Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the number of children in families subject to no recourse to public funds provisions that have received the families receiving additional support (FRAS) entitlement for eligible 2-year-olds in each of the last five years.

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

Families in receipt of additional forms of support to children in ‘no recourse to public fund’ households have been eligible for the 15-hours entitlement since September 2022.

The early years census data collects data on the number of children taking up the entitlement for families in receipt of additional forms of support, however, the department is unable to break this down by immigration status.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what capital funding streams are available to academy trusts for essential playground (a) repairs and (b) replacement.

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

The government has given a long-term commitment for capital investment to improve the condition of schools and colleges across England through to 2034/35. It is investing almost £3 billion per year by 2034/35 in capital maintenance and renewal, rising from £2.4 billion in 2025/26.

The department supports local authorities, academy trusts and voluntary-aided school bodies, who are responsible for keeping buildings and grounds safe and well-maintained, by providing capital funding to improve the condition of their estates.

The majority of capital funding is provided through annual School Condition Allocations to large responsible bodies, such as local authorities and large multi-academy trusts, to decide how to invest in improving the condition of their estates, including playgrounds. Small or stand-alone academy trusts and sixth form colleges bid for funding for essential condition projects through the Condition Improvement Fund.

Schools also receive a small annual capital allocation, Devolved Formula Capital, to spend on their own capital priorities, such as replacing or upgrading playground equipment.

Further details about capital funding for 2025/26 are published on GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to mandate the use of CCTV in nurseries.

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

The department continually monitors and reviews safeguarding requirements for early years settings to make sure children are kept as safe as possible.

The decision to install and use camera surveillance equipment in a nursery is a matter for individual providers to determine based on their own risk assessment and policies.

The department is currently reviewing with Ofsted how CCTV is used in early years settings and how we can support settings to use it effectively as part of their safeguarding provision.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to promote recognition of, and publicise information about, the need to care equally for all children subject to violence.

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

Keeping children safe is a top priority for this government. Nothing is more important that safeguarding children and promoting their welfare.

Alongside the Home Office, the department is tackling the problems that cause children to need help and protection and delivering better and safer outcomes through the government’s Opportunity and Safer Streets missions. As part of this, we will be publishing our government response to the Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s report on child victims of domestic abuse and our cross-government Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy this autumn.

Our Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, and reforms across education and children’s services, will further protect children at risk of violence and neglect, stopping vulnerable children falling through cracks in services.

Underpinning this, our multi-agency statutory guidance ‘Working together to safeguard children’ and ‘Keeping children safe in education’ set out duties to safeguard all children subject to violence, no matter what challenges they face.

The government’s approach to preventing violence spans family, education and community. We are working closely with the Youth Endowment Fund to promote recognition of and publicise best practice in violence prevention for children and young people.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing mandatory safe sleep training for all early years staff working in nurseries.

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

The early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework, which all early years providers are required to follow, includes a requirement for babies to be placed down to sleep in line with the latest government safety guidance, which can be found here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sudden-infant-death-syndrome-sids/.

Departmental officials recently met with The Lullaby Trust to discuss the lessons that can be learned from previous serious incidents and to ensure that children are kept as safe as possible.

The 'Early years qualification requirements and standards' document sets out the minimum qualification requirements that staff must meet to be recognised as level 2, level 3 or level 6 members of staff for the purpose of working within the EYFS staff:child ratios. Both the level 2 and level 3 criteria include knowledge of rest and sleep provision, with level 3 also including the safe use of equipment, furniture and materials with regard for sleep safety.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department encourages schools to request a debriefing from their local ambulance service after a defibrillator or CPR resuscitation attempt.

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

In 2023, the department provided defibrillators to state-funded schools in England, where existing provision was not in place.

The department recognises that individuals may need support following a resuscitation attempt. Our defibrillator guidance advises that should a rescuer require support after an incident, they may be able to request a debriefing from their local ambulance service, or they can seek support from their GP. More information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/automated-external-defibrillators-aeds-in-schools.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a national public awareness campaign on (a) the role of early years education in child development and (b) its wider economic impact.

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

Ensuring every child has the best start in life is at the heart of this government’s Plan for Change. This is why we are expanding childcare and providing parents with support and information to help their child’s development.

Children attending high quality early education for at least two years gain the equivalent of a higher grade in around seven GCSEs. For parents, particularly women, improved access to childcare enables employment, boosting family income and the wider economy. The Office for Budget Responsibility projects that by 2027/28, around 60,000 parents will enter employment as a result, with an equivalent effect from 1.5 million mothers already in work increasing their hours.

The government is introducing a new Best Start in Life awareness campaign which will support improved outcomes for children and help achieve our goal of 75% of children reaching a good level of development by 2028.

This campaign provides trusted advice for parents and carers from pregnancy through to starting school, covering healthy pregnancy, infant feeding, childcare, home learning, and school preparation which can be found here: https://www.beststartinlife.gov.uk/. Communications activity will continue throughout the autumn.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of a national public awareness campaign on (a) the role of early years education in child development and (b) its wider economic impact.

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

Ensuring every child has the best start in life is at the heart of this government’s Plan for Change. This is why we are expanding childcare and providing parents with support and information to help their child’s development.

Children attending high quality early education for at least two years gain the equivalent of a higher grade in around seven GCSEs. For parents, particularly women, improved access to childcare enables employment, boosting family income and the wider economy. The Office for Budget Responsibility projects that by 2027/28, around 60,000 parents will enter employment as a result, with an equivalent effect from 1.5 million mothers already in work increasing their hours.

The government is introducing a new Best Start in Life awareness campaign which will support improved outcomes for children and help achieve our goal of 75% of children reaching a good level of development by 2028.

