Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2026 to Question 105698 on Erasmus+ Programme, what estimate her Department has made of the number of inbound EU students who will study in the UK.

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

The UK has agreed to associate to Erasmus+ in 2027 on terms that represent a fair balance between the UK’s contribution and the benefits the programme offers.

We have agreed a 30% discount compared to the default terms in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, as well as a review of the UK’s participation in the programme ten months after our association, including data concerning demand for funding in the UK.

In 2018/19, there were approximately 31,000 inbound higher education (HE) student mobilities via the Erasmus+ programme. There were approximately 16,000 outbound HE student mobilities in the same year. The department expects there will be a greater number of HE mobilities on reassociation, given the expansion of the programme.

In real terms, the Erasmus+ budget for 2027 is 50% higher than in 2019. Due to this increased budget, we expect that over 100,000 people could benefit from mobility and partnership opportunities from participation in 2027 across all sectors.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they periodically review the effect of the structure of the Progress 8 and accountability measures in arts subjects in schools.

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

The department has reviewed Progress 8 and determined that it has had an impact, including on arts subjects. As a result, as part of the government response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review, published on 5 November 2025, we announced our intention to consult shortly on an improved version of Progress 8 that will recognise the value of subjects, including the arts, which strengthen our economy and society, and the importance of a broad pre-16 curriculum. We will continue to monitor patterns in subject entry, including arts subjects, in the future.

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 internal exclusion on pupil behaviour, attendance and educational outcomes; and what plans she has to strengthen monitoring, reporting and quality assurance mechanisms to ensure consistency and adequacy of provision for pupils placed in internal exclusion settings.

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

The department will consult on an internal suspension framework to help schools use these sanctions effectively within their behaviour policies, supporting pupils to remain engaged in their education and reducing lost learning. The consultation will seek views on appropriate requirements for recording and reporting internal suspension to ensure consistent practice, transparency, and effective oversight.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what diploma qualifications they will fund for trainee stonemasons from September 2026.

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

On 20 October 2025, alongside the publication of the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, the department published a consultation on post-16 level 3 and below pathways, which closed on 12 January 2026. As part of our consultation, we have been engaging with the sector on transition arrangements. We will set out our response to the consultation in due course.

We will update the information on qualifications funded in the 2026/27 academic year as soon as possible.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether Multi-Academy Trust boards are permitted to redact minutes of board meetings that relate to the use of public funds; what guidance her Department issues on transparency and redaction of trust governance documents; and what assessment she has made of the adequacy of current practices.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The Academy Trust Governance Guide outlines that the trust board is responsible for being open and transparent about its decisions and actions. This guide is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/academy-trust-governance-guide.

The Academy Trust Handbook and trust’s articles of association state that trusts must make available on request for inspection the agenda for board, local committees/governing bodies and committee meetings, approved minutes of each meeting, and any report, document or other paper considered at each meeting.

Trusts may exclude from its records material which, by reason of its nature, the trustees are satisfied should remain confidential, such as names of employees or pupils. The trust must comply with the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK General Data Protection Regulations.

To monitor financial oversight, trusts must submit an annual report and accounts in accordance with the Charity Commission’s Statement of Recommended Practice and the departments Accounts Direction to the department.

The requirements set out in the Academy Trust Handbook are reviewed annually.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with local authorities and employer groups on the availability of work‑experience placements for Year 10 pupils; and what steps she is taking to ensure adequate placements in all areas.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The government set out its vision for reforming work experience in the 2025 careers statutory guidance. Every pupil will have access to 2 weeks’ worth of multiple and varied workplace experiences throughout key stages 3 and 4.

According to the Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) Compass+ self-assessment tool, the majority of students in 74% schools and colleges had an experience of the workplace in the 2024/25 academic year. Note this data does not capture duration.

The department funds the CEC to work with local areas and engage employers to deliver this commitment. CEC’s careers hubs work in partnership with mayoral strategic authorities and local authorities resulting in stronger career provision and increased employer engagement, locally. Findings from a recent pilot found that careers hubs, working with local authorities and mayoral strategic authorities, successfully coordinated work experience provision across multiple schools and employers, reducing duplication and widening access.

Regionally, careers hubs work with cornerstone employer groups, who represent the local labour market and support the region's strategic employment engagement. Nationally, CEC holds strategic partnerships with employer groups, sector and representative bodies supporting all employers to deliver workplace experiences.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average time taken was to complete an Education, Health and Care Plan assessment in England in each of the last five years.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The number of requests for an education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment received during the calendar year, the outcome of those requests and the number of requests where the decision is outstanding at the end of the calendar year is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans/2025.

