Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies on community pharmacies of (a) business rates revaluation from April 2026 and (b) their exclusion from RHL reliefs.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government recognises that pharmacies are an integral ‘front door’ to the National Health Service, staffed by highly trained and skilled healthcare professionals.

In 2025/26, funding for the core community pharmacy contractual framework has been increased to £3.073 billion. This represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the NHS, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. Additional funding is also available, for example for pharmacies delivering Pharmacy First consultations and flu and COVID-19 vaccinations.

The Department will shortly consult with Community Pharmacy England on any proposed changes to reimbursement and remuneration of pharmacy contractors for 2026/27. As part of this we will consider financial pressures on the sector.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of apprentice-employing non-Levy-paying firms received an Apprenticeship Levy Transfer from a Levy-paying firm in 2023-4 financial year.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The total number of non-levy employers that received a transfer from a levy-paying employer in the 2023-24 financial year is 6,348. The proportion of non-levy employers that had an active apprenticeship service account that received a payment in the 2023-24 financial year, that received transfers was 5.9%.

This information is based on providers that received payments for non-levy employer learners for the 2023-24 financial year.

Non-levy paying employers are not required to register for an apprenticeship service account; the data we hold is therefore not a reflection of all non-levy paying employers in England. Additionally, not all non-levy paying employers that are registered for an apprenticeship service account will employ apprentices and receive payments for them each year.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of apprentices aged (a) 21 or under and (b) 24 or under were subject to a 100% reduction in apprenticeship training cost in (i) 2023-4 (ii) 2024-5 financial year.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The apprenticeship funding rules for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years, which include information on employer co-investment, are published here Apprenticeship funding rules - GOV.UK.

Since April 2024, the government has fully funded apprenticeship training costs up to the funding band maximum for non-levy paying employers for apprentices aged 16-21 and apprentices aged 22-24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or have been, or are, in local authority care. For all other apprentices, employers that do not pay the levy are required to co-invest 5% towards apprentice training costs, unless they are in receipt of a levy transfer which covers that cost.

From August 2026, the government will fully fund apprenticeship training for non-levy paying employers for all eligible people aged 16-24. For all other apprentices, employers that do not pay the levy will be required to co-invest 5% towards apprentice training costs, unless they are in receipt of a levy transfer which covers that cost.

The maximum that non-levy payers are required to co-invest in apprentices’ training costs is 5%.

The government pays £1,000 to both employers and providers for apprentices aged 16-18, and for apprentices aged 19-24 who have an EHCP or have been, or are, in local authority care. On top of this, employers will receive additional payments of up to £2,000 for eligible foundation apprenticeships. Additionally, employers are not required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to age 25 (when the employee’s wage is below £50,270 a year).

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of apprentices employed by non-Levy-paying employers were subject to a (a) 100% (b) 95% (c) any other reduction in apprenticeship training costs.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The apprenticeship funding rules for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years, which include information on employer co-investment, are published here Apprenticeship funding rules - GOV.UK.

Since April 2024, the government has fully funded apprenticeship training costs up to the funding band maximum for non-levy paying employers for apprentices aged 16-21 and apprentices aged 22-24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or have been, or are, in local authority care. For all other apprentices, employers that do not pay the levy are required to co-invest 5% towards apprentice training costs, unless they are in receipt of a levy transfer which covers that cost.

From August 2026, the government will fully fund apprenticeship training for non-levy paying employers for all eligible people aged 16-24. For all other apprentices, employers that do not pay the levy will be required to co-invest 5% towards apprentice training costs, unless they are in receipt of a levy transfer which covers that cost.

The maximum that non-levy payers are required to co-invest in apprentices’ training costs is 5%.

The government pays £1,000 to both employers and providers for apprentices aged 16-18, and for apprentices aged 19-24 who have an EHCP or have been, or are, in local authority care. On top of this, employers will receive additional payments of up to £2,000 for eligible foundation apprenticeships. Additionally, employers are not required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to age 25 (when the employee’s wage is below £50,270 a year).

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, further to her oral contribution during the statement on Mobile Phones and Social Media on 20th January 2026 whether "before the summer" indicates prior to the House rising for the summer recess.

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

The government has announced a short, swift consultation, accompanied by a national conversation, on further measures to enhance children's wellbeing and ensuring they have positive, enriched digital lives.