This campaign provides trusted advice for parents and carers from pregnancy through to starting school, covering healthy pregnancy, infant feeding, childcare, home learning, and school preparation which can be found here: https://www.beststartinlife.gov.uk/. Communications activity will continue throughout the autumn.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of applying VAT to independent school fees on boys who are neurodiverse.

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 independent school fees. This is a comprehensive assessment of the VAT policy, including impacts on individuals and families, and equalities impacts. The TIIN is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-on-private-school-fees/applying-vat-to-private-school-fees#who-is-likely-to-be-affected.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in developing new registration fee arrangements for early years providers.

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

The department is reviewing our Early Years Register fees policy. As set out in the Explanatory Memorandum to the Childcare (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2025, which came into force on 9 June 2025, the department has extended the existing alternative annual fee arrangements until 1 September 2027 as a temporary measure to maintain the status quo while the fees policy is being reviewed and considered as a whole.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of increasing the level of funding for the holiday activities and food programme for local authorities in (a) rural areas and (b) West Dorset constituency.

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

Through our Plan for Change, the government is committed to giving every child the best start in life. On 28 August 2025, we confirmed over £600 million for the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme for the next three financial years, from 2026/27. This equates to just over £200 million each year.

We will communicate specific regional funding allocations in due course to ensure that children across the country can participate in HAF.

Local authorities and their providers have flexibility about how they deliver provision to best serve the needs of children and families in their area. The department encourages all local authorities to have a rich mix of provision catering for children with different interests and of different ages. There should also be good geographical spread across the local authority but with increased supply in areas with higher levels of families eligible for free school meals.

The multi-year funding commitment will provide local authorities with security and flexibility, enabling more strategic planning, innovation, and long-term partnerships to support increased value for money. Alongside the funding allocation we will also issue our updated guidance, which sets out how this funding can be used and builds on what we are learning from the very best provision across the country.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions her Department has had with local authorities on increasing the availability of holiday club spaces in (a) rural areas and (b) West Dorset constituency through the holiday activities and food programme.

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

Through our Plan for Change, the government is committed to giving every child the best start in life. On 28 August 2025, we confirmed over £600 million for the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme for the next three financial years, from 2026/27. This equates to just over £200 million each year.

We will communicate specific regional funding allocations in due course to ensure that children across the country can participate in HAF.

Local authorities and their providers have flexibility about how they deliver provision to best serve the needs of children and families in their area. The department encourages all local authorities to have a rich mix of provision catering for children with different interests and of different ages. There should also be good geographical spread across the local authority but with increased supply in areas with higher levels of families eligible for free school meals.

The multi-year funding commitment will provide local authorities with security and flexibility, enabling more strategic planning, innovation, and long-term partnerships to support increased value for money. Alongside the funding allocation we will also issue our updated guidance, which sets out how this funding can be used and builds on what we are learning from the very best provision across the country.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of staff in her Department did not meet the minimum office attendance target in the latest period for which data is available; and what sanctions her Department issues to staff who do not meet this target.

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

On 24 October 2024, the Cabinet Office announced that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service. Senior managers will continue to be expected to be in the office more than 60% of the time. If people do not meet that reasonable expectation, as with any management instruction, it should be dealt with via existing management processes and, ultimately, with disciplinary action should there be sustained failure to comply.

Decisions on the working arrangements within individual departments are delegated matters, but the department’s approach is aligned with this wider expectation and managers are empowered to address non-compliance through informal conversations or formal warnings depending on the nature and seriousness of the issue.

Data on average office occupancy is available on a quarterly basis at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-headquarters-occupancy-data.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of staff in her Department have flexible working arrangements; and how many of those work compressed hours.

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

Flexible working arrangements are a core part of the Civil Service employment offer. These arrangements play a vital role in attracting top talent to government roles and support the delivery of high quality public services.

Whilst comprehensive data on all flexible working arrangements across the department is not currently available, the table below provides a snapshot of staff working part-time or compressed hours as at 31 August 2025.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children were referred to the Prevent duty in schools in the last 12 months; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of referrals on (a) ethnic minority pupils, (b) neurodiverse pupils, (c) teaching staff and (d) safeguarding responsibilities.

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

Annual Prevent Programme statistics are published by the Home Office each year and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/individuals-referred-to-prevent-to-march-2024.

The education sector, in the year ending 31 March 2024, made 2,788 referrals.

The department publishes comprehensive advice and made a range of resources freely available on our Educate Against Hate website to support teachers in protecting children from extremism and radicalisation. We also have a team of regional co-ordinators who work directly with education institutions in England to provide advice, support and training to ensure providers are well equipped to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of issuing guidance to (a) local authorities and (b) holiday club providers on enabling families to retain holiday club places without having to pay for additional weeks they do not intend to use.

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

Through our Plan for Change, the government is committed to giving every child the best start in life. On 28 August 2025, we confirmed over £600 million for the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme for the next three financial years, from 2026/27. This equates to just over £200 million each year.

We will communicate specific regional funding allocations in due course to ensure that children across the country can participate in HAF.

Local authorities and their providers have flexibility about how they deliver provision to best serve the needs of children and families in their area. The department encourages all local authorities to have a rich mix of provision catering for children with different interests and of different ages. There should also be good geographical spread across the local authority but with increased supply in areas with higher levels of families eligible for free school meals.

The multi-year funding commitment will provide local authorities with security and flexibility, enabling more strategic planning, innovation, and long-term partnerships to support increased value for money. Alongside the funding allocation we will also issue our updated guidance, which sets out how this funding can be used and builds on what we are learning from the very best provision across the country.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to increase the level of funding for the Holiday activities and food programme for children in (a) rural areas and (b) West Dorset constituency.

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

Through our Plan for Change, the government is committed to giving every child the best start in life. On 28 August 2025, we confirmed over £600 million for the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme for the next three financial years, from 2026/27. This equates to just over £200 million each year.

