Asked by: Baroness Benjamin (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the financial sustainability of universities; and what measures they intend to take to ensure that institutions can maintain teaching and research excellence without reducing academic provision or workforce capacity.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department remains committed to creating a secure future for the higher education (HE) sector. The Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper sets out our commitment to placing the sector on a more sustainable footing, supporting providers to drive efficiency, strengthening financial resilience, and adopting more effective operating models. We increased tuition fee caps in line with inflation in 2025/26 and are doing the same in 2026/27 and 2027/28.
HE providers are independent from government and are responsible for managing their finances. We encourage providers to work with their staff to develop sustainable business models that retain talent and expertise and provide stability for the workforce and the institution.
The department continues to work closely with the Office for Students to understand the sector’s changing financial landscape.
The International Education Strategy has confirmed our continued commitment to welcome international students who meet the requirements to study in the UK.
Asked by: Baroness Benjamin (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve the long-term financial sustainability of universities, particularly in the light of rising operating costs, the declining real-terms value of tuition fees, and changes in international student recruitment.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department remains committed to creating a secure future for the higher education (HE) sector. The Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper sets out our commitment to placing the sector on a more sustainable footing, supporting providers to drive efficiency, strengthening financial resilience, and adopting more effective operating models. We increased tuition fee caps in line with inflation in 2025/26 and are doing the same in 2026/27 and 2027/28.
HE providers are independent from government and are responsible for managing their finances. We encourage providers to work with their staff to develop sustainable business models that retain talent and expertise and provide stability for the workforce and the institution.
The department continues to work closely with the Office for Students to understand the sector’s changing financial landscape.
The International Education Strategy has confirmed our continued commitment to welcome international students who meet the requirements to study in the UK.
Asked by: Baroness Benjamin (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent children in care from being moved to areas that do not reflect their cultural, racial, linguistic, or religious identity or community.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department welcomes Become's report ‘Gone Too Far’ and its focus on getting the voices of those with care experience heard.
While some out-of-area placements are necessary to meet a child's individual needs or keep them safe, we know that living far from support networks can affect stability and wellbeing, disrupting relationships with family, friends and trusted professionals, undermining educational continuity and making it harder for children to maintain important community connections.
For some children, this can increase vulnerability to exploitation, sexual abuse and other forms of harm.
Moving a child away from their home area is a significant decision and must be approved by the Director of Children's Services, only when the move is in the child's best interests. Local authorities have ongoing duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of looked-after children, including through regular social worker oversight and a statutory requirement to notify the authority in which a child is placed.
The aim of the government's Enduring Relationships Strategy is for all children in care to have the support and stability they need to form and maintain healthy relationships throughout their lives.
Through the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, we are strengthening information sharing and multi-agency child protection arrangements and improving the response to child sexual exploitation and other extra-familial harms. We are also investing £560 million to expand children's homes and foster care capacity and developing regional care cooperatives to help more children, including girls at risk of exploitation and abuse, access safe, high-quality care closer to home.
Asked by: Baroness Benjamin (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that children in care are supported to develop the skills, confidence, and security to develop and maintain healthy relationships.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department welcomes Become's report ‘Gone Too Far’ and its focus on getting the voices of those with care experience heard.
While some out-of-area placements are necessary to meet a child's individual needs or keep them safe, we know that living far from support networks can affect stability and wellbeing, disrupting relationships with family, friends and trusted professionals, undermining educational continuity and making it harder for children to maintain important community connections.
For some children, this can increase vulnerability to exploitation, sexual abuse and other forms of harm.
Moving a child away from their home area is a significant decision and must be approved by the Director of Children's Services, only when the move is in the child's best interests. Local authorities have ongoing duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of looked-after children, including through regular social worker oversight and a statutory requirement to notify the authority in which a child is placed.
The aim of the government's Enduring Relationships Strategy is for all children in care to have the support and stability they need to form and maintain healthy relationships throughout their lives.
Through the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, we are strengthening information sharing and multi-agency child protection arrangements and improving the response to child sexual exploitation and other extra-familial harms. We are also investing £560 million to expand children's homes and foster care capacity and developing regional care cooperatives to help more children, including girls at risk of exploitation and abuse, access safe, high-quality care closer to home.
