Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what safeguards are now in place to prevent malpractice in English language proficiency tests used for university entrance, following the issues identified by Ofqual with Pearson’s PTE Academic Online test.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Universities are autonomous bodies, independent from government, and responsible for their own admissions decisions.
Where English is not an applicant's first language, it is right that a provider assures themselves that the applicant has a reasonable likelihood of successfully meeting the academic requirements of the course.
Universities are free to decide their entry criteria, including which language proficiency tests they require applicants to sit, with many higher education providers able to self-assess the English ability of their students.
Additionally, the UK’s student visa arrangements specify the level of English required by those coming here to study. This standard is rigorously enforced by the Home Office.
The online version of this test was introduced by Pearson in response to both the significant disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to international students and has since been discontinued.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff in his Department are permitted to undertake diversity-related network time during core working hours; and what proportion of overall working time are they permitted to spend on such network activity.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
DWP is transitioning its EDI Networks in line with the new Cabinet Office Guidance.
Currently in DWP we have 8 Departmental EDI Networks. Each Network has 2 co-chairs who receive 25% time allowance and up to 10 committee members who receive 10%. When all roles are occupied (which is not the case currently) this equates to 12FTE. As of November 2025 DWP has an FTE of 84,699, so this equates to around 0.01% of working time.
From April 2026, DWP will still have 8 Departmental EDI Networks. Each Network will have 2 co-chairs who receive 10% time allowance and up to 5 committee members who also receive 10%. EDI Community Network Chairs (of which we have 14) will also receive a 10% time allowance. If all roles are filled this will equate to 7FTE, a reduction of 5FTE.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what action her Department will take where local authorities are found to be retaining more than the permitted 3% of early years funding.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The passthrough requirement ensures that the great majority of government funding for the early years entitlements reaches providers so that they can deliver the entitlement offers. The passthrough rate is a statutory requirement set out in the Schools and Early Years Finance Regulations. The minimum passthrough requirement is 96% for financial year 2025/2026 and will increase to 97% in 2026/2027.
The department monitors local authority compliance to the minimum pass-through requirement via section 251 budget returns each financial year and will query any returns that suggest a lower rate than required.
In circumstances where an authority has failed to meet the minimum pass-through requirement, through retaining too much funding centrally or for any other reason, the department holds the right to claw back funding from local authorities.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many enforcement actions relating to breaches of animal welfare regulations at slaughterhouses were taken by the Food Standards Agency in each of the last five years; and how many of those related to non-stun slaughter.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Between April 2020 and March 2025, 1,935 animal welfare breaches posing potential or imminent animal welfare risk were recorded in slaughterhouses in England and Wales, requiring 2,320 enforcement actions. Some breaches required multiple actions, such as verbal advice followed by written advice.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) does not routinely collect data on slaughter methods. Approved slaughterhouses may use any compliant method and are not legally required to inform the FSA of the stunning method. Many establishments alternate between stunned and non-stunned slaughter to meet demand. Breaches of animal welfare regulations can occur at any stage after arrival, so it is not possible to confirm whether the method involved was stunned or non-stunned.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how the expansion of school-based nurseries will contribute to increasing access to funded childcare, particularly in areas with limited provision.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
High quality early years is central to our mission to break down the barriers to opportunity, give every child the best possible start in life and is essential to our Plan for Change. This government is boosting availability and access through the school-based nurseries programme, supporting school led provision and private, voluntary and independent (PVI) providers and childminders operating from school sites.
Phase 1 is already delivering results, with £37 million successfully awarded to 300 primary phase schools creating up to 6,000 new childcare places. Schools reported that over 5,000 of these places were available from September 2025, helping thousands of families across the country.
The programme secured almost £370 million for future phases. Phase 2, which closed on 11 December, has an increased focus on supporting families from disadvantaged areas which have less access to childcare, and will deliver at least 300 new or expanded nurseries through a £45 million fund. Successful schools will be announced in due course.
Phase 3 is due to launch in early 2026, focussing on local authorities’ long-term strategic needs for their local communities.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has considered the potential merits of introducing mandatory labelling of meat products to indicate the method of slaughter.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 17 December 2025 to PQ UIN 99375.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of issuing guidance to retailers on reducing the cost of infant formula for low-income families on that cost.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government, working with the devolved administrations of Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland, has set out a strong package of measures on 3 December 2025 in the four-nations’ Government response to the Competition and Markets Authority’s market study on competition in the infant formula market. This will give parents and carers the confidence to choose lower priced infant formula products, encourage manufacturers and retailers to compete more on price, and remove unnecessary barriers to making infant formula more affordable.
As part of this work, we will update guidance to retailers making clear when store loyalty card points, coupons, or gift vouchers may be used as payment for infant formula, in lieu of cash.
We anticipate that the guidance will remove an unnecessary barrier to supporting families with the cost of infant formula, as well as enabling retailers to confidently offer the use of these cash alternatives in compliance with the infant formula regulations.
Modelling by the Competition and Market’s Authority estimated that switching from the most expensive to the cheapest infant formula products on the market could save families up to £540 in a baby’s first year. Our package of measures is aimed at supporting parents to make informed choices, including understanding that all infant formula products meet the same nutritional standards and are sufficient for a growing baby’s needs, regardless of the price or brand.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what mechanisms exist for healthcare professionals to report poverty in people with terminal illnesses to the Department for Work and Pensions.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department for Work and Pensions does not ask healthcare professionals to report a patient’s poverty status.
The Government remains committed to providing a financial safety net for those who need it. Support is available through the welfare system to those who are unable to work, are on a low income, or have additional costs as a consequence of a long-term health condition or disability but who are not eligible to pensioner benefits because of their age
For those nearing the end of their life, the Government’s priority is to provide people with financial support quickly and compassionately. The main way this is applied is through the Special Rules for End of Life. These enable people who are nearing the end of their lives to get faster, easier access to certain benefits, without needing to attend a medical assessment or serve waiting periods, and in most cases, receive the highest rate of benefit.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of legislation in tackling expressions of Holocaust denial that constitute threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour under the Public Order Act 1986.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Antisemitism has absolutely no place in our society, and the Government is committed to tackling it in all its forms.
The Home Secretary launched an independent review of public order and hate crime legislation on 5 October. This review will assess whether police powers remain fit for purpose, are used consistently, and strike the right balance between protecting the public and safeguarding the right to lawful protest.
Under the Public Order Act 1986, expressions of Holocaust denial may constitute an offence where they meet the legal thresholds for threatening or abusive conduct under Section 5, or intentional harassment, alarm or distress under Section 4A.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the inclusion of the book 'Pigeon English' in the English GCSE curriculum in England and Wales.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Schools have the autonomy to choose the specific books and resources they use within the framework of the national curriculum. The department defines the genres of literature that must be covered, but does not prescribe individual authors or texts, other than Shakespeare which must be taught. At GCSE level, exam boards set out a range of set texts in their specifications, and schools are free to select those they wish to teach.