This publication also includes the number of EHC needs assessments carried out during the calendar year, the outcome of these assessments, the number of assessments where the decision is outstanding at the end of the calendar year and the number and percentage of EHC plans issued within 20 weeks of the date of the request. The latest available data relates to the 2024 calendar year. Information for the 2025 calendar year will be published later this year.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children and young people were waiting for an Education, Health and Care Plan decision in January (a) 2025 and (b) 2026.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The number of requests for an education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment received during the calendar year, the outcome of those requests and the number of requests where the decision is outstanding at the end of the calendar year is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans/2025.

This publication also includes the number of EHC needs assessments carried out during the calendar year, the outcome of these assessments, the number of assessments where the decision is outstanding at the end of the calendar year and the number and percentage of EHC plans issued within 20 weeks of the date of the request. The latest available data relates to the 2024 calendar year. Information for the 2025 calendar year will be published later this year.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure an adequate number of university places for students studying doctorates in Clinical Psychology.

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

Universities are autonomous bodies, independent from government, and are responsible for their own admissions decisions, including provision for doctoral places.

NHS England commissions taught doctorate programmes for Clinical Psychologists. NHS funded trainees receive placement funding at the national tariff rate and are funded at 100 per cent of salary cost at AFC band 6. NHS funded trainees also receive tuition support from NHS England, as well as contribution to travel and accommodation costs necessary to support trainees.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency does not collect information on places available on courses but publishes data on student entrants across UK higher education (HE) providers. This includes data on students entering courses in different subjects, categorised using the HE Classification of Subjects system. In the 2024/25 academic year, there were 913 entrants to doctorates in clinical psychology in UK HE providers.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support universities offering doctorates in Clinical Psychology.

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

Universities are autonomous bodies, independent from government, and are responsible for their own admissions decisions, including provision for doctoral places.

NHS England commissions taught doctorate programmes for Clinical Psychologists. NHS funded trainees receive placement funding at the national tariff rate and are funded at 100 per cent of salary cost at AFC band 6. NHS funded trainees also receive tuition support from NHS England, as well as contribution to travel and accommodation costs necessary to support trainees.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency does not collect information on places available on courses but publishes data on student entrants across UK higher education (HE) providers. This includes data on students entering courses in different subjects, categorised using the HE Classification of Subjects system. In the 2024/25 academic year, there were 913 entrants to doctorates in clinical psychology in UK HE providers.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many university places there are for doctorates in Clinical Psychology.

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

Universities are autonomous bodies, independent from government, and are responsible for their own admissions decisions, including provision for doctoral places.

NHS England commissions taught doctorate programmes for Clinical Psychologists. NHS funded trainees receive placement funding at the national tariff rate and are funded at 100 per cent of salary cost at AFC band 6. NHS funded trainees also receive tuition support from NHS England, as well as contribution to travel and accommodation costs necessary to support trainees.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency does not collect information on places available on courses but publishes data on student entrants across UK higher education (HE) providers. This includes data on students entering courses in different subjects, categorised using the HE Classification of Subjects system. In the 2024/25 academic year, there were 913 entrants to doctorates in clinical psychology in UK HE providers.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government how much was paid to retired teachers in pension payments in 2024; and what estimate they have made of the total pension payments to retired teachers in (1) 2040, and (2) 2050.

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

A total of £2.921 billion was paid by members into the Teachers’ Pension Scheme in the 2024/25 financial year, and £8.866 billion was paid by employers over the same period.

In the 2024/25 financial year, £10.253 billion was paid to retired members of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.

The Teachers’ Pension Scheme does not produce long‑term forecasts beyond its normal planning horizon. Estimates for 2040 and 2050 are therefore not available.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Smith of Malvern on 5 January (HL13131), when they expect to be in a position to share more information on the planned review of childcare provision.

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

The Childcare Review is currently in the early stages of cross government discussions to consider how the early education and childcare alongside family support works for families and children. We will also be working with stakeholders throughout the year to gather insights and build our evidence base. We aim to conclude the Review later this year.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government how much in total was paid to the Teachers' Pension Scheme by (1) teachers, and (2) employers, in 2024.

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

A total of £2.921 billion was paid by members into the Teachers’ Pension Scheme in the 2024/25 financial year, and £8.866 billion was paid by employers over the same period.

In the 2024/25 financial year, £10.253 billion was paid to retired members of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.

