Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support schools in offering Natural History GCSE.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
It is for schools to choose the qualifications they offer at key stage 4, and for pupils to choose the qualifications they take. We have worked with stakeholders to develop content which is high-quality, rigorous, and which represents a worthwhile course of study. As it is finalised, the department will consider the delivery of the GCSE.
The public consultation on proposed subject content for a new natural history GCSE closed on 04 September, and we will consider this feedback carefully before finalising the subject content.
Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether selective mutism will be included in (a) the National Inclusion Standards, (b) Specialist Provision Packages and (c) the revised SEND Code of Practice; which organisations and professional groups with expertise in selective mutism her Department has consulted in developing those reforms; and what her planned timetable is for publishing the relevant draft standards, packages and Code.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The National Inclusion Standards will set out what ordinarily available provision should be in every setting across the 0 to 25 system, as well as evidence-based tools and approaches for educators to draw on to identify and support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including selective mutism.
Specialist Provision Packages are descriptions of support for children and young people with the most complex needs. Some children and young people receiving support via a package may also have selective mutism.
An independent expert panel has been appointed to oversee the development of the National Inclusion Standards and Specialist Provision Packages. The panel will engage with stakeholders to make sure its work is informed by a wide range of views and lived experience.
In the reformed system, the SEND Code of Practice will set out the duties and guidance that enable settings meet the needs of children and young people with SEND, such as those with selective mutism. The department will undertake a full public consultation to ensure the updated Code reflects best practice and the views of children and young people, parents and carers, and professionals.
The publication of the draft packages and standards will align with forthcoming legislation, and details of further plans and timings for updating the Code will be shared following publication of the government’s response to the SEND Consultation.
Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her Department holds on children and young people with selective mutism, broken down by (a) age, (b) local authority, (c) education, health and care plan status, (d) primary and secondary type of special educational need, (e) school attendance and (f) suspension or permanent exclusion; and whether she will introduce selective mutism as a distinct reporting category within the school census and education, health and care plan data collections.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department does not hold information on the number of children and young people with selective mutism and is therefore unable to provide the breakdowns requested.
Effective early identification and intervention is critical to improving outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs (SEN), including those with selective mutism condition.
The special educational needs and disabilities Code of Practice makes it clear that meeting the needs of a child with SEN does not require a diagnostic label. Instead, practitioners should identify and address pupils' needs at the earliest opportunity through a graduated approach, in which progress is regularly assessed, and support is provided based on an individual's identified needs, regardless of whether a child has received a formal diagnosis.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to undertake further engagement with (a) disabled students, (b) suppliers of specialist assistive technology and (c) other stakeholders before implementing changes to Disabled Students' Allowance arising from the consultation.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The consultation was an opportunity for students with disabilities, stakeholders and suppliers to provide evidence to inform future policy. The responses are currently being analysed and no final decisions have been made.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the answer of 22 April 2026 to Question 124528 on Students: Loans, how that cost will be financed; and from which budget.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The costs of the interest rate cap will be set out at Budget on 28 October 2026 in the usual way.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the teacher vacancy rate was in a) England, b) Essex and c) South Basildon and East Thurrock in the latest period for which figures are available.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Information on the school workforce is published in the ‘School Workforce in England’ statistical publication, available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.
This publication includes information on the number and rate of teacher vacancies at school, local authority, regional and national level. The latest available figures, for November 2025, for England and Essex are available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/84345759-2cf5-416f-2df0-08df07a6df71.
Figures for parliamentary constituencies are not published directly. However, they can be derived from the published school-level data. In November 2025, across the 34 schools in South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency, there were 2 teacher vacancies, equivalent to a teacher vacancy rate of 0.2%.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Government press release entitled Government invests in young people with more opportunities close to home, published on 28 July 2026, what recent assessment has been made of the availability of suitable premises and equipment required to deliver the additional technical and vocational courses.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department invited bids from further education colleges, sixth form colleges and 16 to 19 academies to meet the additional need for capacity for post-16 education and to increase construction skills provision to address waiting lists for construction courses. Applicants were assessed against clear criteria which focused on the need for the project, as well as the applicant’s ability to plan and deliver the new facilities, and in the case of construction skills capacity funding, specialist equipment.
Asked by: Shivani Raja (Conservative - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to encourage schools to promote T Levels, apprenticeships, and technical qualifications.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department is strengthening careers guidance so all young people understand the full range of high-quality education and training routes available, including apprenticeships, T Levels and other technical pathways.
Schools must provide independent careers guidance and comply with provider access legislation which gives pupils opportunities to hear directly from providers about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. Our statutory guidance is clear that this should be embedded within a progressive careers programme, with information provided at key transition points.
We fund the Careers & Enterprise Company and careers hubs to connect schools with employers and training providers and strengthen awareness of technical pathways. Using local data and insight, careers hubs identify barriers and target support to help more young people move into apprenticeships and technical education.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that (a) primary and (b) secondary school students do enough physical activity per week.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
In November 2025, the government responded to the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, in which we accepted the recommendations made on PE. As part of this, we will revisit the aims of compulsory PE across all key stages and make clear the purpose of PE for all pupils, to ensure that schools recognise the need to protect at least two hours of PE time for their pupils throughout their time at school.
The government wants all children to access the significant physical and mental health benefits being physically active provides. We are investing £1 billion to support this, including £580 million to establish a PE and School Sport Partnership Network, almost £200 million in capital funding to improve school sports facilities, and a further £150 million PE and sport premium payment to support eligible primary schools during the transition to the new approach. The Network will support access for all children in both primary and secondary schools, especially those who are currently less active, through improving PE provision and increasing enrichment opportunities related to physical activity and sport.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support university employees.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department is aware that some providers are making difficult decisions around staffing to safeguard their financial sustainability. Higher education (HE) providers are autonomous institutions, and the government therefore cannot intervene in pay and workforce matters, unlike in other sectors. Nevertheless, we expect providers to work with their staff to develop sustainable models that retain talent and expertise and provide stability for the workforce and the institution.
The department remains committed to creating a secure future for our HE sector so it can continue to deliver for students, taxpayers, staff and the economy. Our decision to increase tuition fees annually in line with inflation, demonstrates this commitment.