We will communicate specific regional funding allocations in due course to ensure that children across the country can participate in HAF.

Local authorities and their providers have flexibility about how they deliver provision to best serve the needs of children and families in their area. The department encourages all local authorities to have a rich mix of provision catering for children with different interests and of different ages. There should also be good geographical spread across the local authority but with increased supply in areas with higher levels of families eligible for free school meals.

The multi-year funding commitment will provide local authorities with security and flexibility, enabling more strategic planning, innovation, and long-term partnerships to support increased value for money. Alongside the funding allocation we will also issue our updated guidance, which sets out how this funding can be used and builds on what we are learning from the very best provision across the country.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment her Department has made of the mental health support needs of kinship carers and the children in their care; and what steps she is taking to improve their access to appropriate services.

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

All children, including those in kinship care, are entitled to access universal and targeted mental health services, such as NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and mental health support teams in schools. Children in kinship care who were previously looked-after and are now subject to special guardianship or child arrangement orders may also be eligible for therapeutic support through the adoption and special guardianship support fund, which provides funding for essential services such as counselling, play therapy, and trauma support.

In October 2024, updated statutory guidance was published to clarify local authorities’ responsibilities in supporting kinship families, including access to appropriate services to safeguard and promote children’s welfare. Additional steps to support the wellbeing of kinship carers nationally include expanding peer support groups and delivering training for kinship carers.

The department continues to monitor feedback from those with direct experience to inform its approach to supporting kinship families.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the value for money to students of each UK university.

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

The department recognises the vital role universities play in driving economic growth, producing world-leading research, and delivering value for money to students. Frameworks like the Research Excellence Framework (REF) and Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) help ensure accountability for public research funding and demonstrate the quality and value of the research and knowledge exchange delivered by UK universities.

For each £1 of publicly funded research income, the UK higher education (HE) sector’s research and knowledge exchange activities generate approximately £9.9 in economic impact across the UK (2021/22). For every £1 of public funding for its teaching activities, the UK HE sector generates approximately £13 in economic impact from these activities across the UK (2021/22).

For students, the Office for Students (OfS) monitors outcomes including continuation, completion, progression and graduate earnings, helping ensure that public investment in HE delivers high quality outcomes for both individuals and society.

The department continues to work closely with the OfS and other bodies to support universities in delivering positive impacts for students and the wider economy.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the value for money of the (a) economic growth contribution and (b) research output provided by each university.

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

The department recognises the vital role universities play in driving economic growth, producing world-leading research, and delivering value for money to students. Frameworks like the Research Excellence Framework (REF) and Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) help ensure accountability for public research funding and demonstrate the quality and value of the research and knowledge exchange delivered by UK universities.

For each £1 of publicly funded research income, the UK higher education (HE) sector’s research and knowledge exchange activities generate approximately £9.9 in economic impact across the UK (2021/22). For every £1 of public funding for its teaching activities, the UK HE sector generates approximately £13 in economic impact from these activities across the UK (2021/22).

For students, the Office for Students (OfS) monitors outcomes including continuation, completion, progression and graduate earnings, helping ensure that public investment in HE delivers high quality outcomes for both individuals and society.

The department continues to work closely with the OfS and other bodies to support universities in delivering positive impacts for students and the wider economy.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether multi-academy trusts can implement Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice schemes.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

New electric vehicle salary sacrifice schemes for academy trusts are currently paused. Academy trusts with existing schemes have been able to keep them in place, but not expand them by adding new members. This pause is subject to a review about salary sacrifice schemes in the public sector and a decision on these schemes by HM Treasury. The department will inform academy trusts when a decision has been made, and the Academy Trust Handbook (ATH) will be updated accordingly. The ATH is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/academy-trust-handbook/academy-trust-handbook-2025-effective-from-1-september-2025.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of financial education since it became part of the secondary curriculum in 2014.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

I refer the hon. Member for Farnham and Bordon to the answer of 9 April 2025 to Question 43513.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how the curriculum is adapted to keep pace with changes in financial products and technology, such as digital banking and online credit.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

I refer the hon. Member for Farnham and Bordon to the answer of 9 April 2025 to Question 43513.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what training and resources are provided to teachers to enable effective delivery of financial education in schools.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

I refer the hon. Member for Farnham and Bordon to the answer of 7 January 2025 to Question 21190.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to expand financial education into the primary school curriculum.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

I refer the hon. Member for Farnham and Bordon to the answer of 9 April 2025 to Question 43513.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that music remains central to mainstream school curriculum; and what assessments she has made of the potential merits of music education on students achievement's in (a) Maths, (b) English and (c) other disciplines.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Creative subjects like music are important elements of the rich and broad curriculum every child deserves. Music is in the national curriculum from the age of 5 to 14 years (key stages 1-3). The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review is looking at all subjects, including music, and any subject-specific findings will be included in the final report this autumn. The department also supports music education through a national network of Music Hubs.

Participation in the arts, including music, is valuable in and of itself but can also bring wider benefits for children and young people. The Education Endowment Foundation reports positive impacts on academic outcomes in areas including maths and English, as well as for wellbeing and engagement with learning.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that financial education is delivered consistently across all schools.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

I refer the hon. Member for Farnham and Bordon to the answer of 9 April 2025 to Question 43513.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support adults with (a) adopted and (b) fostered children in Surrey Heath constituency.

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

The department continues to fund the adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF) with £50 million in 2025/26. The ASGSF funds therapeutic support for adoptive families, including parenting courses to help new adoptive parents support their child as they join their family.

Additionally, £8.8 million is being invested in Adoption England to improve adoption support. Adoption England supports regional adoption agencies, including Adoption South East, to agree a support plan with prospective adopters when they have been matched with children, which evolves over time as the child grows and develops. Adoption South East’s support offer for adoptive families can be found here: https://www.adoptionsoutheast.org.uk/post-adoption-support.