The Teachers’ Pension Scheme does not produce long‑term forecasts beyond its normal planning horizon. Estimates for 2040 and 2050 are therefore not available.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, further to the Cabinet Office press release entitled Young people from all backgrounds to get opportunity to study abroad as UK-EU deal unlocks Erasmus+, published on 17 December 2025, on what basis was the £570 million a year cost calculated; and what estimate he has made of the potential cost to the public pursue of (a) EU students studying in the UK and (b) UK students studying in the EU.

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

I refer the hon. Member for Kingswinford and South Staffordshire to the answer of 2 February 2026 to Question 107708.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an estimate on the number of international students in British universities she expects to be part of Erasmus scheme exchanges after the UK rejoins the scheme.

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

In 2018/19, there were approximately 31,000 inbound higher education student mobilities via the Erasmus+ Programme. There were approximately 16,000 outbound higher education student mobilities in the same year.

The department expects there will be a greater number of higher education mobilities on reassociation, given the expansion of the programme.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that proposals in the SEND White Paper do not reduce the rights of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities as set out in the Children and Families Act 2014.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

I refer the hon. Member for Guildford to the answer of 20 January 2026 to Question 98569.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps Student Loans Company is taking to ensure that borrowers repaying through PAYE are not issued incorrect repayment demands.

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

UK-based student loan repayments are collected by HMRC through the tax system. Employers deduct repayments for employees with a student loan when their earnings are above the relevant student loan repayment threshold. Employers will pass the collected repayments to HMRC, and HMRC pass details of the repayments to the Student Loans Company (SLC).

SLC may write to a customer directly if they have been paid more student loan or grant than they are entitled to. Overpayments are due to be repaid separately from the customer’s main student loan balance, and it is right that the SLC seek repayment of such sums.

If a borrower thinks they have received a letter in error, we encourage them to engage with SLC. Customer satisfaction is important to SLC, and they continue to invest in systems to provide customers with a more intuitive and comprehensively digital service. SLC welcomes feedback from customers to further improve their service.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she intends to publish statutory guidance or a code of practice setting out the duty of care owed by higher education providers to their students.

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

Universities are already required to comply with their duties under the common law and legislation such as the Equality Act 2010, which includes an anticipatory duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled students, including those with mental health conditions which meet the definition set out within the Equality Act. The government has no plans to publish statutory guidance or a code of practice on a duty of care owed by higher education providers to their students.

Our focus is on ensuring that providers adopt consistent, evidence‑based approaches to student safety and wellbeing by embedding the recommendations of the national review of higher education student suicide deaths and other best practice identified through the Higher Education Mental Health Implementation Taskforce’s wider outputs and sector-led guidance.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the phonics screener for the early identification of dyslexia in primary schools.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Early identification of need and support is critical to improving outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with dyslexia.

There are several assessments in place to measure progress and help teachers to identify where pupils may require additional support with literacy. These include the phonics screening check, the end of key stage 1 non-statutory assessments and the key stage 2 statutory assessments. The phonics screening check helps teachers to identify pupils who may need extra help and enables schools to benchmark their pupils against national performance. This is not specifically designed to test for dyslexia.

The English Hubs programme is dedicated to improving the teaching of reading, with a focus on supporting children making the slowest progress in reading. Reading Ambition for All is a continuous professional development programme to support the lowest attaining children in reading, with a particular focus on those with SEND. This programme is delivered by 34 English hubs, reaching more than 600 schools, this academic year.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to encourage outdoors learning in schools.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department believes all children and young people should have access to a broad and balanced curriculum and a variety of enrichment opportunities at school.

The value of nature for outdoor learning and for learners’ wellbeing is fundamental

to the department Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy and it is woven throughout initiatives such as the National Education Nature Park. Delivered by the Natural History Museum, it provides curriculum aligned resources and encourages children and young people to get outside and take action to improve the biodiversity of their school grounds. It also supports the development of physical and mental wellbeing through active, hands-on engagement with the natural world.

The value of outdoor learning is being recognised and promoted through our upcoming Enrichment Framework, which includes 'Nature, outdoors and adventure' as one of five categories that schools and colleges should seek to cover in a broad and well-rounded enrichment offer.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what evidential basis her Department is using to promote internal SEND units for pupils with specialist needs in mainstream schools.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

This government is committed to encouraging schools and local authorities to set up resourced provision and special educational needs (SEN) units to increase capacity in mainstream schools.

The department has carried out wide stakeholder engagement and reviewed the existing evidence base, including academic literature, public datasets and third-party reports.

We know there are many great examples of mainstream schools delivering specialist provision through resourced provision and SEN units. They have an important role to play in a more inclusive mainstream system, enabling children to achieve and thrive in a mainstream school.

