Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extra resources required by OFCOM to support the proposed age-based restrictions for social media platforms.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The government will make sure that Ofcom has the resourcing it needs to implement and enforce its new duties, including age based restrictions on social media platforms. The Secretary of State has urged Ofcom’s new chair to consider what changes might be needed to Ofcom’s structures and ways of working to deliver effective implementation of its duties.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to consult on the use of electric bikes and scooters.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government will consult in the coming months on two distinct aspects of the use of e-cycles and e-scooters.
We will consult on regulations for how private e-scooters can be used on the roads, ahead of delivering the primary legislation necessary to implementing these changes when parliamentary time allows.
We will also consult on the implementation of licensing for shared cycle schemes to ensure we deliver a combination of regulations and guidance which empowers our local leaders to maximise the benefits of these schemes and tackle negative impacts.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to ensure that students in Gaza who have been offered a scholarship to study in UK universities are able to do so.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
On 24 June 2026, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs announced in a Written Ministerial Statement (Statement UIN HCWS144) that the government will provide support to enable eligible students in Gaza to depart and take up their places at UK universities for the 2026/27 academic year.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what has been the drop out rate of student teachers from Teach First for each of the last five years.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Data provided in this response is specifically in relation to the High Potential Initial Teacher Training programme (HPITT) delivered by Teach First.
The table below shows the total student teachers recruited to the HPITT programme in each of the last five cohorts.
Cohort Year | Total trainees on HPITT programme. |
2021 | 1,518 |
2022 | 1,394 |
2023 | 1,334 |
2024 | 1,415 |
2025 | 1,434 |
The table below shows the percentage of trainees who completed the two year programme and overall dropout rate. For cohorts 2024/2025, we have provided our current performance data (correct at 31 May 2026) with actuals due to be confirmed at milestone points in the future.
Cohort Year | Total trainees in cohort | % of trainees completing the two-year programme | % drop out rate from programme |
2021 | 1,518 | 82% | 18% |
2022 | 1,394 | 75% | 25% |
2023 | 1,334 | 78% | 22% |
2024 | 1,415 | 79% (TBC - due August 26) | 21% (TBC) |
2025* | 1,434 | 91% (TBC - due August 27) | TBC |
Data for the 2025 cohort is based on the current withdrawal rates in year 1 of the program as provided by Teach First.
The table below shows the spending for the last five financial years on the HPITT programme (ex VAT).
Financial year | Total cost in financial year |
21/22 | £37,506,990 |
22/23 | £25,696,327 |
23/24 | £21,057,427 |
24/25 | £22,172,463 |
25/26 | £22,981,020 |
This data is reported monthly by the department via a transaction report. We have provided a total of 12 months of financial data together within the table for each financial year. Individual reports are available on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many student teachers were recruited to Teach First in each of the last five years.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Data provided in this response is specifically in relation to the High Potential Initial Teacher Training programme (HPITT) delivered by Teach First.
The table below shows the total student teachers recruited to the HPITT programme in each of the last five cohorts.
Cohort Year | Total trainees on HPITT programme. |
2021 | 1,518 |
2022 | 1,394 |
2023 | 1,334 |
2024 | 1,415 |
2025 | 1,434 |
The table below shows the percentage of trainees who completed the two year programme and overall dropout rate. For cohorts 2024/2025, we have provided our current performance data (correct at 31 May 2026) with actuals due to be confirmed at milestone points in the future.
Cohort Year | Total trainees in cohort | % of trainees completing the two-year programme | % drop out rate from programme |
2021 | 1,518 | 82% | 18% |
2022 | 1,394 | 75% | 25% |
2023 | 1,334 | 78% | 22% |
2024 | 1,415 | 79% (TBC - due August 26) | 21% (TBC) |
2025* | 1,434 | 91% (TBC - due August 27) | TBC |
Data for the 2025 cohort is based on the current withdrawal rates in year 1 of the program as provided by Teach First.
The table below shows the spending for the last five financial years on the HPITT programme (ex VAT).
Financial year | Total cost in financial year |
21/22 | £37,506,990 |
22/23 | £25,696,327 |
23/24 | £21,057,427 |
24/25 | £22,172,463 |
25/26 | £22,981,020 |
This data is reported monthly by the department via a transaction report. We have provided a total of 12 months of financial data together within the table for each financial year. Individual reports are available on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what has been the total cost of Teach First for each of the last five years.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Data provided in this response is specifically in relation to the High Potential Initial Teacher Training programme (HPITT) delivered by Teach First.
The table below shows the total student teachers recruited to the HPITT programme in each of the last five cohorts.
