Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate she has made of the proportion of school costs that is directly related to the number of pupils.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

Every year the department publishes the schools’ costs technical note to help the sector to understand school costs and funding. Our analysis considers pupil demographic changes alongside other factors.

The department allocates most mainstream funding through the schools national funding formula (NFF). In the 2025/26 financial year, 92% of total schools NFF funding is being distributed through “pupil led” factors, which are based on pupil numbers and pupil characteristics, such as eligibility for pupil premium and special educational needs and disabilities.

Real terms per pupil comparisons are only one way in which the department communicates funding changes, and schools and local authorities can also see their funding as total cash amounts. The total size of the core schools budget in the 2025/26 financial year is £65.3 billion, a £3.7 billion increase over 2024/25. This represents a 6.0% rise in cash terms, or 3.3% increase in real terms.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what representations she has received on the effectiveness of the change in the real terms per pupil funding measure as an indicator of growth or otherwise in school budgets when pupil numbers are declining.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

Every year the department publishes the schools’ costs technical note to help the sector to understand school costs and funding. Our analysis considers pupil demographic changes alongside other factors.

The department allocates most mainstream funding through the schools national funding formula (NFF). In the 2025/26 financial year, 92% of total schools NFF funding is being distributed through “pupil led” factors, which are based on pupil numbers and pupil characteristics, such as eligibility for pupil premium and special educational needs and disabilities.

Real terms per pupil comparisons are only one way in which the department communicates funding changes, and schools and local authorities can also see their funding as total cash amounts. The total size of the core schools budget in the 2025/26 financial year is £65.3 billion, a £3.7 billion increase over 2024/25. This represents a 6.0% rise in cash terms, or 3.3% increase in real terms.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate she has made of the proportion of school funding that is directly related to the number of pupils.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

Every year the department publishes the schools’ costs technical note to help the sector to understand school costs and funding. Our analysis considers pupil demographic changes alongside other factors.

The department allocates most mainstream funding through the schools national funding formula (NFF). In the 2025/26 financial year, 92% of total schools NFF funding is being distributed through “pupil led” factors, which are based on pupil numbers and pupil characteristics, such as eligibility for pupil premium and special educational needs and disabilities.

Real terms per pupil comparisons are only one way in which the department communicates funding changes, and schools and local authorities can also see their funding as total cash amounts. The total size of the core schools budget in the 2025/26 financial year is £65.3 billion, a £3.7 billion increase over 2024/25. This represents a 6.0% rise in cash terms, or 3.3% increase in real terms.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the contribution from the apprenticeship levy to level 7 apprenticeships provided by (a) schools, (b) other bodies in the education sector and (c) bodies in the children’s social care sector to apprentices (i) under 21 (ii) over 21 in (A) 2023/24 (B) 2024/25 (C) 2025/26 and (D) 2026/27.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The apprenticeship levy is collected by His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) from all UK employers with a pay bill above £3 million. HMRC publish overall levy receipts at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hmrc-tax-and-nics-receipts-for-the-uk.

The department is responsible for apprenticeships in England only. The funding for apprenticeship training comes from the annual protected apprenticeship budget agreed at Spending Reviews. Although closely linked, this is distinct from the total levy income collected and the funds in employer accounts.

The department is therefore not able to provide information about how individual levy contributions link to the amount of the budget that is spent supporting level 7 apprenticeships in specific bodies.

The department publishes official statistics on apprenticeships that include information on apprenticeship starts by sector, level, standard and age at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships/2024-25.

Details of apprenticeship standards by route at level 7 can be found at: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeships/?levels=7&includeApprovedForDelivery=true.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the contribution from the apprenticeship levy to level 7 apprenticeships provided by (a) the NHS and (b) other bodies in the health and social care sector to apprentices (i) under 21 (ii) over 21 in (A) 2023/24 (B) 2024/25 (C) 2025/26 and (D) 2026/27.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The apprenticeship levy is collected by His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) from all UK employers with a pay bill above £3 million. HMRC publish overall levy receipts at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hmrc-tax-and-nics-receipts-for-the-uk.

The department is responsible for apprenticeships in England only. The funding for apprenticeship training comes from the annual protected apprenticeship budget agreed at Spending Reviews. Although closely linked, this is distinct from the total levy income collected and the funds in employer accounts.

The department is therefore not able to provide information about how individual levy contributions link to the amount of the budget that is spent supporting level 7 apprenticeships in specific bodies.

The department publishes official statistics on apprenticeships that include information on apprenticeship starts by sector, level, standard and age at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships/2024-25.