We are committed to building the evidence base. For example, the ‘What Works in SEND’ programme is undertaking a research project on SEN units and resourced provision, including a systematic review of existing UK and international literature and research into operational models in primary and secondary schools in England.

The department is also working with the Council for Disabled Children and the National Association for Special Educational Needs to develop guidance to help mainstream settings deliver high quality support for children accessing SEN units, resourced provision, and pupil support units.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how students and bereaved families are being involved in the work of the Implementation Taskforce on student mental health and suicide prevention.

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

Students and bereaved families are directly shaping the work of the higher education mental health implementation taskforce. Representatives of the LEARN network sit on the taskforce and have played a key role in agreeing its priorities and work strands, ensuring lived experience insight informs all outputs. The taskforce also includes formal student representation via the National Union of Students, and other members such as Student Minds also ensure that student voice and sector expertise underpin their programme of work.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the report from the All Party Parliamentary Group for Adoption and Permanence entitled Adoptee Voices, published on 28 January 2026, if she will take steps to provide (a) a safe space in school and colleges for adoptees and (b) a teacher in each school to support adoptees.

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

All children and young people should have every opportunity to achieve and thrive, but too many face barriers holding them back. The upcoming Schools White Paper will set out our vision for a system that delivers educational excellence for every child and young person, no matter their background or circumstance.

Local authorities have a statutory duty to promote the educational achievement of previously looked-after children, including children adopted from state care, and must appoint a Virtual School Head to discharge this duty. All maintained schools and academies must appoint a designated teacher to provide advice and expertise on the needs of previously looked-after children on their roll. Previously looked-after children have highest priority in school admissions and attract Pupil Premium Plus funding of £2,630 per child per year to support improved educational outcomes.

Through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, we are committed to updating statutory guidance for Virtual School Heads, including strengthening sections on promoting the educational outcomes of previously looked-after children. In doing so, we will consider the findings of the report to ensure guidance reflects the experiences and needs raised by adoptees. This will support greater consistency and ensure good practice is shared across the system.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the report from the All Party Parliamentary Group for Adoption and Permanence entitled Adoptee Voices, published on 28 January 2026, if she will take steps to provide additional support for adoptees in schools.

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

All children and young people should have every opportunity to achieve and thrive, but too many face barriers holding them back. The upcoming Schools White Paper will set out our vision for a system that delivers educational excellence for every child and young person, no matter their background or circumstance.

Local authorities have a statutory duty to promote the educational achievement of previously looked-after children, including children adopted from state care, and must appoint a Virtual School Head to discharge this duty. All maintained schools and academies must appoint a designated teacher to provide advice and expertise on the needs of previously looked-after children on their roll. Previously looked-after children have highest priority in school admissions and attract Pupil Premium Plus funding of £2,630 per child per year to support improved educational outcomes.

Through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, we are committed to updating statutory guidance for Virtual School Heads, including strengthening sections on promoting the educational outcomes of previously looked-after children. In doing so, we will consider the findings of the report to ensure guidance reflects the experiences and needs raised by adoptees. This will support greater consistency and ensure good practice is shared across the system.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many times have schools been rejected for Condition Improvement Funding in Surrey in the last 20 years.

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

The Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) was established in 2015.

From 2015/16 to 2025/26, 133 CIF-eligible schools and sixth form colleges in Surrey local authority have submitted 991 CIF applications. Of these, 110 schools secured funding for 378 projects.

Further information regarding successful CIF applications, including schools receiving funding, is available for the 2015/16 to 2025/26 rounds and is published on GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which schools have received Condition Improvement Funding in Surrey in the last 20 years.

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

The Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) was established in 2015.

From 2015/16 to 2025/26, 133 CIF-eligible schools and sixth form colleges in Surrey local authority have submitted 991 CIF applications. Of these, 110 schools secured funding for 378 projects.

Further information regarding successful CIF applications, including schools receiving funding, is available for the 2015/16 to 2025/26 rounds and is published on GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to increase the number of places available for educational psychology courses at universities in England.

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

The department is investing £21 million to train 400 more educational psychologists over two cohorts who started their studies in 2024 and 2025 as part of the Educational Psychology Funded Training scheme. This is in addition to the £10 million already being invested in the training of more than 200 educational psychologists who began their training in September 2023.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency does not collect information on places available on courses but publishes data on student entrants across UK higher education (HE) providers. This includes data on students entering courses in different subjects, categorised using the HE Classification of Subjects system. Counts of entrants across all subjects from the 2019/20 to 2023/24 academic years are published in Table 52 of HESA’s student data for all UK providers, which are detailed below.