Asked by: Baroness Benjamin (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure girls in care who have been moved far from their home communities receive consistent and regular oversight and support from social work professionals.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department welcomes Become's report ‘Gone Too Far’ and its focus on getting the voices of those with care experience heard.
While some out-of-area placements are necessary to meet a child's individual needs or keep them safe, we know that living far from support networks can affect stability and wellbeing, disrupting relationships with family, friends and trusted professionals, undermining educational continuity and making it harder for children to maintain important community connections.
For some children, this can increase vulnerability to exploitation, sexual abuse and other forms of harm.
Moving a child away from their home area is a significant decision and must be approved by the Director of Children's Services, only when the move is in the child's best interests. Local authorities have ongoing duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of looked-after children, including through regular social worker oversight and a statutory requirement to notify the authority in which a child is placed.
The aim of the government's Enduring Relationships Strategy is for all children in care to have the support and stability they need to form and maintain healthy relationships throughout their lives.
Through the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, we are strengthening information sharing and multi-agency child protection arrangements and improving the response to child sexual exploitation and other extra-familial harms. We are also investing £560 million to expand children's homes and foster care capacity and developing regional care cooperatives to help more children, including girls at risk of exploitation and abuse, access safe, high-quality care closer to home.
Asked by: Baroness Benjamin (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce the number of girls in care moved far from their communities in circumstances where it is not in their best interests.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department welcomes Become's report ‘Gone Too Far’ and its focus on getting the voices of those with care experience heard.
While some out-of-area placements are necessary to meet a child's individual needs or keep them safe, we know that living far from support networks can affect stability and wellbeing, disrupting relationships with family, friends and trusted professionals, undermining educational continuity and making it harder for children to maintain important community connections.
For some children, this can increase vulnerability to exploitation, sexual abuse and other forms of harm.
Moving a child away from their home area is a significant decision and must be approved by the Director of Children's Services, only when the move is in the child's best interests. Local authorities have ongoing duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of looked-after children, including through regular social worker oversight and a statutory requirement to notify the authority in which a child is placed.
The aim of the government's Enduring Relationships Strategy is for all children in care to have the support and stability they need to form and maintain healthy relationships throughout their lives.
Through the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, we are strengthening information sharing and multi-agency child protection arrangements and improving the response to child sexual exploitation and other extra-familial harms. We are also investing £560 million to expand children's homes and foster care capacity and developing regional care cooperatives to help more children, including girls at risk of exploitation and abuse, access safe, high-quality care closer to home.
Asked by: Baroness Benjamin (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by Become, Gone Too Far: How being moved far away puts care-experienced girls at risk, published in July 2026; and what assessment they have made of the risks posed by distant placements in the children's social care system to (1) children's enduring relationships, and (2) the safety of girls from exploitation and sexual abuse.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department welcomes Become's report ‘Gone Too Far’ and its focus on getting the voices of those with care experience heard.
While some out-of-area placements are necessary to meet a child's individual needs or keep them safe, we know that living far from support networks can affect stability and wellbeing, disrupting relationships with family, friends and trusted professionals, undermining educational continuity and making it harder for children to maintain important community connections.
For some children, this can increase vulnerability to exploitation, sexual abuse and other forms of harm.
Moving a child away from their home area is a significant decision and must be approved by the Director of Children's Services, only when the move is in the child's best interests. Local authorities have ongoing duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of looked-after children, including through regular social worker oversight and a statutory requirement to notify the authority in which a child is placed.
The aim of the government's Enduring Relationships Strategy is for all children in care to have the support and stability they need to form and maintain healthy relationships throughout their lives.
Through the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, we are strengthening information sharing and multi-agency child protection arrangements and improving the response to child sexual exploitation and other extra-familial harms. We are also investing £560 million to expand children's homes and foster care capacity and developing regional care cooperatives to help more children, including girls at risk of exploitation and abuse, access safe, high-quality care closer to home.
Asked by: Baroness Benjamin (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the relationship between out-of-area placements for girls in care and the risk of exploitation, sexual abuse, or other forms of violence against women and girls.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department welcomes Become's report ‘Gone Too Far’ and its focus on getting the voices of those with care experience heard.
