Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of future pension arrangements of UK university staff who are transferred to subsidiary companies by their employer.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government recognises that a number of universities are adopting subsidiary models in a variety of circumstances. Higher education providers are independent from government and as such are responsible for their own decisions about their workforce. However, in any decisions affecting staff, the government expects providers to abide by all relevant legislation, including requirements under employment law pension requirements. The government also expects providers to engage constructively with their workforce when considering any changes that may affect them.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of UK universities setting up subsidiary companies and transferring staff into those companies on those staff.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government recognises that a number of universities are adopting subsidiary models in a variety of circumstances. Higher education providers are independent from government and as such are responsible for their own decisions about their workforce. However, in any decisions affecting staff, the government expects providers to abide by all relevant legislation, including requirements under employment law pension requirements. The government also expects providers to engage constructively with their workforce when considering any changes that may affect them.
Asked by: Darren Paffey (Labour - Southampton Itchen)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the financial and administrative barriers faced by UK modern languages students required to undertake a year abroad as part of their degree, including the costs and delays associated with obtaining student visas for EU countries; what assessment she has made of the potential impact of those barriers on students from lower-income backgrounds; and whether she has had discussions with universities and relevant European governments on reducing visa costs, simplifying application processes and improving support for students undertaking compulsory periods of study abroad.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government is committed to supporting the study of modern foreign languages.
The UK has taken the positive step to join Erasmus+ in 2027. This will increase opportunities for students to study, train and undertake work placements abroad, enabling more young people to gain valuable international experience and develop their language skills.
Erasmus+ also includes measures to make international mobility more accessible, providing additional funding and practical support to help people with fewer opportunities take part, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The British Council, which is set to become the National Agency for Erasmus+, will be able to provide practical support to students wishing to take part, along with the participating university.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the SEND teacher training announcement of 25 September 2026, what targets the Department has set for the proportion of (a) teachers and (b) teaching assistants completing the new training by September 2027 and September 2028.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government offer of over £200 million for professional development on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and inclusion across schools, colleges and nurseries has been designed to be flexible and to work around staff schedules, combining online self-study and live, facilitated elements to support engagement.
In addition to the in-house training to all staff, published on 25 September 2026, and the further in-house materials planned for publication during this academic year, new fully funded SEND and inclusion courses will be available for teachers, leaders and support staff from autumn 2027. We will use participation data to monitor take-up and intend to publish participation data for these courses.
There will also be a new requirement set out in the SEND Code of Practice for all settings to ensure that staff receive training on SEND and inclusion, and to clearly signpost government funded training.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the extent to which schools are educating pupils about the causes and impacts of climate change through the national curriculum.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Young people have consistently expressed a strong desire for greater depth in climate change, nature and sustainability education. This is an engaging topic for young people and is important in preparing them for life and work in a changing world.
Last year, Professor Becky Francis led an independent review of the national curriculum and made several recommendations for earlier sequencing and updated environmental content within the national curriculum subjects of citizenship, geography, science, and design and technology. There will be a public consultation on the proposals for the new national curriculum in due course.
Alongside this, the department funds resources to support schools to teach these topics through Oak National Academy and the National Education Nature Park.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help improve climate literacy among pupils in primary and secondary schools.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Young people have consistently expressed a strong desire for greater depth in climate change, nature and sustainability education. This is an engaging topic for young people and is important in preparing them for life and work in a changing world.
Last year, Professor Becky Francis led an independent review of the national curriculum and made several recommendations for earlier sequencing and updated environmental content within the national curriculum subjects of citizenship, geography, science, and design and technology. There will be a public consultation on the proposals for the new national curriculum in due course.
Alongside this, the department funds resources to support schools to teach these topics through Oak National Academy and the National Education Nature Park.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support her Department provides to teachers to deliver high-quality education on climate change, sustainability and environmental issues.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Young people have consistently expressed a strong desire for greater depth in climate change, nature and sustainability education. This is an engaging topic for young people and is important in preparing them for life and work in a changing world.
Last year, Professor Becky Francis led an independent review of the national curriculum and made several recommendations for earlier sequencing and updated environmental content within the national curriculum subjects of citizenship, geography, science, and design and technology. There will be a public consultation on the proposals for the new national curriculum in due course.
Alongside this, the department funds resources to support schools to teach these topics through Oak National Academy and the National Education Nature Park.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have conducted a review of whether sections 28 (Co-operating generally: local authority functions), 29 (Co-operating generally: governing body functions) and 31 (Co-operating in specific cases: local authority functions) of the Children and Families Act 2014 are enabling effective co-operation between educational bodies; and if not, why not.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government wants to build a more collaborative, inclusive and higher-quality education system, in which local authorities, schools and other education providers work together, share expertise and improve outcomes for children and young people.
Existing legislation provides a range of mechanisms and duties to support collaboration and co-operation between maintained schools, and between maintained schools and further education bodies, as well as co-operation in relation to 14 to 19 education and training and co-operation between local authorities, schools and other educational bodies in relation to special educational needs and disabilities. These arrangements remain available where institutions consider them appropriate.
Additionally, the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 strengthens cooperation across the education and children’s services systems. This includes new duties for schools and local authorities to cooperate on school place planning and alternative provision, alongside provisions for multi-agency child protection teams, statutory information sharing and local authority registers of children not in school.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have conducted a review of whether section 85 (Co-operation as regards provision of 14–19 education and training) of the Education and Skills Act 2008 is enabling effective co-operation between educational bodies; and if not, why not.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government wants to build a more collaborative, inclusive and higher-quality education system, in which local authorities, schools and other education providers work together, share expertise and improve outcomes for children and young people.
Existing legislation provides a range of mechanisms and duties to support collaboration and co-operation between maintained schools, and between maintained schools and further education bodies, as well as co-operation in relation to 14 to 19 education and training and co-operation between local authorities, schools and other educational bodies in relation to special educational needs and disabilities. These arrangements remain available where institutions consider them appropriate.
Additionally, the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 strengthens cooperation across the education and children’s services systems. This includes new duties for schools and local authorities to cooperate on school place planning and alternative provision, alongside provisions for multi-agency child protection teams, statutory information sharing and local authority registers of children not in school.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that exams are dynamically modelled around human creativity so that they are not overwhelmed by AI coaching.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are reforming our qualifications to ensure that they support progression to further study, training and skilled employment. These reforms will help young people develop the knowledge, skills and experiences they need to succeed in work, life and lifelong learning.
In line with the recommendations of the Curriculum and Assessment Review, our GCSE reforms will strengthen the human skills pupils need for the future. These include creative thinking in computing, critical thinking in history and problem solving in mathematics. We will also place greater emphasis on practical skills and assessment in practical GCSE subjects such as PE, drama, design and technology, food and nutrition, music and computing. This will better recognise the value of these skills and support students to succeed beyond the classroom.