This data was published in January 2026.

HE providers are autonomous institutions independent from government. This means they are responsible for the decisions that they make regarding which courses they deliver.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many training places were available for educational psychologists at universities in England in each of the last five years.

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

The department is investing £21 million to train 400 more educational psychologists over two cohorts who started their studies in 2024 and 2025 as part of the Educational Psychology Funded Training scheme. This is in addition to the £10 million already being invested in the training of more than 200 educational psychologists who began their training in September 2023.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency does not collect information on places available on courses but publishes data on student entrants across UK higher education (HE) providers. This includes data on students entering courses in different subjects, categorised using the HE Classification of Subjects system. Counts of entrants across all subjects from the 2019/20 to 2023/24 academic years are published in Table 52 of HESA’s student data for all UK providers, which are detailed below.

This data was published in January 2026.

HE providers are autonomous institutions independent from government. This means they are responsible for the decisions that they make regarding which courses they deliver.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.

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

The provisions in the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 are kept under review and updated through primary legislation. We are currently seeking to make updates through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, including in part II of the act, which makes provision for the employment of children in England and Wales.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what metrics her Department will use to assess the potential impact of additional investment on fostering support models.

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

We have announced an ambitious reform programme to urgently address the sharp decline in foster carers and modernise fostering. The reforms establish a clear direction built on relationships, stability and trust: simplifying outdated rules, strengthening national recruitment, expanding regional collaboration and improving support and respect given to carers.

Our primary metric will be the number of approved fostering places in local authorities and third sector providers, with a target of 10,000 more approved fostering places by the end of this Parliament. We will also monitor wider trends such as conversion from enquiry to approval, assessment timeliness, placement stability, and reduced reliance on residential care.

We will improve the approval process by strengthening expectations on timeliness and reducing bureaucracy. We are also consulting on removing fostering panels for initial approvals while retaining strong oversight. For fostering recruitment hubs, we will introduce a new performance framework so that hubs are both clear on expectations on data collection and accountable for outcomes and continuous improvement.

The department does not hold data centrally on the number of fostering placements at constituency level. Nationally, placement sufficiency remains under strain, which is why reforms are essential to renewing fostering and improving support for carers and children.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to answer Question 100240, tabled by the hon. Member for Poole on 15 December 2025.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The response to Written Parliamentary Question 100240 was published on 4 February 2026.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance they issue to schools in England on preventing, recognising, and responding to anaphylaxis.

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

Schools are required under Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 to make arrangements to support pupils with medical conditions, including allergies. They must have regard to the 'Supporting pupils with medical conditions at school' statutory guidance which sets expectations for training and emergency procedures. The guidance can be read in full here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3.

Governing bodies should ensure that staff receive suitable training to identify and respond to severe allergic reactions, such as anaphylaxis, and that policies and systems are effectively implemented. Ofsted assesses the effectiveness of these arrangements as part of school inspections.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to publish their response to the report of the Social Mobility Policy Committee Social Mobility: Local Roots, Lasting Change, published on 18 November 2025.

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

The department is grateful for the work of the committee in producing this report. We are considering our response and will be publishing it in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many students from the UK participated in the Erasmus programme in the last year in which the UK was part of the programme; and which nation or English region those students were from.

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

In 2020, there were 16,437 UK higher education student mobilities through Erasmus+. Of these, 75.8% were from England, 16.5% from Scotland, 4.3% from Wales, and 3.4% from Northern Ireland. Participation was lower than in preceding years, likely due to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to promote media literacy among child users.

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

Supporting parents and children is central to our media literacy approach. On 10 February, DSIT launched a pilot media literacy communications campaign to give parents tools to help children build resilience and critical thinking skills online. A new Online Safety hub, developed with DfE, will provide everyone in the UK with clear guidance on media literacy and online safety.

Under the Online Safety Act, Ofcom has a media literacy strategy that prioritises support for children and families, especially those with additional needs.

In formal education, the Department for Education has committed to strengthening media literacy in the updated national curriculum.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is planning to take to ensure the exchange of best practice among Healthcare Trusts from their deployment of Mental Health Support Teams.

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

The Department of Health and Social Care, along with NHS England and the Department for Education, jointly provide guidance and support to providers and commissioners of Mental Health Support Teams (MHST). This includes both the implementation of new teams and improving the quality and effectiveness of existing teams.