Details of apprenticeship standards by route at level 7 can be found at: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeships/?levels=7&includeApprovedForDelivery=true.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much (a) set up, (b) other one-off, (c) food, (d) staffing and (e) other operating cost funding has been allocated to schools for school breakfast pilots in total; and what estimate she has made of the (i) number of eligible children and (ii) average number of breakfasts to be taken per eligible child over the period.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

At the Autumn Budget 2024, the government tripled its investment in breakfast clubs to over £30 million in the 2025/26 financial year to help ensure children are ready to learn at the start of the school day.

From the start of the 2025 summer term, the first 750 free breakfast clubs with early adopter schools are opening in towns and cities across the country.

Allocated funding covers early adopter food, delivery and staffing costs. It is based on previous breakfast club schemes, and discussions with schools who run breakfast clubs, and standard school staffing rates. All schools have received £500 to cover initial set-up costs and will receive a lump sum of at least £1,000 a term, regardless of how many pupils will be in attendance. Schools will then receive an arrears payment based on the number of pupils who accessed the club, the characteristics of the pupils with and with an additional daily rate for FSM6 pupils at the school. For special schools, there is a daily rate of £3.23 per day per child who attends the club. An average primary school, with 50% take-up, will receive over £23,000 for a full year for an early adopter Breakfast Club more than £21,000 above what was provided to schools under the previous government’s National School Breakfast Programme which failed to cover all food or staffing costs.

One function of the early adopters is to test how schools utilise the funding and how many pupils access the offer. The department has a robust strategy to capture and analyse this data.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Written Statement of 22 May 2025 on Childhood Obesity, HCWS652, what his distinction is between a product and a brand.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to implementing advertising restrictions for less healthy food and drink on television and online, as part of its ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children ever.

Advertising restrictions for less healthy food or drink will be determined by whether a television channel or video-on-demand service is regulated by Ofcom. All Ofcom-regulated services, whether broadcast or delivered over the internet, will be subject to a 9:00pm watershed. All other internet-delivered television services will be subject to the 24-hour restriction.

We announced in a Written Ministerial Statement to Parliament on 22 May that the Government will set out in legislation an explicit brand exemption from the advertising restrictions for brand advertising that does not identify a less healthy food or drink product. This will provide legal clarification on this aspect of the existing policy as it was understood and agreed by Parliament during the passage of the Health and Care Bill, following extensive consultation.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Written Statement of 22 May 2025 on Childhood Obesity, HCWS652, whether the output of TV channels not viewed as live broadcast TV will count as (a) TV and (b) online.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to implementing advertising restrictions for less healthy food and drink on television and online, as part of its ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children ever.

Advertising restrictions for less healthy food or drink will be determined by whether a television channel or video-on-demand service is regulated by Ofcom. All Ofcom-regulated services, whether broadcast or delivered over the internet, will be subject to a 9:00pm watershed. All other internet-delivered television services will be subject to the 24-hour restriction.

We announced in a Written Ministerial Statement to Parliament on 22 May that the Government will set out in legislation an explicit brand exemption from the advertising restrictions for brand advertising that does not identify a less healthy food or drink product. This will provide legal clarification on this aspect of the existing policy as it was understood and agreed by Parliament during the passage of the Health and Care Bill, following extensive consultation.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 May to Question HL6929 on Roads: Cameras, if she will issue guidance to (a) police and (b) local authorities on how roadside noise cameras may be used to tackle noise-related anti-social behaviour.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport does not currently have plans to produce further guidance on noise cameras but is keeping up to date with any advancements in this technology.

It is ultimately for local authorities and the police to consider what the most appropriate enforcement routes may be for addressing issues with excessive vehicle noise within their area. The use of noise camera technology has already been taken forward by some local authorities.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to give powers to the police to tackle illegally modified exhausts for (a) cars and (b) motorcycles.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Any form of anti-social, dangerous or inconsiderate behaviour involving vehicles is a serious issue.

Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for the Government, and a key part of the Safer Streets Mission.

On 25 February 2025, the Crime and Policing Bill was introduced to Parliament. The Bill includes proposals to give the police greater powers to clamp down on vehicles involved in anti-social behaviour, with officers no longer required to issue a warning before seizing these vehicles.

This will strengthen the law and send a clear message that antisocial vehicles will not be tolerated.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with Police and Crime Commissioners on tackling vehicle nuisance in residential areas.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Any form of anti-social, dangerous or inconsiderate behaviour involving vehicles is a serious issue.

Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for the Government, and a key part of the Safer Streets Mission.

