Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what support they are giving to nursery providers to help to support children to stop using nappies at an appropriate age.

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

The department is committed to giving every child the best start in life, and we are investing in Best Start Family Hubs across the country. These will offer parenting and home learning environment support and are well placed to provide parents toilet training advice.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework sets the standards and requirements that early years providers must meet to ensure that children have the best start in life and are kept healthy and safe.

Within the EYFS, children’s personal, social and emotional development is a prime area of learning. Children are expected to learn how to manage personal needs independently, including going to the toilet.

The department has published toilet training guidance, which can be accessed here: https://help-for-early-years-providers.education.gov.uk/health-and-wellbeing/toilet-training. This will help educators to support babies and young children with toilet training in early years settings and signposts the Potty Training Guide. The department will continue to promote this guidance through its online platforms and engagement with the sector. Parents can access the Potty Training Guide from the Best Start in Life website at: https://beststartinlife.gov.uk/.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to promote the Potty Training Guide, published on 9 December 2025.

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

The department is committed to giving every child the best start in life, and we are investing in Best Start Family Hubs across the country. These will offer parenting and home learning environment support and are well placed to provide parents toilet training advice.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework sets the standards and requirements that early years providers must meet to ensure that children have the best start in life and are kept healthy and safe.

Within the EYFS, children’s personal, social and emotional development is a prime area of learning. Children are expected to learn how to manage personal needs independently, including going to the toilet.

The department has published toilet training guidance, which can be accessed here: https://help-for-early-years-providers.education.gov.uk/health-and-wellbeing/toilet-training. This will help educators to support babies and young children with toilet training in early years settings and signposts the Potty Training Guide. The department will continue to promote this guidance through its online platforms and engagement with the sector. Parents can access the Potty Training Guide from the Best Start in Life website at: https://beststartinlife.gov.uk/.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what diploma qualifications they will fund for trainee stonemasons from September 2026.

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

On 20 October 2025, alongside the publication of the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, the department published a consultation on post-16 level 3 and below pathways, which closed on 12 January 2026. As part of our consultation, we have been engaging with the sector on transition arrangements. We will set out our response to the consultation in due course.

We will update the information on qualifications funded in the 2026/27 academic year as soon as possible.