A national MHST Community of Practice has also been established, hosted by NHS England, with examples of best practice routinely made available to providers and commissioners.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of trends in the availability of flexible, remote or hybrid working on mothers with childcare responsibilities, including in Basingstoke; whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of (a) school hours, (b) school holidays and (c) the availability of informal childcare on women’s participation in the labour market; and whether his Department plans to take steps to help encourage employers to offer flexible roles that enable parents to (i) maintain employment, (ii) develop skills and (iii) reduce reliance on out-of-work benefits.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

We’re delivering a modern deal for working parents through the Employment Rights Act. Improving access to flexible working to allow parents to fit work around their family life, and employers will be expected to agree flexible working requests unless there is a clear and reasonable reason why they can’t.

Access to childcare support is essential in enabling parents to move into or progress in employment. Eligible Universal Credit (UC) customers can be reimbursed up to 85% of their registered childcare costs each month up to the maximum amounts (caps). The UC childcare offer can be used alongside the Department for Education’s early years and childcare entitlements in England to help cover costs of childcare during school holidays and before or after the school day, and there are similar offers in the Devolved Nations.

To deliver our long-term ambition, the Department for Education is leading a cross-government review of early education and childcare support to design and deliver a simpler system that maximises benefits for child development and parents’ ability to work or work more hours.

We are also investing up to £289m in Wraparound Childcare places before and after school, and during the school holidays, rolling out Free Universal Breakfast Clubs in every primary school, and spending over £200m each year on free Holiday Childcare places for our most disadvantaged children. These policies will ensure that parents have access to affordable, quality childcare so they can work, study, and train.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many unaccompanied asylum-seeking children were supported by local authorities in each financial year since 2019-20.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office does not hold data on the number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) supported by local authorities. Local authorities have a duty to provide services to all children in need in their area. Under section 20(1) of the Children Act 1989, when a local authority has accommodated an unaccompanied child for 24 hours, they become 'looked after'. An unaccompanied child is entitled to the same support as any other looked after child, regardless of their immigration status. The Department for Education publishes annual data on the number of UASC looked after by local authorities in England here -

Children looked after in England including adoptions - reporting year 2025

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of issuing emergency visas to students in Gaza who have confirmed UK university places; and whether her Department has had recent discussions with UK universities on facilitating safe passage for affected students.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Government provided exceptional support to enable the departure of Chevening Scholars and fully funded scholarship students from Gaza, for students whose courses began before 31 December 2025. This support was for students who met the relevant requirements of the Immigration Rules.

The Government is reviewing the impact of the policy implemented to-date, and any decision on further support will depend on the evolving international situation. We will continue to keep the policy under review.

This has been a cross-Government initiative and the Home Office, Department for Education and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office have engaged with Higher Education Institutions throughout this process.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how the schools identified to receive support through the National Youth Strategy will be selected; and whether schools on the Isle of Wight will receive support.

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

The Government's National Youth Strategy is a 10-year plan designed to ensure that every young person nationwide has somewhere to go, someone who cares for them, and a community they feel a part of. Schools are key to implementing the strategy including through enrichment activities, especially for disadvantaged youth.

DCMS, in partnership with DfE, will invest £22.5 million over 3 years to enable up to 400 schools across England to deliver a youth-voice led, tailored enrichment offer. This funding will help schools meet the Enrichment Framework benchmarks and ensure disadvantaged pupils have access to good enrichment activities, supporting their wellbeing, personal development, and life skills.

The programme is currently in the design phase, and we will share the selection criteria 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 recent discussions she has had with colleagues in the Department for Education regarding steps taken to increase awareness of the dangers of swimming in (a) cold water, (b) open water among school-age children.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues.

Swimming and water safety is a vital life skill. Swimming and water safety are compulsory elements of the PE National Curriculum at Key Stages 1 and 2. In addition, the changes made to the Government’s statutory RSHE guidance will ensure all pupils are taught about the water safety code, supporting them to be safe in different types of water.

This will help ensure all pupils are taught about the water safety code, supporting them to be safe in different types of water.

The Government is also providing a grant of up to £300,000 to deliver Inclusion 2028 – a programme which upskills teachers to deliver high quality, inclusive PE, including swimming and water safety, to pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Road Safety Strategy published on 7 January, whether her Department has made an assessment of the effectiveness of existing road safety programmes delivered by (a) Police and (b) Fire services.

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

We welcome road safety programmes which are evidence led and contribute to improving road safety.

The Department has previously funded the RAC Foundation Pre-driver Theatre and Workshop Education Research project, which ran from September 2019 to March 2023. Amongst the conclusions, the report suggests using “shock and tell” tactics and “threat” and “fear” appeals to teach the risks associated with driving does little to improve safety and may be counterproductive. I encourage all those who deliver road safety programmes to avoid this approach.

