Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of enhanced housing benefit was paid to (a) for-profit landlords, (b) not-for-profit landlords and (c) charities in each year since 2010.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

We interpret ‘enhanced housing benefit’ as Housing Benefit payable for exempt accommodation (a category of specified accommodation in the Housing Benefit regulations). For Housing Benefit claims assessed as exempt accommodation, we do not hold data on whether a landlord is a not-for-profit organisation or a charity.

DWP does not form contractual relationships with supported housing landlords or charities in relation to Housing Benefit expenditure. Housing Benefit for specified accommodation is typically paid directly to the landlord at the request of the customer.

Housing Benefit regulations for specified accommodation outline that Housing Benefit cannot be paid for claims where the landlord is for-profit.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much her Department has spent on enhanced housing benefit in each year since 2010.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

We interpret ‘enhanced housing benefit’ as Housing Benefit payable for exempt accommodation (a category of specified accommodation in Housing Benefit regulations). The time series information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur a disproportionate cost.

The estimated annual cost to the benefits system for all accommodation costs associated with supported housing in 2023 is £4.1 billion per year; estimated at just over 10% of total housing support (AME); of which £2.72 billion is for Specified Accommodation through Housing Benefit.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with (a) parents, (b) students and (c) teachers on the management of mobile phone use in schools.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

​Mobile phones have no place in our schools.

Schools should prohibit the use of mobile phones and other smart technology with similar functionality to mobile phones throughout the school day, including during lessons, the time between lessons, breaktimes and lunchtime, as set out in the ‘Mobile phones in schools’ guidance, published in 2024.

The department expects all schools to take steps in line with this guidance to ensure mobile phones do not disrupt pupils’ learning.

New research from the Children’s Commissioner, with responses from nearly all schools and colleges in England, shows that most schools (99.8% of primary schools and 90% of secondary schools) already have policies in place that limit or restrict the use of mobile phones during the school day.

We will continue to build a robust evidence base on the effectiveness on school mobile phone policies.

The department engages regularly with parents, teachers and pupils on a range of issues, including pupil behaviour and mobile phone use.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of her Department's guidance on mobile phone use among young people in schools, published in February 2024, on the use of mobile phones in schools.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

​Mobile phones have no place in our schools.

Schools should prohibit the use of mobile phones and other smart technology with similar functionality to mobile phones throughout the school day, including during lessons, the time between lessons, breaktimes and lunchtime, as set out in the ‘Mobile phones in schools’ guidance, published in 2024.

The department expects all schools to take steps in line with this guidance to ensure mobile phones do not disrupt pupils’ learning.

New research from the Children’s Commissioner, with responses from nearly all schools and colleges in England, shows that most schools (99.8% of primary schools and 90% of secondary schools) already have policies in place that limit or restrict the use of mobile phones during the school day.

We will continue to build a robust evidence base on the effectiveness on school mobile phone policies.

The department engages regularly with parents, teachers and pupils on a range of issues, including pupil behaviour and mobile phone use.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of mobile phone usage in schools on (a) levels of bullying and (b) safeguarding.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

​Mobile phones have no place in our schools.

Schools should prohibit the use of mobile phones and other smart technology with similar functionality to mobile phones throughout the school day, including during lessons, the time between lessons, breaktimes and lunchtime, as set out in the ‘Mobile phones in schools’ guidance, published in 2024.

The department expects all schools to take steps in line with this guidance to ensure mobile phones do not disrupt pupils’ learning.

New research from the Children’s Commissioner, with responses from nearly all schools and colleges in England, shows that most schools (99.8% of primary schools and 90% of secondary schools) already have policies in place that limit or restrict the use of mobile phones during the school day.

We will continue to build a robust evidence base on the effectiveness on school mobile phone policies.

The department engages regularly with parents, teachers and pupils on a range of issues, including pupil behaviour and mobile phone use.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of mobile phone use on (a) student behaviour and (b) academic performance in schools.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

​Mobile phones have no place in our schools.

Schools should prohibit the use of mobile phones and other smart technology with similar functionality to mobile phones throughout the school day, including during lessons, the time between lessons, breaktimes and lunchtime, as set out in the ‘Mobile phones in schools’ guidance, published in 2024.

The department expects all schools to take steps in line with this guidance to ensure mobile phones do not disrupt pupils’ learning.