The government will act quickly on the findings and respond to the consultation in the summer.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the average cost to a non-Levy-paying firm of employing an 18-year old apprentice in the second year of their apprenticeship, paid at the legal minimum hourly rate for a 37.5 hour week, assuming the employer has more than 50 employees and the apprentice does not have an EHCP and was never in care, in terms of (a) wage cost (b) apprenticeship training cost (c) total cost, for an apprenticeship started in (i) September 2023 (ii) April 2024 (iii) September 2026.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Minimum wage rates are reviewed annually and the government considers the independent advice of the Low Pay Commission when setting minimum wage rates.

Past, present and future minimum wage rates are published here, National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates - GOV.UK.

Regarding apprenticeship training costs, each apprenticeship standard has a funding band which sets out the maximum amount that the government will contribute to the cost of apprenticeship training and assessment over the full duration of the apprenticeship. Apprenticeship funding bands range from £1,500 to £27,000.

The apprenticeship funding rules for the 2023/24, 2024/25 and 2025/26 academic years, which include information on employer co-investment, are published here Apprenticeship funding rules - GOV.UK.

From August 2026, the government will fully fund apprenticeship training for non-levy paying employers for all eligible people aged 16-24. For all other apprentices, employers that do not pay the levy will be required to co-invest 5% towards apprentice training costs, unless they are in receipt of a levy transfer which covers that cost.

The government pays £1,000 to both employers and providers for apprentices aged 16-18, and for apprentices aged 19-24 who have an EHCP or have been, or are, in local authority care. On top of this, employers will receive additional payments of up to £2,000 for eligible foundation apprenticeships. Additionally, employers are not required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to age 25 (when the employee’s wage is below £50,270 a year).

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the average cost to a non-Levy-paying firm of employing an 18-year old apprentice in the first year of their apprenticeship, paid at the legal minimum hourly rate for a 37.5 hour week, assuming the employer has more than 50 employees and the apprentice does not have an EHCP and was never in care, in terms of (a) wage cost (b) apprenticeship training cost (c) total cost, for an apprenticeship started in (i) September 2023 (ii) April 2024 (iii) September 2026.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Minimum wage rates are reviewed annually and the government considers the independent advice of the Low Pay Commission when setting minimum wage rates.

Past, present and future minimum wage rates are published here, National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates - GOV.UK.

Regarding apprenticeship training costs, each apprenticeship standard has a funding band which sets out the maximum amount that the government will contribute to the cost of apprenticeship training and assessment over the full duration of the apprenticeship. Apprenticeship funding bands range from £1,500 to £27,000.

The apprenticeship funding rules for the 2023/24, 2024/25 and 2025/26 academic years, which include information on employer co-investment, are published here Apprenticeship funding rules - GOV.UK.

From August 2026, the government will fully fund apprenticeship training for non-levy paying employers for all eligible people aged 16-24. For all other apprentices, employers that do not pay the levy will be required to co-invest 5% towards apprentice training costs, unless they are in receipt of a levy transfer which covers that cost.

The government pays £1,000 to both employers and providers for apprentices aged 16-18, and for apprentices aged 19-24 who have an EHCP or have been, or are, in local authority care. On top of this, employers will receive additional payments of up to £2,000 for eligible foundation apprenticeships. Additionally, employers are not required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to age 25 (when the employee’s wage is below £50,270 a year).

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department's publications entitled 10-year plan to revitalise schools and colleges for every child, and Education estates strategy: a decade of national renewal, published on 11 February 2026, how much revenue funding has been allocated for the operation of the additional inclusion bases in secondary schools for each year of the 10 year plan.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

In the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) consultation, the department set out our ambition that, in time, every secondary school will have an inclusion base.

In every year of this parliament, core funding for schools and SEND is expected to increase, subject to future spending reviews. Overall, there will be £7 billion more being spent on SEND provision in 2028/29 compared to 2025/26. We will also consult on a range of specialist provision funding reforms later in 2026, working with the specialist sector, local authorities and others to develop new funding models. More information about SEND reform was set out in the SEND consultation. For example, by 2028, we will have invested up to £15 million to build the evidence base for, and then provide, National Inclusion Standards.

Additionally, new research into SEN identification will be delivered by UK Research Innovation to develop approaches for the early identification, strengths and needs assessment, and support of children and young people with SEN.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the change to the level of (a) payment and (b) reimbursement of business rates in (i) her Department and the (ii) Education and Skills Funding Agency between financial years (A) 2025-2026 and (B) 2026-2027.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Since April 2022, most schools’ business rates are paid directly by the department to billing authorities. If all billing authorities in the local authority have not agreed to this system, academies make business rates payments and are reimbursed by the department.