As part of the Road Safety Strategy, we have committed to publishing national guidance on the development and delivery of road safety education, training and publicity. Alongside this, the government will publish a manual to support the implementation of a Lifelong Learning approach for road safety.

Bikeability, the government owned cycle training programme, is funded by Active Travel England in schools across England. Up to £30m was allocated to the programme for 2025/26 and funding for the forthcoming 3-year period is due to be announced shortly.

Almost 6 million children have received Bikeability cycle training since 2007, with 500,000 children booking onto training in 2024/25. The Bikeability Trust manages the programme across England and provides support and guidance to local authorities, training providers and schools in order to maximise the reach of the programme.

Primary and secondary schools are free to teach about road safety awareness as part of their duty to provide a broad and balanced curriculum, and many do so through their personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) provision alongside the statutory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) content.

The updated RSHE guidance, published in July 2025, has a new section on personal safety which includes how to recognise risk and keep safe around roads.

This can also include teaching about general road safety when using bikes in different situations. Schools can draw on resources available from many providers including, the Department’s THINK! campaign.

We will continue to look at how we best evolve the THINK! campaign in line with the Road Safety Strategy, but resources currently include interactive games, printable activity sheets, and lesson plans tailored to different age groups from primary school aged children all the way up to secondary school and learner drivers. These materials are regularly shared on THINK!’s social media channels and distributed to schools and educators via newsletters and partnerships with organisations such as the Department for Education.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Road Safety Strategy published on 7 January, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing (a) road safety and (b) Bikeability into the national curriculum for both (i) primary and (ii) secondary school children, as part of the Lifelong Learning for Road Users.

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

We welcome road safety programmes which are evidence led and contribute to improving road safety.

The Department has previously funded the RAC Foundation Pre-driver Theatre and Workshop Education Research project, which ran from September 2019 to March 2023. Amongst the conclusions, the report suggests using “shock and tell” tactics and “threat” and “fear” appeals to teach the risks associated with driving does little to improve safety and may be counterproductive. I encourage all those who deliver road safety programmes to avoid this approach.

As part of the Road Safety Strategy, we have committed to publishing national guidance on the development and delivery of road safety education, training and publicity. Alongside this, the government will publish a manual to support the implementation of a Lifelong Learning approach for road safety.

Bikeability, the government owned cycle training programme, is funded by Active Travel England in schools across England. Up to £30m was allocated to the programme for 2025/26 and funding for the forthcoming 3-year period is due to be announced shortly.

Almost 6 million children have received Bikeability cycle training since 2007, with 500,000 children booking onto training in 2024/25. The Bikeability Trust manages the programme across England and provides support and guidance to local authorities, training providers and schools in order to maximise the reach of the programme.

Primary and secondary schools are free to teach about road safety awareness as part of their duty to provide a broad and balanced curriculum, and many do so through their personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) provision alongside the statutory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) content.

The updated RSHE guidance, published in July 2025, has a new section on personal safety which includes how to recognise risk and keep safe around roads.

This can also include teaching about general road safety when using bikes in different situations. Schools can draw on resources available from many providers including, the Department’s THINK! campaign.

We will continue to look at how we best evolve the THINK! campaign in line with the Road Safety Strategy, but resources currently include interactive games, printable activity sheets, and lesson plans tailored to different age groups from primary school aged children all the way up to secondary school and learner drivers. These materials are regularly shared on THINK!’s social media channels and distributed to schools and educators via newsletters and partnerships with organisations such as the Department for Education.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Road Safety Strategy published on 7 January, whether she will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to include (a) the Safe Drive Stay Alive, (b) Think! and (c) similar road safety campaigns in Key Stage 4 Personal, Social, Health and Economic education.

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

We welcome road safety programmes which are evidence led and contribute to improving road safety.

The Department has previously funded the RAC Foundation Pre-driver Theatre and Workshop Education Research project, which ran from September 2019 to March 2023. Amongst the conclusions, the report suggests using “shock and tell” tactics and “threat” and “fear” appeals to teach the risks associated with driving does little to improve safety and may be counterproductive. I encourage all those who deliver road safety programmes to avoid this approach.

As part of the Road Safety Strategy, we have committed to publishing national guidance on the development and delivery of road safety education, training and publicity. Alongside this, the government will publish a manual to support the implementation of a Lifelong Learning approach for road safety.

Bikeability, the government owned cycle training programme, is funded by Active Travel England in schools across England. Up to £30m was allocated to the programme for 2025/26 and funding for the forthcoming 3-year period is due to be announced shortly.