Foster carers are able to build relationships in a short period of time that can be loving, long-standing and incredibly valued by the children for whom they care. But we are clear that in order to do so, they must be supported, valued and respected as experts on the child in their care. Standards 20 and 21 of the ‘Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards’ detail the expectations required of all fostering providers: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7abe16e5274a319e77a6a1/NMS_Fostering_Services.pdf.

The department funds Fosterline, a free-to-access independent advice and support service for current and prospective carers on a wide range of fostering issues.

Financially, foster carers benefit from qualifying care relief (QCR), a tax relief that ensures a carer’s income is not taxed unless it exceeds an overall QCR allowance. All carers should also receive the national minimum allowance each week to help cover the cost of caring for a child. Current national minimum allowance rates are accessible here: https://www.gov.uk/support-for-foster-parents/help-with-the-cost-of-fostering.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to improve community (a) understanding and (b) acceptance of (i) residential and (ii) support services for vulnerable children (A) in the community and (B) in the criminal justice system.

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

The Children’s Social Care National Framework acknowledges that receiving help from children’s social care can be a stigmatising experience and encourages practitioners from first interactions to tackle stigma, build strong relationships with children, young people and families, and communicate clearly and effectively.

Through the Families First Partnership Programme, we are giving children and families access to better local support services to break the cycle of late intervention and help more children and families to stay safely together. Our reforms to Family Help will embed targeted support in the heart of communities, providing a non-stigmatising access point to a range of services to address the needs of the whole family.

We are determined to address the stigma and discrimination faced by children in care and care leavers and ensure they are supported. We are prioritising extending corporate parenting responsibilities to all government departments and relevant public bodies, through measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. This will ensure that policies and services take account of the challenges they face, and remove barriers and provide opportunities for them to achieve and thrive.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of increasing the maximum income threshold for free school meals eligibility for children in families with no recourse to public funds in line with the eligibility criteria introduced on 4 June 2025.

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

This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and tackling child poverty. The department has now announced that we are extending free school meals (FSM) to all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit from September 2026. Providing over half a million children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds with a free, nutritious lunchtime meal every school day will also lead to higher attainment, improved behaviour and better outcomes, meaning children get the best possible education and chance to succeed in work and life.

Children from households with no recourse to public funds can receive FSM, subject to meeting income criteria set by the department in our published guidance.

The department does not hold exact figures for FSM-eligible children from households with no recourse to public funds. In total, 2.2 million school pupils are eligible to receive FSM on the basis of low income. This figure includes children who are eligible under the criteria for households with no recourse to public funds.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children in families subject to no recourse to public funds provisions have received the concession on access to free school meals introduced in 2022; and what the breakdown is of those figures by (a) region and (b) year since 2022.

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

This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and tackling child poverty. The department has now announced that we are extending free school meals (FSM) to all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit from September 2026. Providing over half a million children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds with a free, nutritious lunchtime meal every school day will also lead to higher attainment, improved behaviour and better outcomes, meaning children get the best possible education and chance to succeed in work and life.

Children from households with no recourse to public funds can receive FSM, subject to meeting income criteria set by the department in our published guidance.

The department does not hold exact figures for FSM-eligible children from households with no recourse to public funds. In total, 2.2 million school pupils are eligible to receive FSM on the basis of low income. This figure includes children who are eligible under the criteria for households with no recourse to public funds.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the report by Bite Back entitled Fuel us, don't fool us, published in July 2025; and what steps she is taking to strengthen compliance with the School Food Standards across all education settings.

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

To ensure the quality and nutrition of school meals, the department is working with experts across the sector to revise the school food standards, so every school is supported with the latest nutrition guidance.

We are aware of Bite Back’s ‘Fuel Us, Don’t Fool Us,’ School Food report. We are engaging with stakeholders, including Bite Back, on revising the school food standards, to ensure they support our work to create the healthiest generation of children in history.

School governors and trustees have a responsibility to ensure compliance with the school food standards and should work with the headteacher and senior leadership team to ensure the school is meeting its obligations.

In November 2024, the department and the National Governance Association launched an online training course on school food for governors and trustees. This training is designed to improve understanding of the school food standards and give governing boards confidence to hold their school leaders to account on their-whole school approach to food.

As with all aspects of the school food standards review, we will keep our approaches to compliance under consideration.​

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the National Literacy Trust’s recent report, Young people and teachers’ use of generative AI to support literacy in 2025.

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

The government's Opportunity Mission aims to remove barriers and ensure every child achieves and thrives by providing the best start in life. We are building the evidence base on the impact of technology in education through the EdTech Evidence Board, the Testbed programme, and research into technology and cognitive development.

In its interim report, the Curriculum and Assessment Review noted the importance of the curriculum keeping pace with the rise of artificial intelligence and trends in digital information. The Curriculum and Assessment Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in the autumn, at which point the government will respond.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to amend the National Curriculum to include lessons on (a) sustainability and (b) ethical consumerism in relation to fast fashion.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The curriculum already includes themes relating to sustainability, giving schools the flexibility to include teaching about these topics if they wish.

The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, chaired by Becky Francis CBE. The Review aims to ensure a rich, broad, inclusive and innovative curriculum that readies young people for life and work. The Review Group published its Interim Report in March 2025, which is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6821d69eced319d02c9060e3/Curriculum_and_Assessment_Review_interim_report.pdf. The Group will publish its final report with recommendations this autumn.​

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that children develop the strong media literacy skills needed to navigate an increasingly digital world, including the skills to use generative artificial intelligence safely and effectively, to recognise credible sources of information, and to identify misinformation.

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

I refer my noble Friend to the answer of 22 July 2025 to Question HL9295.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps to prevent branches of fast food brands opening in (a) sixth-forms and (b) colleges.