For both of these payment mechanisms, we operate on a reactive basis. Therefore, it is not possible to provide funding totals for either the 2025/26 financial year, as the financial year has not concluded, or 2026/27.

For local authority-maintained schools where the local authority does not have agreement from all billing authorities within it, the department allocates funding to local authorities via the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) to cover business rates payments. DSG publications show total funding to local authorities for each financial year:

• 2025/26: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2025-to-2026.
• 2026/27: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2026-to-2027.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department's publications entitled 10-year plan to revitalise schools and colleges for every child, and Education estates strategy: a decade of national renewal, published on 11 February 2026, how many inclusion bases in secondary schools will be added in each year of the 10-year plan; and how much funding is allocated to inclusion bases in each year of the plan.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

In our consultation on special educational needs and disabilities, the department has set out our ambition that, in time, every secondary school will have an inclusion base.

Where new places are needed, this will be supported by the £3.7 billion in high needs capital that we are investing between 2025/26 and 2029/30. This funding is allocated to local authorities, who know their schools and will determine how best to spend funding to meet local need. £740 million of this funding has already been allocated, and allocations for 2026/27 will be published in the spring.

Currently, provision is inconsistent across the country, which is why we are also going to improve data collection on which schools have inclusion bases, so we can make sure that all pupils are given the support they need.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the average cost to a non-Levy-paying firm of employing an 19-year old apprentice in the second year of their apprenticeship, paid at the legal minimum hourly rate for a 37.5 hour week, assuming the employer has more than 50 employees and the apprentice does not have an EHCP and was never in care in terms of (a) wage cost, (b) apprenticeship training cost, and (c) total cost for an apprenticeship started in (i) September 2023, (ii) April 2024, and (iii) September 2026.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Minimum wage rates are reviewed annually and the government considers the independent advice of the Low Pay Commission when setting minimum wage rates.

Regarding wage costs, apprentices are entitled to the apprentice rate if they are either aged under 19 or aged 19 or over and in the first year of their apprenticeship. Apprentices are entitled to the minimum wage for their age if they are both aged 19 or over and have completed the first year of their apprenticeship.

The below table sets out the 18–20-year-old and the apprentice minimum wage rates from April 2023 to April 2026.

Regarding apprenticeship training costs, each apprenticeship standard has a funding band which sets out the maximum amount that the government will contribute to the cost of apprenticeship training and assessment over the full duration of the apprenticeship. Apprenticeship funding bands range from £1,500 to £27,000.

Since April 2024, the government has fully funded apprenticeship training costs up to the funding band maximum for non-levy paying employers for apprentices aged 16-21 and apprentices aged 22-24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or have been, or are, in local authority care. For all other apprentices, employers that do not pay the levy are required to co-invest 5% towards apprentice training costs, unless they are in receipt of a levy transfer which covers that cost.

From August 2026, the government will fully fund apprenticeship training for non-levy paying employers for all eligible people aged 16-24, to boost small business starts and prioritise funding to young people. For all other apprentices, employers that do not pay the levy will be required to co-invest 5% towards apprentice training costs, unless they are in receipt of a levy transfer which covers that cost.

To support employers to offer apprenticeships, the government pays £1,000 to both employers and providers for apprentices aged 16-18, and for apprentices aged 19-24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan or have been, or are, in local authority care. On top of this, employers will receive additional payments of up to £2,000 for eligible foundation apprenticeships to contribute to the extra costs of supporting someone at the beginning of their career. Additionally, employers are not required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to age 25 (when the employee’s wage is below £50,270 a year).

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the average cost to a non-Levy-paying firm of employing an 19-year old apprentice in the first year of their apprenticeship, paid at the legal minimum hourly rate for a 37.5 hour week, assuming the employer has more than 50 employees and the apprentice does not have an EHCP and was never in care, in terms of (a) wage cost, (b) apprenticeship training cost and (c) total cost for an apprenticeship started in (i) September 2023, (ii) April 2024 and (iii) September 2026.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Minimum wage rates are reviewed annually and the government considers the independent advice of the Low Pay Commission when setting minimum wage rates.

Regarding wage costs, apprentices are entitled to the apprentice rate if they are either aged under 19 or aged 19 or over and in the first year of their apprenticeship. Apprentices are entitled to the minimum wage for their age if they are both aged 19 or over and have completed the first year of their apprenticeship.

The below table sets out the 18–20-year-old and the apprentice minimum wage rates from April 2023 to April 2026.

Regarding apprenticeship training costs, each apprenticeship standard has a funding band which sets out the maximum amount that the government will contribute to the cost of apprenticeship training and assessment over the full duration of the apprenticeship. Apprenticeship funding bands range from £1,500 to £27,000.

