Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will conduct an Impact Assessment of the SEND reforms on early years settings supporting children with additional needs.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Impact assessments were published alongside the consultation to aid engagement during the consultation period.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will conduct an Impact Assessment of the SEND reforms on mainstream schools’ workload and resource requirements.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Impact assessments were published alongside the consultation to aid engagement during the consultation period.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will conduct an Impact Assessment of the SEND reforms on special schools and specialist provision.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Impact assessments were published alongside the consultation to aid engagement during the consultation period.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will conduct an Impact Assessment of the SEND reforms on children and young people with Education, Health and Care Plans.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Impact assessments were published alongside the consultation to aid engagement during the consultation period.
Asked by: Ben Spencer (Conservative - Runnymede and Weybridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the introduction of new statutory guidance for supporting pupils with medical conditions and allergies in schools on costs for schools.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Schools have existing statutory duties to make arrangements for supporting pupils with medical conditions. The draft statutory guidance makes clear to schools what is expected of them in taking reasonable steps to fulfil their legal obligations and to meet the individual needs of pupils with medical conditions.
Schools will be required to stock ‘spare’ adrenaline auto-injectors, and many already choose to do so. The department’s draft guidance suggests most schools should stock 2 to 4 pairs of adrenaline auto-injectors, at a likely cost of £300. The government is in discussion with suppliers to facilitate options here and will look to say more in due course.
School funding is increasing by £1.7 billion in 2026/27, including funding for special educational needs and disabilities reform announced within the Schools White Paper. Our overall investment in schools funding is a critical step forward in our mission to support teachers and leaders to deliver high and rising standards across every school and for every pupil, including those with medical conditions and allergies.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will conduct an Impact Assessment of the SEND reforms on transport obligations for children with SEND.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government has published equalities and children’s rights impact assessments alongside SEND reform: Putting Children and Young People First.
Asked by: Samantha Niblett (Labour - South Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assistance her Department provides for young people seeking employment upon leaving school.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Young people must continue in education or training until their 18th birthday and may do so through full-time study, full-time work or volunteering combined with part-time learning, or an apprenticeship, while local authorities hold statutory duties to identify and support those needing help, including young people who are not in education, employment or training.
Apprenticeships allow young people to earn and learn. Employers receive financial support to hire young apprentices, including up to £2,000 for small and medium sized enterprises taking on 16 to 24-year-old new starters. Foundation apprenticeships were introduced in August 2025, to give young people a route into critical sectors.
Through the Careers and Enterprise Company, the department is supporting schools to deliver high quality, employer-led careers advice, giving young people clearer insight into the full range of pathways available. We are also bridging the gap between education and work with our commitment to two weeks’ worth of work experience for every secondary pupil.
The Post 16 Education and Skills White Paper set out major reforms, including new Vocational Levels alongside A Levels and T Levels, a further study pathway with a Foundation Certificate, and an occupational pathway with an Occupational Certificate to support progression into study, work or apprenticeships.
For those who want to move into work after they are 18 but cannot find work, the Department for Work and Pensions is strengthening support through the Youth Guarantee, supported by £2.5 billion of investment to create 500,000 opportunities for young people to earn and learn. This includes the delivery of eight Youth Guarantee trailblazers in England, the expansion of Youth Hubs to more than 360 areas across Great Britain, and the introduction of a new Youth Guarantee Gateway in jobcentres, providing more intensive support to 16 to 24-year-olds.
Together these measures demonstrate the government’s commitment to backing young people.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many civil servants in their Department were found to have broken the Civil Service Code in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
Civil Servants are appointed on merit on the basis of fair and open competition and are expected to carry out their role with dedication and a commitment to the Civil Service and its core values: integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.
The department does not hold centrally collated data on the number of breaches of the Civil Service Code.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure adequate careers support in schools, especially for alternative pathways.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Schools are required to offer multiple opportunities for pupils to hear directly from apprenticeship, further education and training providers.
The government has adopted updated Gatsby Benchmarks into statutory guidance. They place greater emphasis on high quality information about alternative pathways. Schools are expected to provide pupils with up-to-date labour market information and information about apprenticeships, T Levels and other technical qualifications across a range of sectors.
The government’s commitment to delivering two weeks’ worth of work experience for every young person will further support awareness of alternative pathways, giving secondary pupils practical insights into a wide range of employers and progression routes.
Through the Careers and Enterprise Company, the department is continuing to invest in support for careers leaders to embed the Gatsby Benchmarks in schools and to improve pupils’ access to meaningful encounters with employers and providers, workplace experiences and personal guidance.
Asked by: Samantha Niblett (Labour - South Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how her Department is supporting university students and graduates with accumulating student debt.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Unlike commercial loans, student loans carry significant protections for borrowers. Student loan repayments are linked to income, not to the amount borrowed or interest applied. As repayments remain income contingent, if a borrower’s salary remains the same, their monthly repayments will also stay the same.
Repayments are made at a constant rate of 9% above the earnings threshold. Borrowers earning under the earnings threshold are not required to make repayments. Any outstanding loan, including interest built up, is cancelled at the end of the loan term with no detriment to the borrower, and debt is never passed on to family members or descendants.
The government appreciates that making student loan repayments does have an impact on individuals. This is why there are unique protections for borrowers, and the finance system is heavily subsidised by taxpayers.