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

The department is committed to raising the healthiest generation ever. We encourage a whole-school approach to healthy eating and would not expect fast food brands to be opening within sixth forms or colleges.

All sixth forms which are part of a secondary school must follow the school food standards. The standards apply even if the sixth form section of the school is located in a separate building or on a separate site. Schools are responsible for the provision of school meals and may enter individual contracts with suppliers and caterers to meet this duty, and we would expect food provided in the sixth form sections to follow the standards.

Further education colleges in England are autonomous institutions, but local planning policies and college governance often restrict or discourage fast food outlets, especially if they conflict with health promotion efforts. The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that local planning authorities should refuse applications for hot food takeaways and fast food outlets within walking distance of schools and other places where children and young people congregate, unless the location is within a designated town centre.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Department is taking to intervene when a multi-academy trust does not investigate serious safeguarding complaints adequately.

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

Academy trusts must comply with their statutory safeguarding responsibilities set out in the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014. The regulations require trusts to have regard to the ‘Keeping children safe in education’ and ‘Working together to safeguard children’ statutory guidance. This includes having robust procedures for managing safeguarding concerns. Each academy within a trust must have a designated safeguarding lead responsible for managing referrals and working with external agencies. Failure to act appropriately can trigger external review or intervention.

The department follows up safeguarding issues, where appropriate, to obtain assurance that trusts are meeting their statutory responsibilities to safeguard all children in its schools. The department can enforce compliance through the trust’s funding agreement and the Academy Trust Handbook, which includes safeguarding obligations. Breaches may lead to formal intervention and regulatory action such as issuing a notice to improve or terminating the agreement.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure adequate funding for children and families.

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

The Spending Review, announced by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 11 June 2025, ensures this government can drive forward progress on its mission to break the link between background and success.

Children’s early years are crucial to their development, health and life chances. Through the government’s Plan for Change, we will ensure every child gets the best start in life, investing in the strongest evidence-based interventions to ensure a record proportion of five year-olds have a good level of development by 2028 and transforming outcomes for children and young people.

The Spending Review includes an additional £1.6 billion a year by 2028/29 for childcare entitlements for working parents, giving children the best start in life and supporting more parents to balance family life and work. It also includes funding to expand a network of family hubs to support families when they need it and get a record proportion of children ready for school.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking t support the expansion of (a) return to work and (b) accredited conversion courses at UK universities for (i) overseas workers and (ii) BNO visa holders seeking to re-enter the UK workforce.

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

UK higher education (HE) providers offer a wide range of conversion courses designed to help individuals transition into new career areas. Many providers also offer tailored support for students, including pre-sessional programmes, careers guidance and post-graduation employability support.

As autonomous bodies which are independent of government, universities and other HE providers are responsible for their business decisions in relation to both domestic and international students.

The UK European Network of Information Centre supports the recognition of international qualifications in the UK. The service facilitates the entry of students with qualifications from other countries into UK educational institutions and work by enabling them to provide evidence that they meet the entry requirements for courses and jobs.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department collects data on (a) internal and (b) fixed-term exclusions in primary schools, broken down by race.

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

The department does not collect data on circumstances where schools remove a pupil from the classroom, for serious disciplinary reasons, and where they are required to spend a limited time out of the classroom. Some schools call this internal suspension.

The department publishes data on suspensions and permanent exclusions in state-funded schools in England. The most recent full academic year release, covering 2023/24, can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/suspensions-and-permanent-exclusions-in-england/2023-24. This has been available since 10 July 2025.

Published data includes numbers and rates of suspensions, by ethnicity, in state-funded primary schools and is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/f3a89f3f-b18e-46c3-a167-08dde2cf2374.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many people with disabilities were employed in her Department on 2 September 2025.

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

Information on the number of people declaring a disability by each government department is published annually as part of Civil Service Statistics 2025, an accredited official statistics publication. Latest published data are as at 31 March 2025 and can be found in Table 29 of the statistical tables, which can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/civil-service-statistics-2025.

Information for 31 March 2026 is due for publication in July 2026.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing unannounced Ofsted inspections in early years settings.

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

While Ofsted does typically provide notice before an inspection in early years, inspections without prior notification do happen, particularly when concerns have been raised about a setting or if a previous inspection resulted in a grade of ‘Inadequate’.

Between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025 there were 1,400 unannounced inspections in early years, which was 16% of all inspections. The department recognises the importance of unannounced inspections and they will continue.

Routine announced inspections are also an important part of the system. We are increasing inspection frequency in early years to ensure better oversight of the setting landscape, and more regular inspections will be most effective when accompanied by improvements to inspection quality.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Smith of Malvern on 16 July (HL8638) and 26 August (HL9576), on which date before the speech by the Secretary of State for Education on 3 February it was decided that their commitment to recruit 6,500 new expert teachers would not include primary schools.

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

As previously set out in responses to written parliamentary questions HL8638 and HL9576, the department is targeting the 6,500 teachers pledge towards mainstream secondary schools and colleges, and special schools.

Regular public statements have been made on this key pledge, including for instance in my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education’s first sector email communication. The pledge is focused on sectors where there is a need for more teachers. Demographic changes throughout this parliament means pupil numbers will increase in secondary schools, and particularly in further education, while there has been significant decrease in the number of pupils in primary schools. There are 60,000 fewer pupils in primary schools compared to last year, and around 172,000 fewer compared to the 2018/19 peak.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that social workers receive specialist training to recognise signs of child sexual abuse connected to the production of online child pornography.

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

It is vitally important that all professionals working with children, including social workers, can recognise and respond quickly to the signs of child sexual abuse.

While local authorities and other employers are responsible for the professional development of their workforces, we are supporting them to ensure that social workers are equipped to recognise and respond to signs of child sexual abuse, including those connected to online pornography.

