Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department maintains records of local authorities that have received multiple Ombudsman findings relating to failures in the delivery of Education, Health and Care Plans, SEND assessments or statutory timescales; and what criteria are used to determine whether additional intervention, monitoring or formal action is required in cases of persistent non-compliance.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) is independent of government and publishes information about complaints and findings relating to local authorities, including matters concerning special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Annual local government complaint reviews can be found on the LGSCO website.

The department considers a range of evidence to ensure local authorities are held to account. This includes Ofsted and Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection outcomes, outcomes for children and young people, and local improvement activity. All local areas are due to receive a full inspection under the current Ofsted / CQC Area SEND inspection framework by the end of 2027.

Decisions on whether additional monitoring, support or intervention are required are taken on a case-by-case basis and informed by the nature of identified concerns. Repeated ombudsman findings may contribute to the wider evidence considered by the department when assessing local authority performance and determining appropriate improvement and intervention activity.

Where serious concerns arise, the department may intervene directly, using statutory powers and improvement partners to support recovery and improve services for children and young people.

In our response to the SEND consultation and throughout the reforms themselves, we will set out how we will make local partnership working more effective and support all partners to drive SEND reforms across all local areas.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what enforcement powers are available to her Department where a local authority is repeatedly found by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman to have failed in its statutory duties towards children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities; and how frequently such powers have been used in each of the last five years.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) is independent of government and publishes information about complaints and findings relating to local authorities, including matters concerning special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Annual local government complaint reviews can be found on the LGSCO website.

The department considers a range of evidence to ensure local authorities are held to account. This includes Ofsted and Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection outcomes, outcomes for children and young people, and local improvement activity. All local areas are due to receive a full inspection under the current Ofsted / CQC Area SEND inspection framework by the end of 2027.

Decisions on whether additional monitoring, support or intervention are required are taken on a case-by-case basis and informed by the nature of identified concerns. Repeated ombudsman findings may contribute to the wider evidence considered by the department when assessing local authority performance and determining appropriate improvement and intervention activity.

Where serious concerns arise, the department may intervene directly, using statutory powers and improvement partners to support recovery and improve services for children and young people.

In our response to the SEND consultation and throughout the reforms themselves, we will set out how we will make local partnership working more effective and support all partners to drive SEND reforms across all local areas.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of trends in the number and proportion of complaints relating to special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) that are escalated to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman; and what steps her Department is taking to reduce the underlying causes of such complaints.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) is independent of government and publishes information about complaints and findings relating to local authorities, including matters concerning special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Annual local government complaint reviews can be found on the LGSCO website.

The department considers a range of evidence to ensure local authorities are held to account. This includes Ofsted and Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection outcomes, outcomes for children and young people, and local improvement activity. All local areas are due to receive a full inspection under the current Ofsted / CQC Area SEND inspection framework by the end of 2027.

Decisions on whether additional monitoring, support or intervention are required are taken on a case-by-case basis and informed by the nature of identified concerns. Repeated ombudsman findings may contribute to the wider evidence considered by the department when assessing local authority performance and determining appropriate improvement and intervention activity.

Where serious concerns arise, the department may intervene directly, using statutory powers and improvement partners to support recovery and improve services for children and young people.

In our response to the SEND consultation and throughout the reforms themselves, we will set out how we will make local partnership working more effective and support all partners to drive SEND reforms across all local areas.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had discussions with representatives of SMEs on the potential introduction of incentives to support compliance with the Gatsby Benchmarks for young people with Education, Health and Care Plans.

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

We want every young person with an education, health and care (EHC) plan to benefit from inclusive careers guidance and meaningful workplace experiences.

We have no plans to introduce specific financial incentives linked directly to the Gatsby Benchmarks. Through the Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) and careers hubs, we help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) participate by providing brokerage, employer networks, guidance, special educational needs and disabilities-focused resources and support to deliver inclusive employer encounters and workplace experiences.

The CEC’s Employer Standards help businesses improve the quality and inclusivity of their education outreach. More than 1,650 employers have completed a self-assessment, and 83% say engagement with schools and colleges helps them develop talent pipelines.