On 25 February 2025, the Crime and Policing Bill was introduced to Parliament. The Bill includes proposals to give the police greater powers to clamp down on vehicles involved in anti-social behaviour, with officers no longer required to issue a warning before seizing these vehicles.

This will strengthen the law and send a clear message that antisocial vehicles will not be tolerated.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether (a) history, (b) physical education, (c) Classics, (d) drama and (e) religious education are included in the set of subjects defined as key subjects for the purposes of the commitment to recruit 6,500 new expert teachers in key subjects.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

High quality teaching is the in-school factor that has the biggest positive impact on a child or young person’s outcomes in schools and colleges. This is why the government’s Plan for Change is committed to recruiting an additional 6,500 new expert teachers across secondary and special schools, and in our colleges, over the course of this Parliament.

We recognise that workforce shortages are more acute in some subjects and we have put in place a range of measures to boost recruitment and retention in these areas. We announced a £233 million initial teacher training (ITT) financial incentives package for 2025/26, which includes bursaries worth £29,000 tax-free and scholarships worth £31,000 tax-free, to encourage talented trainees to subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing, where there is a particular need to boost recruitment. The complete list can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/funding-initial-teacher-training-itt/funding-initial-teacher-training-itt-academic-year-2025-to-2026#postgraduate-bursaries-and-scholarships.

To support retention in key subjects, in 2025/26, the department is offering a targeted retention incentive worth up to £6,000 after tax for mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing teachers in the first five years of their careers who choose to work in disadvantaged schools or teach technical subjects in further education colleges.

The department undertakes regular reviews to ensure we are prioritising the subjects where teachers are needed most, for example through our ITT bursaries, which are reviewed annually to reflect teacher supply need in each subject.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, at what price level the cost of school uniforms will be capped.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The reference to school uniform in my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Spending Review announcement on 11 June, relates to the government’s existing proposals in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to cut the cost of school uniforms by capping the number of compulsory branded uniform items.

School uniforms play an important role in establishing a common sense of identity and school belonging which can be supported by a small number of branded items. However, too many schools require high numbers of branded uniform items. This is why the department has introduced legislation to bring down costs for parents by limiting the amount of branded uniform items schools can require. This will give parents more choice in where to purchase uniform and allow them greater flexibility to make the spending decisions that suit their circumstances.

There are no plans to introduce a financial cap on the cost of school uniform.

Found: STAGE Monday 16 June 2025 2 _NC19 Sarah Olney Graham Stuart Saqib Bhatti Sir Iain Duncan Smith Damian Hinds

Found: STAGE Friday 13 June 2025 _NC19 Sarah Olney Graham Stuart Saqib Bhatti Sir Iain Duncan Smith Damian Hinds

Found: _NC19 Sarah Olney Graham Stuart Saqib Bhatti Sir Iain Duncan Smith Damian Hinds Danny Kruger Dame

Found: _NC19 Sarah Olney Graham Stuart Saqib Bhatti Sir Iain Duncan Smith Damian Hinds Danny Kruger Dame

Found: _NC19 Sarah Olney Graham Stuart Saqib Bhatti Sir Iain Duncan Smith Damian Hinds Danny Kruger Dame

Found: _NC19 Sarah Olney Graham Stuart Saqib Bhatti Sir Iain Duncan Smith Damian Hinds Danny Kruger Dame

Tennis APPG
Tuesday 10th June 2025

Found: Smith Chris Evans MP Chris Kane MP Christian Wakeford Christine Jardine MP Clive Lewis MP Damian Hinds

Ireland and the Irish in Britain APPG
Tuesday 10th June 2025

Found: Hill Baroness Nicholson Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick Beccy Cooper MP Claire Hughes MP Damian Hinds

Park Homes APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Christopher Chope OBE, MP Sarah Dyke MP Sir Ashley Fox MP Rt Hon Sir Roger Gale MP Rt Hon Damian Hinds

University APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Higher Education: Artificial Intelligence Damian Hinds (Conservative): To ask the Secretary of State

Global Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: funding for after the planned reduction of the Official Development Assistance budget in 2027 – Damian Hinds

Prostate Cancer APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Attendees • Iqbal Mohamed MP (meeting chair) • Peter Prinsley MP (officer) • The Rt Hon Sir Damian Hinds

Modernising Employment APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Apologies: Baroness Stedman-Scott Present: Lee Barron MP, Lord Lucas of Crudwell and Damian Hinds

Down Syndrome APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: General Meeting: Tuesday 25th March 2025 Room N, Portcullis House 1.30pm – 3pm Present: Members Damian Hinds