Since April 2024, the government has fully funded apprenticeship training costs up to the funding band maximum for non-levy paying employers for apprentices aged 16-21 and apprentices aged 22-24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or have been, or are, in local authority care. For all other apprentices, employers that do not pay the levy are required to co-invest 5% towards apprentice training costs, unless they are in receipt of a levy transfer which covers that cost.

From August 2026, the government will fully fund apprenticeship training for non-levy paying employers for all eligible people aged 16-24, to boost small business starts and prioritise funding to young people. For all other apprentices, employers that do not pay the levy will be required to co-invest 5% towards apprentice training costs, unless they are in receipt of a levy transfer which covers that cost.

To support employers to offer apprenticeships, the government pays £1,000 to both employers and providers for apprentices aged 16-18, and for apprentices aged 19-24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan or have been, or are, in local authority care. On top of this, employers will receive additional payments of up to £2,000 for eligible foundation apprenticeships to contribute to the extra costs of supporting someone at the beginning of their career. Additionally, employers are not required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to age 25 (when the employee’s wage is below £50,270 a year).

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the average cost to a non-Levy-paying firm of employing an 18-year old apprentice in the first year of their apprenticeship, paid at the legal minimum hourly rate for a 37.5 hour week, assuming the employer has fewer than 50 employees, in terms of (a) wage cost, (b) apprenticeship training cost and (c) total cost for an apprenticeship started in (i) September 2023, (ii) April 2024 and (iii) September 2026.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Minimum wage rates are reviewed annually and the government considers the independent advice of the Low Pay Commission when setting minimum wage rates.

Regarding wage costs, apprentices are entitled to the apprentice rate if they are either aged under 19 or aged 19 or over and in the first year of their apprenticeship. Apprentices are entitled to the minimum wage for their age if they are both aged 19 or over and have completed the first year of their apprenticeship.

The below table sets out the 18–20-year-old and the apprentice minimum wage rates from April 2023 to April 2026.

Regarding apprenticeship training costs, each apprenticeship standard has a funding band which sets out the maximum amount that the government will contribute to the cost of apprenticeship training and assessment over the full duration of the apprenticeship. Apprenticeship funding bands range from £1,500 to £27,000.

Since April 2024, the government has fully funded apprenticeship training costs up to the funding band maximum for non-levy paying employers for apprentices aged 16-21 and apprentices aged 22-24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or have been, or are, in local authority care. For all other apprentices, employers that do not pay the levy are required to co-invest 5% towards apprentice training costs, unless they are in receipt of a levy transfer which covers that cost.

From August 2026, the government will fully fund apprenticeship training for non-levy paying employers for all eligible people aged 16-24, to boost small business starts and prioritise funding to young people. For all other apprentices, employers that do not pay the levy will be required to co-invest 5% towards apprentice training costs, unless they are in receipt of a levy transfer which covers that cost.

To support employers to offer apprenticeships, the government pays £1,000 to both employers and providers for apprentices aged 16-18, and for apprentices aged 19-24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan or have been, or are, in local authority care. On top of this, employers will receive additional payments of up to £2,000 for eligible foundation apprenticeships to contribute to the extra costs of supporting someone at the beginning of their career. Additionally, employers are not required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to age 25 (when the employee’s wage is below £50,270 a year).

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the write-off of 90 per cent of the High Needs block debts of English councils on the amount of SEND funding to be absorbed into her Department's Resource Departmental Expenditure Limits from 2028-29 .

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The High Needs Stability Grant is concerned with historic spending and will have no impact on pressures in 2028/29. From the 2028/29 financial year, the government has confirmed that special educational needs and disabilities pressure will be absorbed within the overall government departmental expenditure limits budget such that the government would not expect local authorities to need to fund future special educational needs costs from general funds. Budgets from 2028/29 onwards, including the core schools budget, will be confirmed at the 2027 Spending Review.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what projection she has made of the deficit in the High Needs block budgets of English councils between now and the start of FY 2028/9.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department has set out plans for a reformed special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system in the recent Schools White Paper. Our assessment of future SEND spending will be updated following the SEND consultation. From 2028/29, SEND spending will be covered by the overall government Departmental Expenditure Limit budget.

Excise

Found: Q185 Damian Hinds: Sorry, I cut across you.

Submit Evidence (by 17 Apr 2026)

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee is inviting written submissions on the future of the BBC as part of a new inquiry into the Royal Charter Review.