Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how calculations of national funding rates by age group for nurseries are currently conducted.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The department uses the early years national funding formulae (EYNFF) to distribute the early years entitlements budget to local authorities. The EYNFF determine local authority hourly funding rates by taking into consideration the different costs of delivering early years provision in different parts of the country.
The hourly funding rate for each entitlement varies to reflect the costs of delivering provision to different age groups. We know that the cost of delivery is highest for younger children due to higher staff costs, as staffing makes up the most significant proportion of provider costs.
Rates also vary between local authorities reflecting the different communities that local authorities serve. However, it is local authorities who are responsible for setting individual provider funding rates in consultation with their providers and schools forum, and fund providers using their own local funding formula.
The department will consult on changes to how early years funding is calculated and distributed, details of which will be published in 2026, to ensure funding is matched to need.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to address disparities in hourly rates in relation to national funding for nurseries.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The department uses the early years national funding formulae (EYNFF) to distribute the early years entitlements budget to local authorities. The EYNFF determine local authority hourly funding rates by taking into consideration the different costs of delivering early years provision in different parts of the country.
The hourly funding rate for each entitlement varies to reflect the costs of delivering provision to different age groups. We know that the cost of delivery is highest for younger children due to higher staff costs, as staffing makes up the most significant proportion of provider costs.
Rates also vary between local authorities reflecting the different communities that local authorities serve. However, it is local authorities who are responsible for setting individual provider funding rates in consultation with their providers and schools forum, and fund providers using their own local funding formula.
The department will consult on changes to how early years funding is calculated and distributed, details of which will be published in 2026, to ensure funding is matched to need.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether it has conducted an impact assessment of the recent announcement to reduce its development budget to 0.3% of Gross National Income by 2027.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the statement made to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 19 March outlining the UK's Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocations for the period up to 2028-29, and the accompanying documentation setting out the impact of those allocation decisions. I also refer him to the evidence provided by the Foreign Secretary and the Minister of State for International Development at the International Development Committee on 24 March, where they addressed questions at length about the Government's ODA policies and allocation decisions.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the exact figure is of ODA that will be spent on International Climate Finance.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the statement made to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 19 March outlining the UK's Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocations for the period up to 2028-29, and the accompanying documentation setting out the impact of those allocation decisions. I also refer him to the evidence provided by the Foreign Secretary and the Minister of State for International Development at the International Development Committee on 24 March, where they addressed questions at length about the Government's ODA policies and allocation decisions.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether there has been any considerations to stop working with unregulated private clinics in prescribing gender-affirming care for adults.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Unregulated private services pose a risk to patient safety as they are not subject to the same regulatory oversight as services registered with the Care Quality Commission. This includes private online services.
It is for an individual general practitioner (GP) to decide whether to accept a request from a private provider for a shared care agreement in relation to hormone medications. The National Health Service has issued guidance that advises GPs not to enter into shared care agreements with unregulated private providers or where GPs are not confident that the request is being made by a reputable organisation.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether an impact assessment into the policy paper on Home Office immigration and nationality fees, due to increase from 8 April 2026, has been conducted.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Where changes to fee legislation are made, Impact Assessments are produced which identify potential impacts resulting from the changes.
The published Impact Assessment includes discussion of the impacts of the fees that are due to increase from 8 April 2026: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2026/44/pdfs/ukia_20260044_en.pdf