Cohort Year | Total trainees on HPITT programme. |
2021 | 1,518 |
2022 | 1,394 |
2023 | 1,334 |
2024 | 1,415 |
2025 | 1,434 |
The table below shows the percentage of trainees who completed the two year programme and overall dropout rate. For cohorts 2024/2025, we have provided our current performance data (correct at 31 May 2026) with actuals due to be confirmed at milestone points in the future.
Cohort Year | Total trainees in cohort | % of trainees completing the two-year programme | % drop out rate from programme |
2021 | 1,518 | 82% | 18% |
2022 | 1,394 | 75% | 25% |
2023 | 1,334 | 78% | 22% |
2024 | 1,415 | 79% (TBC - due August 26) | 21% (TBC) |
2025* | 1,434 | 91% (TBC - due August 27) | TBC |
Data for the 2025 cohort is based on the current withdrawal rates in year 1 of the program as provided by Teach First.
The table below shows the spending for the last five financial years on the HPITT programme (ex VAT).
Financial year | Total cost in financial year |
21/22 | £37,506,990 |
22/23 | £25,696,327 |
23/24 | £21,057,427 |
24/25 | £22,172,463 |
25/26 | £22,981,020 |
This data is reported monthly by the department via a transaction report. We have provided a total of 12 months of financial data together within the table for each financial year. Individual reports are available on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what were the (1) national target or anticipated numbers of Skills Bootcamps learner starts, and (2) actual start figures, for (a) locally commissioned delivery; (b) centrally procured or directly managed national contracts; and (c) any other delivery route, for each year since Skills Bootcamps were launched, and for 2026–27 where figures are held.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department has not published starts targets split by national and local delivery.
Skills Bootcamps starts are published here. Releases - Skills bootcamps starts, completions and outcomes - page 1 - Explore education statistics - GOV.UK
The below table sets out spend for Skills Bootcamps national delivery by financial year. Final spend for the 2025-26 financial year is not yet available. In the 2026-27 financial year the Skills Bootcamps budget is £166 million.
Skills Bootcamps spend | 2021-22 FY | 2022-23 FY | 2023-24 FY | 2024-25 FY |
National delivery | £26,000,000 | £53,000,000 | £85,000,000 | £123,000,000 |
We do not hold contract allocation values for Skills Bootcamps national delivery by financial year as contracts span multiple financial years.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government, for each financial year from 2023–24 to 2025–26, what was the total maximum funding available through centrally procured or directly managed national Skills Bootcamps contracts, and what was the final amount spent through those contracts in each year; and what is the forecast or allocated spend for 2026–27.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department has not published starts targets split by national and local delivery.
Skills Bootcamps starts are published here. Releases - Skills bootcamps starts, completions and outcomes - page 1 - Explore education statistics - GOV.UK
The below table sets out spend for Skills Bootcamps national delivery by financial year. Final spend for the 2025-26 financial year is not yet available. In the 2026-27 financial year the Skills Bootcamps budget is £166 million.
Skills Bootcamps spend | 2021-22 FY | 2022-23 FY | 2023-24 FY | 2024-25 FY |
National delivery | £26,000,000 | £53,000,000 | £85,000,000 | £123,000,000 |
We do not hold contract allocation values for Skills Bootcamps national delivery by financial year as contracts span multiple financial years.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many dentists had a primary or majority commitment to NHS dentistry, for each of the past five years for which figures are available.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not hold information on the number of dentists whose primary or majority commitment was to National Health Service dentistry in each of the last five years.
The annual NHS dental statistics published by the NHS Business Services Authority show the number of dentists who performed any amount of NHS dental activity in England in the last five financial years. The following table shows the number of dentists performing NHS work in the last five financial years:
Financial year | Number of dentists performing NHS work |
2020/21 | 23,733 |
2021/22 | 24,265 |
2022/23 | 24,151 |
2023/24 | 24,307 |
2024/25 | 24,655 |
Source: Dental statistics - England 2024/25, available on the NHS Business Services Authority website.
The NHS Dental Workforce Survey also collects data on the proportion of dentists’ time spent on NHS and private work in practices with NHS contracts. The latest data available relates to December 2024 and is available on the NHS.UK website.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Ofcom's performance in applying its requirements on impartiality and balance to GB News.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
It is vital that broadcast news is duly accurate and impartial, and that when breaches of Ofcom’s Broadcasting Code are found, appropriate action is taken. Ofcom is accountable to Parliament for the regulation of broadcasters, and the government does not intervene in Ofcom’s operational decisions. Nevertheless, the Secretary of State believes navigating our media landscape has become more complicated by a blurring of fact and polemic. The Secretary of State is therefore exploring what action can be taken in this space, to ensure that audiences know whether what they are watching is fact or opinion.