Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps is she taking to help improve pay and conditions in the further education sector.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Further education (FE) colleges, rather than the government, are responsible for setting and negotiating staff pay and terms and conditions within colleges.

In May 2025, the department announced a further £190 million investment for colleges and other 16 to 19 providers in addition to the £400 million of extra funding we already planned to spend on 16 to 19 education in financial year 2025/26.

Across the Spending Review period, we will provide £1.2 billion of additional investment per year in skills by 2028/2029.

This significant investment will ensure there is increased funding to colleges and other 16 to19 providers to enable the recruitment and retention of expert teachers in high value subject areas, and interventions to retain top teaching talent

Targeted recruitment incentives of up to £6,000 (after tax) are available for eligible early career FE teachers working in key science, technology, engineering and mathematics and technical shortage subjects, in disadvantaged schools and colleges (including in Sixth Form Colleges). This payment is separate to teachers’ usual pay.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to increase community funding for employment and skills support for people living in supported accommodation to prevent future homelessness.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Through our National Plan to End Homelessness the government is putting prevention at the heart of public services, including action to help prevent homelessness. Through our Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector grant, Homeless Link have produced resources to support homelessness services increase access to employment and volunteering opportunities for people with lived experience of homelessness.

The government is investing £3.5 billion in homelessness and rough sleeping services over the next three years. This includes almost £2 billion to prevent and address homelessness and rough sleeping through the Homelessness, Rough Sleeping and Domestic Abuse Grant, which local authorities will be able to use flexibly to meet local need, including by commissioning community organisations to deliver employment and skills support, if appropriate.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to help ensure that trainees on the HMRC Tax Specialist Programme are able to be awarded a Skilled Worker Visa to maintain the Right To Work in the UK.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC values the contribution of all trainees on the Tax Specialist Programme (TSP) and recognises the importance of maintaining the Right to Work in the UK.

At present, the Tax Specialist Programme (TSP) is not designated as a role eligible for sponsorship because it does not meet HMRCs internal criteria for sponsorship, which prioritise roles that are demonstrably hard to fill.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with international partners on coordinated efforts to promote human rights in Iran.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer my Hon Friend to the statement made by the Foreign Secretary on 13 January, and her responses to the questions raised in the subsequent debate. I can also reassure my Hon Friend that staff from the British embassy in Tehran are continuing to discharge their duties remotely while the embassy is temporarily closed.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to assist British Iranians to access information about the welfare of family members in Iran.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer my Hon Friend to the statement made by the Foreign Secretary on 13 January, and her responses to the questions raised in the subsequent debate. I can also reassure my Hon Friend that staff from the British embassy in Tehran are continuing to discharge their duties remotely while the embassy is temporarily closed.

Found: Glasgow East) Dame Siobhain McDonagh (Labour; Mitcham and Morden) Luke Murphy (Labour; Basingstoke) Catherine West

Found: Glasgow East) Dame Siobhain McDonagh (Labour; Mitcham and Morden) Luke Murphy (Labour; Basingstoke) Catherine West

Found: Glasgow East) Dame Siobhain McDonagh (Labour; Mitcham and Morden) Luke Murphy (Labour; Basingstoke) Catherine West

Found: Baldwin; Chris Coghlan; Bobby Dean; Jim Dickson; John Glen; Dame Siobhain McDonagh; Luke Murphy; Catherine West