New research from the Children’s Commissioner, with responses from nearly all schools and colleges in England, shows that most schools (99.8% of primary schools and 90% of secondary schools) already have policies in place that limit or restrict the use of mobile phones during the school day.

We will continue to build a robust evidence base on the effectiveness on school mobile phone policies.

The department engages regularly with parents, teachers and pupils on a range of issues, including pupil behaviour and mobile phone use.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support (a) teachers and (b) school leaders to enforce mobile phone usage policies in schools.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

​Mobile phones have no place in our schools.

Schools should prohibit the use of mobile phones and other smart technology with similar functionality to mobile phones throughout the school day, including during lessons, the time between lessons, breaktimes and lunchtime, as set out in the ‘Mobile phones in schools’ guidance, published in 2024.

The department expects all schools to take steps in line with this guidance to ensure mobile phones do not disrupt pupils’ learning.

New research from the Children’s Commissioner, with responses from nearly all schools and colleges in England, shows that most schools (99.8% of primary schools and 90% of secondary schools) already have policies in place that limit or restrict the use of mobile phones during the school day.

We will continue to build a robust evidence base on the effectiveness on school mobile phone policies.

The department engages regularly with parents, teachers and pupils on a range of issues, including pupil behaviour and mobile phone use.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has commissioned research on the use of mobile phones by young people outside of school.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

​Mobile phones have no place in our schools.

Schools should prohibit the use of mobile phones and other smart technology with similar functionality to mobile phones throughout the school day, including during lessons, the time between lessons, breaktimes and lunchtime, as set out in the ‘Mobile phones in schools’ guidance, published in 2024.

The department expects all schools to take steps in line with this guidance to ensure mobile phones do not disrupt pupils’ learning.

New research from the Children’s Commissioner, with responses from nearly all schools and colleges in England, shows that most schools (99.8% of primary schools and 90% of secondary schools) already have policies in place that limit or restrict the use of mobile phones during the school day.

We will continue to build a robust evidence base on the effectiveness on school mobile phone policies.

The department engages regularly with parents, teachers and pupils on a range of issues, including pupil behaviour and mobile phone use.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to tackle (a) extremist radicalisation and (b) forms of non-ideological violence.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government is committed to tackling those who spread views that promote violence and hatred against individuals and communities in our society, and that radicalise others into terrorism. To understand such threats, we maintain expertise and capabilities to understand terrorist and extremist online communications, in order to produce rapid, high-quality assessments designed to support the Prevent programme.

The Prevent programme tackles the ideological causes of terrorism and provides early intervention for people at risk of radicalisation. The programme deals with all forms of terrorist ideology, including Islamist, Extreme Right-Wing, other threats.

We work closely with law enforcement and multi-agency partners to respond to any such activity which may pose a threat.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he plans to establish the AI Security Institute as the primary regulator for artificial intelligence.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Artificial intelligence is the defining opportunity of our generation, and the Government is taking action to harness its economic benefits for UK citizens. As set out in the AI Opportunities Action Plan, we believe most AI systems should be regulated at the point of use, with our expert regulators best placed to do so. Departments are working proactively with regulators to provide clear strategic direction and support them on their AI capability needs. Through well-designed and implemented regulation, we can fuel fast, wide and safe development and adoption of AI.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will instruct the Financial Conduct Authority to investigate pricing in the insurance market.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Insurers make commercial decisions about the price and terms of cover they offer based on their assessment of the relevant risks.

However, the Government is determined that insurers should treat customers fairly and firms are required to do so under Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules. The FCA requires firms to ensure their products offer fair value (i.e. if the price a consumer pays for a product or service is reasonable compared to the overall benefits they can expect to receive).

The FCA monitors firms to ensure they provide products that offer fair value and has robust powers to act against firms that fail to comply with its rules.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether it is her policy that her Department's planned affordable housing will meet the (a) best practice guidance from the revised Decent Homes Standard and (b) best practice guidance on furniture provision.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

On 2 July, the government opened a consultation on a reformed Decent Homes Standard (DHS) for the social and private rented sectors. It seeks views on a range of issues including whether landlords should provide suitable floor coverings in all rooms at the start of every tenancy. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of levels of furniture poverty in social housing in Manchester Rusholme constituency.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