Programmes such as supported internships and Access to Work also help reduce practical and administrative barriers for employers providing opportunities for young people with EHC plans.

We will continue to engage SMEs through the CEC and careers hubs to increase participation and remove barriers for young people with EHC plans.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of support available to SMEs to provide Gatsby Benchmark-aligned careers and workplace opportunities for students with Education, Health and Care Plans, and what steps her Department plans to take to increase employer participation.

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

We want every young person with an education, health and care (EHC) plan to benefit from inclusive careers guidance and meaningful workplace experiences.

We have no plans to introduce specific financial incentives linked directly to the Gatsby Benchmarks. Through the Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) and careers hubs, we help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) participate by providing brokerage, employer networks, guidance, special educational needs and disabilities-focused resources and support to deliver inclusive employer encounters and workplace experiences.

The CEC’s Employer Standards help businesses improve the quality and inclusivity of their education outreach. More than 1,650 employers have completed a self-assessment, and 83% say engagement with schools and colleges helps them develop talent pipelines.

Programmes such as supported internships and Access to Work also help reduce practical and administrative barriers for employers providing opportunities for young people with EHC plans.

We will continue to engage SMEs through the CEC and careers hubs to increase participation and remove barriers for young people with EHC plans.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what (a) financial and (b) non-financial incentives her Department is planning to take to support SMEs in meeting the Gatsby Benchmarks for students with Education, Health and Care Plans.

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

We want every young person with an education, health and care (EHC) plan to benefit from inclusive careers guidance and meaningful workplace experiences.

We have no plans to introduce specific financial incentives linked directly to the Gatsby Benchmarks. Through the Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) and careers hubs, we help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) participate by providing brokerage, employer networks, guidance, special educational needs and disabilities-focused resources and support to deliver inclusive employer encounters and workplace experiences.

The CEC’s Employer Standards help businesses improve the quality and inclusivity of their education outreach. More than 1,650 employers have completed a self-assessment, and 83% say engagement with schools and colleges helps them develop talent pipelines.

Programmes such as supported internships and Access to Work also help reduce practical and administrative barriers for employers providing opportunities for young people with EHC plans.

We will continue to engage SMEs through the CEC and careers hubs to increase participation and remove barriers for young people with EHC plans.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of availability of NHS dental appointments in Bristol; and what steps her Department is taking to increase access to NHS dentistry for new adult and child patients in the city.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

In Bristol, the South West, and across the rest of England, we are committed to increasing access to dental treatment for those in greatest need, as set out in the reform programme published last December, and available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/major-boost-for-millions-of-nhs-dental-patients

The latest NHS Dental Statistics show continued improvement across a range of key measures, with more National Health Service dental care being delivered, more dentists providing NHS services, improved access for patients, increased preventative care for children, and record levels of urgent dental activity. The publication of the annual dental statistics, which include statistics for the Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board, can be found at the following link:

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202526

Funding for preventative dental health programmes, including supervised toothbrushing and wider oral health improvement in Bristol and elsewhere in England, is available through the Public Health Grant. Further information can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-health-grants-to-local-authorities-2026-to-2027

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of dental workforce shortages on the provision of NHS dental services in the South West; and what steps she is taking to recruit and retain NHS dentists in Bristol and the wider region.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

In Bristol, the South West, and across the rest of England, we are committed to increasing access to dental treatment for those in greatest need, as set out in the reform programme published last December, and available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/major-boost-for-millions-of-nhs-dental-patients

The latest NHS Dental Statistics show continued improvement across a range of key measures, with more National Health Service dental care being delivered, more dentists providing NHS services, improved access for patients, increased preventative care for children, and record levels of urgent dental activity. The publication of the annual dental statistics, which include statistics for the Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board, can be found at the following link:

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202526

Funding for preventative dental health programmes, including supervised toothbrushing and wider oral health improvement in Bristol and elsewhere in England, is available through the Public Health Grant. Further information can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-health-grants-to-local-authorities-2026-to-2027

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what funding is available for preventive dental health programmes in Bristol.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

In Bristol, the South West, and across the rest of England, we are committed to increasing access to dental treatment for those in greatest need, as set out in the reform programme published last December, and available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/major-boost-for-millions-of-nhs-dental-patients

