Connor Naismith

Future building standards this year will set new homes and buildings on a path that moves away from relying on volatile fossil fuel markets and ensures they are fit for a net zero future.

Changes have been introduced to permitted development rights, enabling more solar installations to benefit from these flexibilities and planning freedoms.

The Government will assess the potential to drive the construction of solar canopies on outdoor carparks over a certain size through a call for evidence this year.

The department is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools to break down barriers to education whilst ensuring that all specialist settings are equipped to support children with the most complex needs. We want to drive a consistent and inclusive approach to supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to achieve and thrive in mainstream settings through early identification, effective support, high-quality teaching and effective allocation of resources.

Independent special schools are private enterprises. Local authorities have the discretion to make support, training and resources available to them. As private enterprises, the proprietor of the school is responsible for its financial viability.

Local authorities must ensure there are sufficient school places for all pupils, including those with SEND. The Children and Families Act 2014 requires local authorities to keep the provision for children and young people with SEND under review, including its sufficiency, working with parents, young people and providers.

It is therefore for commissioning local authorities to determine how the provision offered by independent special schools fits into their range of SEND provision and which mix of schools will meet the needs of all children and young people.

The department recognises that independent special schools can play an important role in the SEND system, particularly in meeting low-incidence needs. However, independent special schools have higher costs than their maintained equivalent, and placements should be used appropriately. Independent special schools should therefore be part of the strategic planning of SEND provision.

This is a matter for His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) sits with local authorities.

The department supports local authorities to provide suitable school places for children and young people with SEND through annual high needs capital funding. This can be used to deliver new places in mainstream and special schools, as well as other specialist settings. It can also be used to improve the suitability and accessibility of existing buildings.

We understand that local authorities, including Cheshire East, will want to be aware of further funding in order to develop an approach to future high needs provision and we will confirm plans for future high needs capital funding in due course.

All T Levels provide students with direct experience of the workplace through a 45-day industry placement, offering employers a unique opportunity to build their talent pipelines and fill skills gaps. Almost a third of the first cohort of T Level students that progressed into employment and apprenticeships are employed by their industry placement organisation, demonstrating the value of T Levels for employers.

T Levels are promoted via the department’s national Skills for Life communications campaign, and thousands of employers have taken advantage of our support to help them understand and deliver high quality industry placements. Our 700 member-strong T Level Ambassador Network are passionate advocates for technical education and work across the country to raise awareness and understanding of T Levels in their industries. The department’s annual T Levels Week will take place between 2 to 6 December this year and will see providers, employers and ambassadors across the country sharing student stories to raise the profile of T Levels and their benefits.

The Skills for Life ‘find training and employment schemes’ website for businesses includes clear guidance on the differences between apprenticeships and T Levels and outlines the benefits of both programmes. This makes it clear that T Levels can help build a talent pipeline for apprenticeships, including through accelerated apprenticeships, which can reduce the time needed to complete an apprenticeship programme, saving businesses time and cost. The website can be accessed here: https://find-employer-schemes.education.gov.uk/schemes/.

The Disabled Persons Rail Card (DPRC) supports over 300,000 with disabilities to travel more affordably, recognising that people with a disability often face additional costs and barriers to participating in day-to-day activities such as travel. Although those with a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability can be eligible for a DPRC already, under some circumstances, the Department for Transport is currently reviewing the criteria to ensure they reflect a more comprehensive understanding of disability, particularly in relation to non-visible disabilities, and how people demonstrate their eligibility.

Nobody should be discriminated against because of their age when travelling by air.

All passengers have the choice to check in for their flight at the airport.

Ensuring accessibility for all passengers is at the heart of the Government’s passenger-focused approach and we will work to deliver a more reliable and consistent customer experience for everyone with accessibility needs.

Level boarding is an important factor, and the procurement of new trains will need to take account of allowing passengers to board and alight with ease.

At present, new, renewed or upgraded platforms at train stations in Great Britain are required to meet a nominal height of 915mm, as mandated by the National Technical Specification Notices and National Technical Rules for the interoperability of the GB railway.

There is no current plan to change these mandatory platform heights requirements for stations on the conventional mainline railway, but the Department keeps all rail interoperability requirements under review.

We are carefully considering the best approach to the Access for All programme. Since April 2024, 13 stations have been completed with a further 18 due to be completed by April 2025. This will be the most stations completed in one year since the programme started in 2006. This Government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities.

There is a clear need for interventions at Crewe station including to ageing roof and canopies. The Department expects Avanti West Coast, which manages the day-to-day running of the station, to work closely on behalf of passengers with Network Rail, which is responsible for asset repairs.