While some out-of-area placements are necessary to meet a child's individual needs or keep them safe, we know that living far from support networks can affect stability and wellbeing, disrupting relationships with family, friends and trusted professionals, undermining educational continuity and making it harder for children to maintain important community connections.
For some children, this can increase vulnerability to exploitation, sexual abuse and other forms of harm.
Moving a child away from their home area is a significant decision and must be approved by the Director of Children's Services, only when the move is in the child's best interests. Local authorities have ongoing duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of looked-after children, including through regular social worker oversight and a statutory requirement to notify the authority in which a child is placed.
The aim of the government's Enduring Relationships Strategy is for all children in care to have the support and stability they need to form and maintain healthy relationships throughout their lives.
Through the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, we are strengthening information sharing and multi-agency child protection arrangements and improving the response to child sexual exploitation and other extra-familial harms. We are also investing £560 million to expand children's homes and foster care capacity and developing regional care cooperatives to help more children, including girls at risk of exploitation and abuse, access safe, high-quality care closer to home.
Asked by: Baroness Benjamin (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent AI-generated images that sexualise children being created based on images posted on social media by parents or family members.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government is taking robust action to tackle the growing threat of AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM), including where offenders use innocent images of children to create sexualised or abusive content.
The law is crystal clear: child sexual abuse material is illegal regardless of whether it is produced using artificial intelligence or any other means. Law enforcement agencies will pursue those who create, possess, distribute or use such material to facilitate further offending, including blackmail and coercion.
Through the Crime and Policing Act, we have introduced a new offence targeting AI models designed or adapted to generate child sexual abuse material, helping to prevent this abuse at its source. We have also taken action to ban so-called "nudify" tools, which can be used to create sexually explicit images from posted images, including images of children.
In addition, we have introduced a technology testing defence to enable authorised organisations, child protection charities and other AI safety companies to safely test AI systems and identify vulnerabilities within AI models. This supports the development of stronger safeguards to prevent AI systems from being able to generate child sexual abuse material in the first place.
Online services also have duties under the Online Safety Act to assess risks and implement proportionate measures to protect users, particularly children. They are also required to tackle illegal content on their platforms, including by implementing effective systems and processes to reduce the risk of illegal content being shared across public and private spaces, and by providing users with clear and accessible reporting mechanisms.
The Government is also working closely with industry, law enforcement, child protection organisations and the AI Security Institute to understand AI risks and improve safeguards across the AI ecosystem, to reduce opportunities for offenders to create, distribute and profit from AI-generated child sexual abuse material.
Asked by: Baroness Benjamin (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent AI-generated sexual images of children being used to blackmail people.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government is taking robust action to tackle the growing threat of AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM), including where offenders use innocent images of children to create sexualised or abusive content.
The law is crystal clear: child sexual abuse material is illegal regardless of whether it is produced using artificial intelligence or any other means. Law enforcement agencies will pursue those who create, possess, distribute or use such material to facilitate further offending, including blackmail and coercion.
Through the Crime and Policing Act, we have introduced a new offence targeting AI models designed or adapted to generate child sexual abuse material, helping to prevent this abuse at its source. We have also taken action to ban so-called "nudify" tools, which can be used to create sexually explicit images from posted images, including images of children.
In addition, we have introduced a technology testing defence to enable authorised organisations, child protection charities and other AI safety companies to safely test AI systems and identify vulnerabilities within AI models. This supports the development of stronger safeguards to prevent AI systems from being able to generate child sexual abuse material in the first place.
Online services also have duties under the Online Safety Act to assess risks and implement proportionate measures to protect users, particularly children. They are also required to tackle illegal content on their platforms, including by implementing effective systems and processes to reduce the risk of illegal content being shared across public and private spaces, and by providing users with clear and accessible reporting mechanisms.
The Government is also working closely with industry, law enforcement, child protection organisations and the AI Security Institute to understand AI risks and improve safeguards across the AI ecosystem, to reduce opportunities for offenders to create, distribute and profit from AI-generated child sexual abuse material.