The government recently launched a consultation on a new post-qualifying standards and training programme for child and family social workers, and we will be publishing our response shortly. This will support social workers new to the profession, including developing the knowledge and skills required to respond to cases of sexual abuse and exploitation.

In the future, we will expand on these post-qualifying standards to include those for advanced practice, which will look to increase social work expertise and leadership in child protection, including in relation to sexual abuse and exploitation.

The government has also committed, in the Home Office’s Progress Update on tackling child sexual abuse, to develop specialist child sexual abuse and exploitation training for all key members of the children’s services.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to provide teachers with training in media literacy and guidance on the use of generative artificial intelligence during their teacher training courses.

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

The department is supporting teachers and leaders to use generative artificial intelligence (AI) safely and effectively to help improve outcomes and reduce workload. We have published free online materials, developed with sector experts, to support staff to use AI safely and effectively in their settings.

In October 2024, Ofcom published its three-year Media Literacy Strategy, which commits to supporting teachers through continuing professional development (CPD), evaluation of training outcomes and stronger collaboration with regional partners to share learnings and effective practices.

In addition, the department funds the National Centre for Computing Education, which provides teachers with free CPD and resources to support the teaching of computing, including media literacy, and AI topics.

As AI and educational technology develop, we will continue to explore how we can drive the safety and efficacy of technology used in education.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to encourage teachers to use generative artificial intelligence as a teaching and lesson planning resource.

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

From our research and engagement with the sector, the department has learnt that generative artificial intelligence (AI) could be used for a range of purposes including lesson and curriculum planning and supporting personalised learning.

The department is supporting teachers and leaders to use generative AI safely and effectively to help improve outcomes and reduce workload, including publishing free online materials, developed with sector experts. Oak National Academy’s AI lesson assistant is already helping teachers save time on planning, with reported savings of around three hours per week. Initiatives such as the AI tools for education competition and the Education Content Store pilot are encouraging innovation and evidence-based development of AI tools for marking and feedback. As AI and educational technology develop, we will continue to explore how we can drive the safety and efficacy of technology used in education.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an estimate of the rate of growth in each of the last five years in the (a) absolute number and (b) proportion of nurseries that are backed by (i) private equity firms, (ii) pension funds and (iii) venture capital funds.

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

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

One of the signs of a healthy market is a range of providers offering choice and flexibility for parents.

As laid out in the Best Start in Life strategy, the department keeps the structure of the market, including the role of private equity, debt, profit levels, and the prices that parents pay, under close review.

As of the most recent data available, 7.5% of places are with providers that have private equity backing, up from 4% in 2018.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the financial viability of nursery groups funded by (a) private equity firms and (b) venture capital funds.

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

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

One of the signs of a healthy market is a range of providers offering choice and flexibility for parents.

As laid out in the Best Start in Life strategy, the department keeps the structure of the market, including the role of private equity, debt, profit levels, and the prices that parents pay, under close review.

As of the most recent data available, 7.5% of places are with providers that have private equity backing, up from 4% in 2018.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to expand the Best Start family hub programmes to offer healthcare and education support services at the weekend.

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

On 7 July 2025, the government published ‘Giving every child the Best Start in Life’, which is available on GOV.UK. This outlines the government’s commitment to deliver a new Best Start Family Service to bring together parenting, healthcare and education support services.

We will fund Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority to ensure that children and families who need support the most, especially those from low-income backgrounds or those with additional vulnerabilities can access it.

Local authorities will deliver joined up and enhanced services through family hubs so that all parents and carers can access the support they need, when they need it. Local authorities will receive a programme guide with minimum delivery expectations and will be expected to develop clear plans to establish and enhance family hubs in their area. The role of local authorities will include identifying family hub sites, commissioning services within family hubs and the recruitment of staff to deliver services. Services and their availability, including weekend opening hours, will vary depending on local needs.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what criteria she considers when setting student maintenance loan thresholds.

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

The loan for living costs is a contribution towards a student’s living costs while attending university, with the highest levels of support for students who need it most.

The government recognises the impact that the cost-of-living crisis has had on students. All funding decisions must be carefully balanced to ensure the system targets students who need support the most, while also making it sustainable.

The government has increased maximum loans for living costs for full-time and part-time undergraduate students by 3.1% for the 2025/26 academic year. A 3.1% increase is in line with forecast inflation based on the RPIX inflation index.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that major national historical events such as the Battle of Britain are given sufficient weight in the national curriculum.

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

The history curriculum provides a flexible framework that allows schools and teachers to select which topics they teach across the key stages. It does not set out how subjects, or topics within them, should be taught, giving teachers the freedom to use their knowledge and expertise to decide how and what specific topics they teach their pupils.

Significant national historical events, such as the Battle of Britain, can already be taught within the history curriculum across the three key stages. At key stage 1, the topic of World War II and the Battle of Britain can be taught within the statutory theme of ‘changes within living memory’. At key stage 2, schools may teach ‘a significant turning point in British history, for example, the first railways or the Battle of Britain’ as a non-statutory example within the statutory theme ‘a study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066’. At key stage 3, students are expected to study ‘challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world 1901 to the present day’. In addition to the statutory requirement of studying the Holocaust, schools may choose to explore other major national historical events, including those linked to the First and Second World Wars.

The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, chaired by Becky Francis CBE. The Review wants to ensure a rich, broad, inclusive and innovative curriculum that readies young people for life and work. The Review Group published its interim report in March 2025 and will publish its final report, with recommendations, this autumn. The interim report is accessible in the attached document.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the geographical distribution of overseas universities which have partnerships with UK universities.

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

The UK is home to globally recognised universities that operate in nearly every corner of the world, often in partnership with overseas institutions. These partnerships strengthen global ties, facilitate research partnerships and enable transnational education provision to reach over 200 countries and territories, allowing 621,065 students to study overseas for UK higher education qualifications in 2023/24.