Almost 6 million children have received Bikeability cycle training since 2007, with 500,000 children booking onto training in 2024/25. The Bikeability Trust manages the programme across England and provides support and guidance to local authorities, training providers and schools in order to maximise the reach of the programme.

Primary and secondary schools are free to teach about road safety awareness as part of their duty to provide a broad and balanced curriculum, and many do so through their personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) provision alongside the statutory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) content.

The updated RSHE guidance, published in July 2025, has a new section on personal safety which includes how to recognise risk and keep safe around roads.

This can also include teaching about general road safety when using bikes in different situations. Schools can draw on resources available from many providers including, the Department’s THINK! campaign.

We will continue to look at how we best evolve the THINK! campaign in line with the Road Safety Strategy, but resources currently include interactive games, printable activity sheets, and lesson plans tailored to different age groups from primary school aged children all the way up to secondary school and learner drivers. These materials are regularly shared on THINK!’s social media channels and distributed to schools and educators via newsletters and partnerships with organisations such as the Department for Education.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she has taken with Cabinet colleagues to help increase workforce numbers in the farming and agriculture sectors in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme, (b) Staffordshire and (c) England.

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

The Government recognises that access to a sufficient workforce is essential for the resilience and productivity of the farming and agriculture sectors.

Defra works closely with other Government departments, including the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Department for Education, to support workforce supply and ensure that employers in agriculture can access the people and skills they need. This includes engagement on employment programmes, skills routes and local delivery, which can benefit businesses in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire and across England.

Through the agricultural reform programme, we are investing £2.7 billion a year to support productivity, innovation and business resilience, helping to make farming and agriculture more sustainable and attractive as long-term careers.

The DWP delivers Sector-based Work Academy Programmes, which provide training, work experience and a guaranteed job interview tailored to employer needs. Between April 2021 and December 2025, DWP delivered 1,380 SWAP starts in the agriculture sector, helping employers to recruit and support people into agricultural roles.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of social care standards across England; and what steps he is taking to support greater consistency of care provision.

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

National standards of care will be an integral part of the national care service we are building, so people can rely on consistent, high‑quality care wherever they live.

We are already progressing towards this through our three objectives for adult social care: giving people real choice and control, joining up health and social care around people’s lives, and ensuring consistent high‑quality care underpinned by national standards.

This year, the Government will set new national standards for care technologies and develop trusted guidance. This will mean that people and care providers can easily find out which technologies are fit for purpose, secure and meet compatibility requirements of health and social care systems in the future.

At the same time, in partnership with the Department for Education, we are developing a catalogue of data standards for Children’s and Adult’s Social Care Case Management Systems. This will enable greater data sharing with other agencies involved in organising a person’s care, in turn, improving the experience of care, local authority efficiency and the quality of central government data collection and reporting.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator for health and social care in England. CQC monitors, inspects and regulates adult social care services to make sure they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety. National measures of care quality have remained steady, with 85% of all social care settings regulated by the CQC rated Good or Outstanding on 2 January 2026. Where concerns on quality or safety are identified, the CQC uses its regulatory and enforcement powers available and will take action to ensure the safety of people drawing on care and support.

The independent commission into adult social care is underway as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a national care service. Phase 1 will report this year.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to consider the development of national standards for adult social care in England.

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

National standards of care will be an integral part of the national care service we are building, so people can rely on consistent, high‑quality care wherever they live.

We are already progressing towards this through our three objectives for adult social care: giving people real choice and control, joining up health and social care around people’s lives, and ensuring consistent high‑quality care underpinned by national standards.

This year, the Government will set new national standards for care technologies and develop trusted guidance. This will mean that people and care providers can easily find out which technologies are fit for purpose, secure and meet compatibility requirements of health and social care systems in the future.

At the same time, in partnership with the Department for Education, we are developing a catalogue of data standards for Children’s and Adult’s Social Care Case Management Systems. This will enable greater data sharing with other agencies involved in organising a person’s care, in turn, improving the experience of care, local authority efficiency and the quality of central government data collection and reporting.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator for health and social care in England. CQC monitors, inspects and regulates adult social care services to make sure they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety. National measures of care quality have remained steady, with 85% of all social care settings regulated by the CQC rated Good or Outstanding on 2 January 2026. Where concerns on quality or safety are identified, the CQC uses its regulatory and enforcement powers available and will take action to ensure the safety of people drawing on care and support.

The independent commission into adult social care is underway as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a national care service. Phase 1 will report this year.

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