Political and Media Literacy APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Apologies: Lord Iain McNicol, Damian Hinds MP, Allison Gardner MP, Baroness Beverley Hughes

Hospitality and Tourism APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Rochford Caroline Voaden (Vice-Chair) LibDem South Devon Chris Webb (Chair) Labour Blackpool South Damian Hinds

Down Syndrome APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Meeting: Tuesday 14th January 2024 Room M, Portcullis House 1.30pm – 3pm Present: Members Damian Hinds

Hospitality and Tourism APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: 11am Minutes of meeting Attendees Parliamentarians Chris Webb (Chair) Labour Blackpool South Damian Hinds

Modernising Employment APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Present: Lee Barron MP (Chair), Deidre Costigan MP , Damian Hinds MP 3. Apologies: Lord Lucas 4.

Down Syndrome APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Inaugural Meeting: Tuesday 19th November 2024 Room S, Portcullis House 2pm Present: Members Damian Hinds

Down Syndrome APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: APPGDS) Inaugural Meeting: Tuesday 8th October 2024 Room S, Portcullis House 2pm Present: Members Damian Hinds

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Rt Hon Damian Hinds MP (East Hampshire) 2. Rt Hon Sir Edward Davey (Kingston) 3.

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Rt Hon Damian Hinds MP (East Hampshire) 2. Rt Hon Sir Edward Davey (Kingston) 3.

Hospitality and Tourism APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: South Devon Chris Webb (Chair) Labour Blackpool South Claire Hughes Labour Bangor Aberconwy Damian Hinds

Hospitality and Tourism APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Blackpool South Claire Hughes Labour Bangor Aberconwy Connor Naismith Labour Crewe and Nantwich Damian Hinds

Financial Education for Young People APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: 20th 2023, as well as meetings with former Schools Minister Nick Gibb in September and current Damian Hinds

Anti-Corruption and Responsible Tax APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Damian Hinds understands this, and there are opportunities to make changes in the second Economic Crime

Children's Online Safety APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Internet Centre Emma Hardy, Internet Watch Foundation and UK Safer Internet Centre Apologies: Damian Hinds

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Vice Chairs: Fleur Anderson MP Elliot Colburn MP Rt Hon Sir Edward Davey MP Tan Dhesi MP Rt Hon Damian Hinds

Children's Online Safety APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Apologies: Maria Miller MP Catherine McKinnell MP Baroness Karren Brady Lisa Cameron MP Damian Hinds

Children's Online Safety APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: preventing abuse of public figures Attendees: Chris Elmore MP, Chair of the APPG for Social Media Damian Hinds

Children's Online Safety APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: on Social Media Aaron Bell MP, Secretary of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Social Media Damian Hinds

Children's Online Safety APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Attendees: Chris Elmore MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Social Media Damian Hinds

Children's Online Safety APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Safer Internet Centre Apologies: Caroline Dinenage MP Maria Miller MP Diana Johnson MP Damian Hinds

Global Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Quality Education for Girls, 24th November 2020 During oral questions to the Foreign Secretary, Damian Hinds

University APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: full report here and a Q&A here. 2019 Office for Students Admissions Review In April 2019, Damian Hinds

Children's Online Safety APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: IWF Apologies: Dr Lisa Cameron MP Aaron Bell MP Bambos Charalambous MP David Linden MP Damian Hinds

Homelessness APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: MP Andrew Selous MP Kevin Hollinrake MP Nickie Aiken MP Richard Graham MP Layla Moran MP Damian Hinds

Homelessness APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: MP Andrew Selous MP Kevin Hollinrake MP Nickie Aiken MP Richard Graham MP Layla Moran MP Damian Hinds

Adoption and Permanence APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: adoption agencies, Department for Education. 19 Department for Education and The Rt Honourable Damian Hinds

Social Mobility APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Fulfilling Potential: A plan for improving social mobility through education, 2017 3 Ibid. 4 Speech by Damian Hinds

Social Mobility APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: It can’t “just be Damian Hinds trying to do heavy lifting” she said.

Global Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Relationships and Sex Education, 19th July 2018 The Secretary of State for Education Damian Hinds read

Park Homes APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Steve Double, MP Simon Gibson (representing Michael Tomlinson MP) John Hildred (representing Damian Hinds

Global Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: This included: Damian Hinds MP, Rehman Christi MP, Zac Goldsmith MP, Fiona O’ Donnell MP, Carole