The UK’s International Education Champion, Professor Sir Steve Smith, has led multiple missions and delegations to promote educational partnerships in a range of countries. The department is currently reviewing the UK’s international education strategy to ensure that it continues to reflect the priorities of the education sector, including UK universities, and global partners across the world.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what action they will take in response to the report by the National Audit Office Managing children's residential care, published on 12 September.

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

The department welcomes the National Audit Office's (NAO) report and its recommendations. Many of the report’s themes chime with the action already being taken as part of the government's reform programme.

The department is reforming children’s social care (CSC) with a £2 billion investment this Parliament which will enable local authorities to prioritise prevention and keep more families together safely, reducing the number of children needing care.

We have introduced the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which will give us more powers to regulate the broken care market.

The department’s investment and legislation will transform care. We will recruit more foster carers, build children’s homes with the right support in the right places, innovate to support those with complex needs and regulate to ensure safety and quality of provision. The introduction of Regional Care Cooperatives will enable local authorities to better plan, forecast and commission places and negotiate with private providers, ensuring they can provide the placements children need at a sustainable cost to taxpayers.

The department welcomes the important insight of the NAO and will continue to reflect on how to bring about the change needed to tackle the challenges across the CSC system.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that all primary school pupils leave school with the ability to swim competently and an understanding of water safety.

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

Swimming and water safety are vital life skills that are compulsory elements of the PE National Curriculum at key stages 1 and 2. In addition, the changes made to the department’s statutory relationships, sex and health education guidance will ensure all pupils are taught about the water safety code, supporting them to be safe in different types of water. To support schools, Oak National Academy offers swimming and water safety units as part of its PE curriculum, developed in partnership with Swim England.

In June, my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister announced a new national approach to PE and school sport as part of which we will establish a PE and School Sport Partnership Network, designed to build stronger links between schools, local clubs, and National Governing Bodies. It will identify and remove barriers to participation in PE and school sport, including swimming.

The department 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 Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which the origins and contents of the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Court of Human Rights are taught in primary and secondary schools in England.

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

Citizenship education provides a framework to prepare pupils to be active, informed and responsible citizens. The national curriculum for citizenship is mandatory at key stages 3 and 4 and primary schools can choose to teach it.

Citizenship covers human rights and international law, and the need for mutual respect. Pupils should also be taught about international governance and the United Kingdom’s relations with the rest of Europe, the Commonwealth, the United Nations and the wider world. This could include teaching about the origins and contents of the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Court of Human Rights.

The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, which seeks to deliver a rich, broad, inclusive and innovative curriculum that equips young people with the knowledge, skills and attributes needed to thrive in life and work. The Review will publish its final report in autumn 2025.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what research they have undertaken into the integration of food, farming and nature into national curriculums in other Council of Europe member states, to inform good practice in England.

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

Food education is covered across design and technology, biology, geography and personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) in the national curriculum. It requires that pupils learn about healthy eating, where food comes from, nutrition and sustainability. The national curriculum framework provides teachers with freedom and flexibility to decide how best to cover curriculum subjects so topics such as farming and sustainability can be taught. Additional resources are available for teachers from the National Education Nature Park and Oak National Academy.

The Curriculum and Assessment Review has gathered a broad range of evidence through a call for evidence that was open to all, both domestically and internationally. The Review is carefully considering recommendations for all subjects in the national curriculum, and the final report, due in autumn 2025, will set out its conclusions and recommendations for government.

The ‘Good Food Cycle’, launched in July 2025, sets out the government’s vision for a 21st century UK food system, with ten priority outcomes including healthy and more affordable food, good growth and sustainable and resilient supply. Through this strategy, we are collaborating across government on good food education. The Ministerial Food Strategy Group, convened by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, includes Ministers from across government, including the Department for Education and the Department of Health and Social Care. The group provides political leadership and alignment with the Plan for Change and government missions.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to bring together educators, health professionals, farmers, campaigners, and sustainability experts to better integrate farming, food, and nature into education.

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

Food education is covered across design and technology, biology, geography and personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) in the national curriculum. It requires that pupils learn about healthy eating, where food comes from, nutrition and sustainability. The national curriculum framework provides teachers with freedom and flexibility to decide how best to cover curriculum subjects so topics such as farming and sustainability can be taught. Additional resources are available for teachers from the National Education Nature Park and Oak National Academy.

The Curriculum and Assessment Review has gathered a broad range of evidence through a call for evidence that was open to all, both domestically and internationally. The Review is carefully considering recommendations for all subjects in the national curriculum, and the final report, due in autumn 2025, will set out its conclusions and recommendations for government.

The ‘Good Food Cycle’, launched in July 2025, sets out the government’s vision for a 21st century UK food system, with ten priority outcomes including healthy and more affordable food, good growth and sustainable and resilient supply. Through this strategy, we are collaborating across government on good food education. The Ministerial Food Strategy Group, convened by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, includes Ministers from across government, including the Department for Education and the Department of Health and Social Care. The group provides political leadership and alignment with the Plan for Change and government missions.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve coordination between the Department for Education, Department for Health and Social Care, and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with regard to food, farming and sustainability education in England.

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

Food education is covered across design and technology, biology, geography and personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) in the national curriculum. It requires that pupils learn about healthy eating, where food comes from, nutrition and sustainability. The national curriculum framework provides teachers with freedom and flexibility to decide how best to cover curriculum subjects so topics such as farming and sustainability can be taught. Additional resources are available for teachers from the National Education Nature Park and Oak National Academy.

The Curriculum and Assessment Review has gathered a broad range of evidence through a call for evidence that was open to all, both domestically and internationally. The Review is carefully considering recommendations for all subjects in the national curriculum, and the final report, due in autumn 2025, will set out its conclusions and recommendations for government.

