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she has taken with the Secretary of State for Education to secure an uplift in funding for the Music and Dance Scheme Schools.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

This government is committed to broadening access to arts education, including specialist training for our most promising musicians and dancers irrespective of their personal or financial background through the Music and Dance Scheme. The scheme supports the Creative Industries Sector Plan commitment to increase access to quality specialist creative education provision across England to strengthen our cadre of highly trained young musicians, dancers and performing artists.

My department works closely with the Department for Education who continues to fund the scheme, providing means-tested support to over 2,000 students from lower-income families. The Department for Education currently provides £36.5 million for the MDS this academic year and future funding will be announced in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she plans to begin delivery of the Enrichment Expansion Programme; and how her Department plans to work with selected schools to roll out the programme.

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

As part of the Government’s ambition to halve the participation gap, DCMS, in partnership with DfE, will invest £22.5 million through the Enrichment Expansion Programme (EEP). This funding will support up to 400 schools in areas of greatest need across England to provide youth-voice led, tailored and high-quality enrichment offers.

The programme is currently being designed, and further details on delivery timelines and school selection will be shared in due course.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what mechanisms are in place to ensure coordination between her Department and the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department of Health and Social Care, and the Department for Education on policies affecting household access to food; and whether responsibility for oversight of such coordination rests with a named Minister.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Good Food Cycle, published in July 2025, identifies 10 priority outcomes across themes of healthier food, sustainability, food security, affordability and inequality, and good growth. Defra leads on coordination across government on the Good Food Cycle outcomes. Defra officials and Ministers have regular interactions with other Government departments to ensure coordination on policies required to deliver them. This includes regular engagement with the Department for Work and Pensions on ending mass dependence on emergency food parcels, with the Department for Health and Social Care on food related elements of the 10 Year Health Plan, and with the Department for Education on School Food Standards.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, through what legal mechanism will the UK sign up to the Erasmus+ scheme, and whether it will require UK Parliamentary legislation or authorisation.

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

The legal mechanism for the UK’s association to Erasmus+ in 2027 is a decision of the UK-EU Specialised Committee on Participation in Union Programmes which will amend Protocol I of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Once the Specialised Committee decision is adopted, this will be made publicly available on gov.uk.

The Department for Education will also lay a Statutory Instrument to implement personal data processing aspects of the Erasmus+ programme in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to protect the workforce pipeline for small and vulnerable allied health professions from the risk of university programme closures or reductions.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department of Health and Social Care works closely with the Department for Education to support the availability of a diverse range of training routes into health and care careers. While the Government is committed to ensuring sustainable training pathways for small and vulnerable healthcare professions, higher education institutions are independent providers and are responsible for making their own decisions about course delivery and viability.

NHS England has a focussed programme for small and vulnerable professions, including Allied Health Professions. This programme helps maintain and strengthen training and education pathways for pre‑registration learners, including apprenticeship routes, to support a national strategic approach to placement capacity and to build awareness of healthcare careers.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk that university programme closures or reductions could pose to the future supply of prosthetists and orthotists; and what contingency plans are in place to sustain education and training provision for these professions.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

As a small and vulnerable profession, course closures or reductions pose a considerable risk to the future supply of prosthetists and orthotists.

The Department of Health and Social Care works closely with the Department for Education to support the availability of a diverse range of training routes into health and care careers. While the Government is committed to ensuring sustainable training pathways for the future supply of prosthetics and orthotists, higher education institutions are independent providers and are responsible for making their own decisions about course delivery and viability.

NHS England has a focussed programme for small and vulnerable professions, including prosthetics and orthotics, and has recently commissioned the British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists to help maintain and strengthen training and education pathways for pre‑registration learners.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she can list the (a) Ministerial responsibilities and (b) the responsibilities and reporting arrangements of any relevant cross-departmental units in relation to drugs policy.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Joint Combating Drugs Unit (JCDU) is responsible for driving and co-ordinating efforts across Government to tackle drugs, working in close partnership with six departments – the Home Office, the Department of Health and Social Care, the Ministry of Justice, the Department of Work and Pensions, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the Department for Education. JCDU comprises full-time civil servants who are seconded from key government departments.

Each department is responsible for delivery of their programmes and projects. Progress is overseen by the lead departmental ministers but also reported to me as the lead drugs Minister, while a lead Permanent Secretary fulfils the role of senior responsible owner at official level.

Illicit drug use affects the whole of society, and this Government is taking a collective response to deliver safer streets, improve health outcomes and contribute to opportunities and growth through reducing crime and saving lives.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of the Government estate is managed by the Government Property Agency; which departments, arm’s-length bodies or property portfolios lie within its direct management responsibilities; and what the Government Property Agency’s total expenditure was in 2024–25 on measuring, collecting, reporting or validating greenhouse gas emissions in respect of the parts of the estate for which it is responsible.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Fifty-three per cent (2023/24 53 per cent) of the central government office portfolio, covering c.1,100,000 sqm has been transferred to the Government Property Agency. The Agency provides portfolio services to the following Government departments:

• Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service

• Attorney General’s Office

• Cabinet Office

• Care Quality Commission

• Companies House

• Crown Commercial Service

• Crown Prosecution Service

• Department for Business & Trade

• Department for Education

• Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero

• Department for Culture Media and Sport

• Department of Health & Social Care

• Government Actuary’s Department

• Ministry of Housing Communities & Local Government

• Disclosure & Barring Services

• Northern Ireland Office

• The Insolvency Service

• Foreign & Commonwealth Office

• HM Land Registry

• HM Treasury

• Food Standards Agency

• Great British Nuclear

• Ministry of Justice

• National Savings & Investments

• Office of the Public Guardian

• OfQual

The GPA calculates greenhouse gas emissions for office space occupied by GPA staff and provides utility consumption data for departments occupying other buildings within its managed estate. As this activity is performed by staff as part of their wider duties, the exact amount of time allocated to this specific activity is not centrally recorded.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will provide a list of commitments contained in the Safeguarding the Union command paper (CP1021), published on 31 January 2024, which have yet to be implemented in full.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government is committed to continuing to take forward the Safeguarding the Union command paper, and to protecting Northern Ireland’s place in the UK Internal Market.

We continue to make progress on delivering the commitments made in the command paper. For instance in 2025, three centuries of the News Letter were digitised and there remains no Border Control Post at Cairnryan. In January, the East-West Council met for the third time, where the Government announced there would be a pilot for the UK school twinning programme. This will focus on reading and is being developed between the UK Government’s Department for Education and the Northern Ireland Executive’s Department of Education.

Other recent steps include the allocation of £2.25 million for Intertrade UK over the next three years and the opening of round two of the Connect Fund to support community and voluntary groups. In line with commitments made in Safeguarding the Union, in December the Government published our response to Lord Murphy’s Independent Review of the Windsor Framework, and is now taking action on its recommendations.

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