On 2 July, the government opened a consultation on a reformed Decent Homes Standard (DHS) for the social and private rented sectors. It seeks views on a range of issues including whether landlords should provide suitable floor coverings in all rooms at the start of every tenancy. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to help tackle levels of furniture poverty for people living in social housing.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

On 2 July, the government opened a consultation on a reformed Decent Homes Standard (DHS) for the social and private rented sectors. It seeks views on a range of issues including whether landlords should provide suitable floor coverings in all rooms at the start of every tenancy. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of family hubs playing on (a) neighbourhood health and (b) the delivery of integrated community-based health services.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The 10-Year Health Plan outlined proposals for a new Neighbourhood Health Service, which embodies our preventative principle, that care should happen as locally as it can. Neighbourhood health services will build on, and will coordinate with Best Start Family Hubs and Start for Life services to continue to integrate children’s services, National Health Services, and public health.

The Neighbourhood Health Service will mean that millions of patients are treated and cared for closer to their home by new teams of health professionals, providing easier, more convenient access to a full range of healthcare services on people’s doorsteps.

The impact of Family Hubs and Start for Life services will take time to be realised. The current Family Hubs and Start for Life programme is subject to two national, independent evaluations to understand its implementation and impact.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that that integrated family hubs are available to support families in local communities.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

On 11 June 2025, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, set out plans for spending and public sector reforms through the Spending Review 2025. This announcement confirmed departmental budgets for 2026/27 onwards and committed that the government will continue to invest in and expand the Family Hubs programme, working with parents to help give children the best start in life.

On 7 July 2025, the government published the policy paper ‘Giving every child the best start in life’, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/giving-every-child-the-best-start-in-life.

This outlines the government’s commitment to delivering a new Best Start Family Service to bring together parenting, healthcare and education support services, as well as creating and funding Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority to give children the best start in life by strengthening and joining up family services.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that family hubs are available in all areas.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

On 11 June 2025, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, set out plans for spending and public sector reforms through the Spending Review 2025. This announcement confirmed departmental budgets for 2026/27 onwards and committed that the government will continue to invest in and expand the Family Hubs programme, working with parents to help give children the best start in life.

On 7 July 2025, the government published the policy paper ‘Giving every child the best start in life’, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/giving-every-child-the-best-start-in-life.

This outlines the government’s commitment to delivering a new Best Start Family Service to bring together parenting, healthcare and education support services, as well as creating and funding Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority to give children the best start in life by strengthening and joining up family services.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to develop a national outcomes framework for family hubs.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

On 11 June 2025, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, set out plans for spending and public sector reforms through the Spending Review 2025. This announcement confirmed departmental budgets for 2026/27 onwards and committed that the government will continue to invest in and expand the Family Hubs programme, working with parents to help give children the best start in life.

On 7 July 2025, the government published the policy paper ‘Giving every child the best start in life’, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/giving-every-child-the-best-start-in-life.

This outlines the government’s commitment to delivering a new Best Start Family Service to bring together parenting, healthcare and education support services, as well as creating and funding Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority to give children the best start in life by strengthening and joining up family services.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will require local authorities to provide family hubs in communities.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

On 11 June 2025, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, set out plans for spending and public sector reforms through the Spending Review 2025. This announcement confirmed departmental budgets for 2026/27 onwards and committed that the government will continue to invest in and expand the Family Hubs programme, working with parents to help give children the best start in life.

On 7 July 2025, the government published the policy paper ‘Giving every child the best start in life’, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/giving-every-child-the-best-start-in-life.

This outlines the government’s commitment to delivering a new Best Start Family Service to bring together parenting, healthcare and education support services, as well as creating and funding Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority to give children the best start in life by strengthening and joining up family services.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what funding was allocated to family hubs in the Spending Review 2025.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

On 11 June 2025, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, set out plans for spending and public sector reforms through the Spending Review 2025. This announcement confirmed departmental budgets for 2026/27 onwards and committed that the government will continue to invest in and expand the Family Hubs programme, working with parents to help give children the best start in life.

On 7 July 2025, the government published the policy paper ‘Giving every child the best start in life’, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/giving-every-child-the-best-start-in-life.

This outlines the government’s commitment to delivering a new Best Start Family Service to bring together parenting, healthcare and education support services, as well as creating and funding Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority to give children the best start in life by strengthening and joining up family services.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will include the role of the UK fashion industry in the Invest 2035 strategy.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Industrial Strategy will support the whole economy, through an improved operating environment, long-term stability and greater dynamism for new entrants to emerge.