The ‘Good Food Cycle’, launched in July 2025, sets out the government’s vision for a 21st century UK food system, with ten priority outcomes including healthy and more affordable food, good growth and sustainable and resilient supply. Through this strategy, we are collaborating across government on good food education. The Ministerial Food Strategy Group, convened by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, includes Ministers from across government, including the Department for Education and the Department of Health and Social Care. The group provides political leadership and alignment with the Plan for Change and government missions.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to include food, farming and sustainability as a core part of the school curriculum in England.

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

Food education is covered across design and technology, biology, geography and personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) in the national curriculum. It requires that pupils learn about healthy eating, where food comes from, nutrition and sustainability. The national curriculum framework provides teachers with freedom and flexibility to decide how best to cover curriculum subjects so topics such as farming and sustainability can be taught. Additional resources are available for teachers from the National Education Nature Park and Oak National Academy.

The Curriculum and Assessment Review has gathered a broad range of evidence through a call for evidence that was open to all, both domestically and internationally. The Review is carefully considering recommendations for all subjects in the national curriculum, and the final report, due in autumn 2025, will set out its conclusions and recommendations for government.

The ‘Good Food Cycle’, launched in July 2025, sets out the government’s vision for a 21st century UK food system, with ten priority outcomes including healthy and more affordable food, good growth and sustainable and resilient supply. Through this strategy, we are collaborating across government on good food education. The Ministerial Food Strategy Group, convened by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, includes Ministers from across government, including the Department for Education and the Department of Health and Social Care. The group provides political leadership and alignment with the Plan for Change and government missions.

Government and parliament need to lower children's school days per week from 5 to 3 to allow them to still enjoy their childhoods.

We ask Government to establish an Independent Early Years Funding Review Body. Similar to the School Teachers’ Review Body, it could take evidence from providers, parents and experts and recommend fair funding rates based on actual costs, not political decisions, for the Government to respond to.

I would like Parliament to amend Section 444 of the Education Act 1996 to provide parents an exemption from fines when they take children abroad for a family funeral. The exemption should apply for 10 days per school year.

We believe children shouldn’t be marked down as absent for hospital or GP appointments. These are authorised absences but still lower attendance records. We urge the Government to create a separate code so medical care doesn’t impact students’ attendance records.

Many children with SEND are being failed. Some families can wait months or even years for support, leaving children without the education they are legally entitled to and causing long-term harm.

As additional options students can take in class, the English curriculum should feature Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, and/or Irish. Similar to how French and Spanish is commonly taught.

I would like parliament to consider that some parents struggle to afford branded school uniform. I think it is extremely expensive, especially as children are likely to outgrow these clothes. I think the government should consider single parents who work multiple jobs spending over £100.

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Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to support the development of local strategic delivery plans for early childhood outcomes under the Test, Learn and Grow programme in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes.

Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Test, Learn & Grow programme is modelling and scaling an approach to public service reform and mission delivery that closes gaps between policy, delivery and service users, and speeds up learning and improvement.

In July, the Programme announced the 10 places that it will be working with in England. These are: Barnsley, Wakefield, Manchester, Liverpool, Sandwell, Northumberland, Essex, Plymouth, Nottingham, and within London. Challenges the teams will look at will include increasing the uptake of Best Start Family Hubs to support parents and young children - and this is currently being scoped with input from the Department for Education, Cabinet Office and local partners.

The Programme is committed to spreading practice and insights to local authorities across the country and will ensure that this opportunity is available to Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will provide a breakdown of Government spending on advertising via social media platforms broken down by Department, over the last 12 months.

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

As with any media planning approach, channels are selected based on their ability to engage with relevant audiences in alignment with the government's strategic objectives.

The Cabinet Office is consistently tracking and reviewing spending on communications to ensure efficiency and that the appropriate strategy is implemented. We will not spend more than is needed to be effective and ensure best value for the taxpayer.

Please see the breakdown below of spend on social media broken down by department between 1st August 2024 and 31st July 2025.

Please note that this may not be the complete spend as the Cabinet Office does not centrally manage Departmental social media spend directly.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support councils to improve the availability of activities for young people during (a) evenings, (b) weekends and (c) school holidays.

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

In 2025/26, DCMS is investing £28 million to increase young people’s access to more and better enriching activities. This includes programmes such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and Uniformed Youth Fund. As part of the Uniformed Youth Fund, DCMS funded the Volunteer Police Cadets to increase its capacity and reach a greater number of young people in Fylde.

DCMS is also investing £8 million to support local authorities through the Local Youth Transformation Pilot, which aims to rebuild a high-quality offer for young people across England.

Additionally, the Department for Education has confirmed over £600 million for the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme for the next three financial years (from 2026/27), delivered by local authorities to provide healthy meals, enriching activities, and free childcare places to children from low-income families during school holiday periods.

In Autumn, we will publish the National Youth Strategy, which we have co-produced with young people and the sector. The Strategy will outline a long-term vision for young people and an action plan for delivering this.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to improve the availability of activities for young people during (a) evenings, (b) weekends and (c) school holidays.

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

In 2025/26, DCMS is investing £28 million to increase young people’s access to more and better enriching activities. This includes programmes such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and Uniformed Youth Fund. As part of the Uniformed Youth Fund, DCMS funded the Volunteer Police Cadets to increase its capacity and reach a greater number of young people in Fylde.

DCMS is also investing £8 million to support local authorities through the Local Youth Transformation Pilot, which aims to rebuild a high-quality offer for young people across England.

Additionally, the Department for Education has confirmed over £600 million for the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme for the next three financial years (from 2026/27), delivered by local authorities to provide healthy meals, enriching activities, and free childcare places to children from low-income families during school holiday periods.

In Autumn, we will publish the National Youth Strategy, which we have co-produced with young people and the sector. The Strategy will outline a long-term vision for young people and an action plan for delivering this.

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