The latest NHS Dental Statistics show continued improvement across a range of key measures, with more National Health Service dental care being delivered, more dentists providing NHS services, improved access for patients, increased preventative care for children, and record levels of urgent dental activity. The publication of the annual dental statistics, which include statistics for the Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board, can be found at the following link:

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202526

Funding for preventative dental health programmes, including supervised toothbrushing and wider oral health improvement in Bristol and elsewhere in England, is available through the Public Health Grant. Further information can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-health-grants-to-local-authorities-2026-to-2027

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will revise the funding formula for schools in England to better reflect educational disadvantages among young people from white working-class backgrounds.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The Independent Inquiry into White Working-Class Educational Outcomes published its report in June 2026. The department will continue to engage with the Inquiry as it takes forward the next stage of its work.

The department is determined to do more to improve the life chances of our disadvantaged children, and the ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ white paper establishes our plan to improve outcomes for all children.

We are investing significantly in the core schools budget in the 2026/27 financial year, with an extra £2.3 billion for schools.

The schools national funding formula (NFF) distributes funding for mainstream schools based on schools’ and pupils’ needs and characteristics.

In the 2026/27 financial year, 11% (£5.6 billion) of the schools NFF has been allocated through deprivation factors, and 18.1% (£9.2 billion) has been allocated for additional needs overall. In addition, we are providing approximately £3.2 billion of pupil premium funding.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Government is taking steps to expand access to apprenticeships specifically among young people from white working-class backgrounds.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

This government is transforming the apprenticeships levy into a new growth and skills levy in England, backed by £1 billion of additional investment, which will support 50,000 more young people into apprenticeships, give employers greater flexibility to develop the workforce they need, and support the industrial strategy.

To expand opportunities for young people, we are now fully funding apprenticeships for eligible young people aged under 25 and introducing a £2,000 hiring payment for non-levy paying employers (who are typically SMEs) that recruit apprentices aged under 25 from October.

Alongside this, we are introducing a targeted bursary worth up to £4,500 to support access to apprenticeships for the small number of Universal Credit households that would otherwise be financially worse off when a young person starts an apprenticeship, so that no young person is discouraged from undertaking one.

The government also facilitates and funds the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (AAN) which comprises 3,000 employers and apprentices who volunteer to promote the benefits of apprenticeships, including in schools and colleges.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent progress the Government has made toward reaching the target of 10,000 new foster care places by the end of the Parliament.

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

The department must expand fostering. That is why creating 10,000 more places for children in foster homes this parliament is a priority, with 14 regional hubs moving towards end-to-end recruitment from September, backed by £12 million in transformation funding. Our Room Makers programme will provide up to £25 million to add additional capacity to existing loving foster homes. We have launched a £12.4 million innovation programme, enhanced digital tools and will launch a communications campaign in the autumn.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what alternatives to the current formula for calculating interest rates for Plan 2 student loans are under consideration by her Department.

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

The formula for calculating interest rates for Plan 2 student loans is set in accordance with regulation 21A of the Education (Student Loans) (Repayment) Regulations 2009 (as amended). The department has no current plans to amend these.

The department continues to look for ways to make the student finance system fairer for students, graduates and taxpayers, but it is important that these are financially sustainable.

Found: Northamptonshire) Mr Peter Bedford (Conservative; Mid Leicestershire) Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat; Torbay) Damien Egan

Found: Northamptonshire) Mr Peter Bedford (Conservative; Mid Leicestershire) Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat; Torbay) Damien Egan

Found: Northamptonshire) Mr Peter Bedford (Conservative; Mid Leicestershire) Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat; Torbay) Damien Egan

Found: Northamptonshire) Mr Peter Bedford (Conservative; Mid Leicestershire) Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat; Torbay) Damien Egan

Found: Northamptonshire) Mr Peter Bedford (Conservative; Mid Leicestershire) Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat; Torbay) Damien Egan

15 million working-age people are not saving enough for sufficient retirement income, with low-earners most likely to be among them. But both they and small businesses feel the most pain from contribution increases.