As set out in the Creative Industries Sector Plan, DCMS will invest in the British Fashion Council’s NEWGEN programme, backing emerging UK designers with funding for London Fashion Week. DBT will continue to champion international trade promotion for the fashion sector through initiatives like guest programmes and key international trades shows.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to promote digital literacy education in schools to encourage the responsible use of mobile technology.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

Within the computing curriculum pupils are taught to use technology safely, responsibly, respectfully and securely, to keep personal information private, to recognise unacceptable behaviour, and to understand where to seek support.

Within citizenship and relationships, sex and health education (RSHE), pupils learn how to identify misleading and malicious information and to counter the effects of negative and harmful news, events and information online.

The Curriculum and Assessment Review’s interim report states a renewed focus on digital literacy is key to responding to the rise of artificial intelligence. The department will consider how best to implement the Review’s recommendations following the final report.

The department’s ‘Mobile phones in schools’ guidance is clear that schools should prohibit the use of devices with smart technology throughout the school day to prevent disruption to pupils’ learning.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the UK fashion industry’s contribution to (a) economic growth and (b) employment in the UK.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The department engages with key businesses and trade associations across the UK to support the fashion and textiles industry’s resilience and growth, including export support. The department has strong relationships with the British Fashion Council and the UK Fashion and Textiles Association (UKFT). The latest report from the UKFT estimates the industry contributed around £62 billion to UK GDP in 2021, supporting 1.3 million jobs across the country.

Our Industrial Strategy will support fashion and the whole economy through an improved operating environment, long-term stability and greater dynamism for new entrants to emerge.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether funding for family hubs will be included in the Child Poverty Strategy.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

Tackling child poverty is at the heart of this government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity. The Child Poverty Taskforce meeting in January focused on the crucial role of local services, including family hubs, in reducing the impact of poverty.

Our new publication ‘Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life’ sets out that we are making a significant investment of over £500 million which will build back crucial family services and provide high quality support to parents and children from pregnancy to age five. Proposals include:

• A new Best Start Family Hub programme that will take the best of the Sure Start, Family Hub and Start for Life programme approaches to create Best Start Family Hubs, bringing together the trusted advice and guidance all parents need in one place, and linking families to their local services.
• Funding for Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority, so these services will reach the children and families who will benefit most from this support including those from lower-income families and with additional vulnerabilities.

This publication is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/giving-every-child-the-best-start-in-life.

The Hubs will help tackle the stain of child poverty ahead of our ambitious Child Poverty Strategy, due to be published in the autumn.

Manchester Fashion Institute Robotics Living Lab

Found: Commons Juliet Campbell (Labour; Broxtowe) Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat; Harrogate and Knaresborough) Afzal Khan

Found: Commons Juliet Campbell (Labour; Broxtowe) Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat; Harrogate and Knaresborough) Afzal Khan

Found: Alton of Liverpool (The Chair); Juliet Campbell; Lord Dholakia; Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws; Afzal Khan

Found: Jon Trickett Ms Diane Abbott Rebecca Long Bailey Apsana Begum Imran Hussain Kim Johnson Afzal Khan

Found: Jon Trickett Ms Diane Abbott Rebecca Long Bailey Apsana Begum Imran Hussain Kim Johnson Afzal Khan

Found: Jon Trickett Ms Diane Abbott Rebecca Long Bailey Apsana Begum Imran Hussain Kim Johnson Afzal Khan

Found: Jon Trickett Ms Diane Abbott Rebecca Long Bailey Apsana Begum Imran Hussain Kim Johnson Afzal Khan

Found: Jon Trickett Ms Diane Abbott Rebecca Long Bailey Apsana Begum Imran Hussain Kim Johnson Afzal Khan

Found: Duncan Smith Mr Mark Francois Wendy Morton Greg Smith Carolyn Harris Dame Harriett Baldwin Afzal Khan

Out of nearly 12 million children living in England, over 400,000 are in the social care system at any one time.[1] Out of these, nearly 84,000 children in England are” in care” (i.e. being looked after by local authorities).[2] Across the UK, it is estimated that 107,000 children are in care.[3]  

Background

Submit Evidence (by 5 Sep 2025)

Background