Asked by: David Baines (Labour - St Helens North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will consider the potential merits of making safer sleep training for early years staff mandatory.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework, which early years providers are required to follow, includes a requirement for babies to be placed down to sleep in line with the latest government safety guidance here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sudden-infant-death-syndrome-sids/.
To make the existing requirements clearer for all, the department plans to add in more detail to the EYFS frameworks. We have worked with safe sleep experts including the Lullaby Trust on proposed new wording. We plan to make these changes as soon as possible.
The ‘Early years qualification requirements and standards’ document sets out the minimum qualification requirements, including the qualifications criteria at levels 2 and 3, that staff must meet to be recognised as level 2, level 3 or level 6 members of staff for the purpose of working within the EYFS staff:child ratios. The document is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-qualification-requirements-and-standards.
Both the level 2 and level 3 criteria include knowledge of rest and sleep provision, with level 3 also including use of equipment, furniture and materials safely with regard for sleep safety.
Asked by: David Baines (Labour - St Helens North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when the changes to the EYFS to include safer sleep will be laid as a statutory instrument.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework, which early years providers are required to follow, includes a requirement for babies to be placed down to sleep in line with the latest government safety guidance here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sudden-infant-death-syndrome-sids/.
To make the existing requirements clearer for all, the department plans to add in more detail to the EYFS frameworks. We have worked with safe sleep experts including the Lullaby Trust on proposed new wording. We plan to make these changes as soon as possible.
The ‘Early years qualification requirements and standards’ document sets out the minimum qualification requirements, including the qualifications criteria at levels 2 and 3, that staff must meet to be recognised as level 2, level 3 or level 6 members of staff for the purpose of working within the EYFS staff:child ratios. The document is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-qualification-requirements-and-standards.
Both the level 2 and level 3 criteria include knowledge of rest and sleep provision, with level 3 also including use of equipment, furniture and materials safely with regard for sleep safety.
Asked by: David Baines (Labour - St Helens North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will take steps to require the provision of CCTV in early years settings.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework sets the standards and requirements early years providers must meet to ensure that children have the best start in life and are kept healthy and safe.
The EYFS requires providers to have safeguarding policies that address the use of mobile phones, cameras, and other electronic devices with imaging and sharing capabilities. Decisions about installing and using CCTV are for individual providers, subject to safeguarding and data protection requirements.
As part of the department’s ongoing review of safeguarding requirements, an expert advisory panel will be appointed to inform sector guidance on the safe and effective use of CCTV and digital devices within safeguarding. This guidance will consider whether CCTV should be mandated and will set out best practice, technical advice and clear expectations.
Asked by: David Baines (Labour - St Helens North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with ICBs on minimum waiting times for NHS services.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
There have been no discussions on minimum waiting times between my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and the integrated care boards (ICBs).
ICBs plan activity to meet targets set in the planning guidance. This is an important step toward returning to the National Health Service constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment by March 2029. Planning guidance for 2025/26 sets a target that 65% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks by March 2026, with every trust expected to deliver a minimum 5% improvement on current performance over that period.
Asked by: David Baines (Labour - St Helens North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the Soft Drinks Industry Levy thresholds on future investment in the development of healthier soft drinks.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
I refer the Hon. Member the answer that I gave to PQ UIN 81415.
Asked by: David Baines (Labour - St Helens North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of lowering the starting threshold of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy on levels of sugar consumption.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
I refer the Hon. Member the answer that I gave to PQ UIN 81415.
Asked by: David Baines (Labour - St Helens North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to page 10 of Ofsted's radicalisation and extremism inspection document, if she will take steps to ensure that it no longer informs inspectors that children with autism are at increased risk of being susceptible to extremism.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
This is a matter for His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver. I have asked him to write to my hon. Friend, the Member for St Helens North directly and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Asked by: David Baines (Labour - St Helens North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to (a) help children with dyslexia and (b) improve the availability of early screening.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell
I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for St Helens North to the answer of 1 August 2025 to Question 61402.
Asked by: David Baines (Labour - St Helens North)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she plans to extend the Prison Service Long Service Medal to operational officers in privately managed prisons.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Vice Chamberlain (HM Household) (Whip, House of Commons)
The Prison Services Long Service & Good Conduct Medal is awarded to operational staff in the UK Prison Services on completion of 20 years’ continuous meritorious service, and aligns operational public sector prison staff with comparable organisations such as the Police, Fire and Ambulance Services and the Armed Forces. It is a medal awarded by the Head of State to eligible state employees, details of which are set out in a Royal Warrant.
In 2016, the Cabinet Office confirmed that official medals of this type can only be awarded to staff working in public sector prisons and not those in prisons run by private sector companies. This is in line with the existing criteria used for the award of Long Service & Good Conduct Medals to the other Crown services.
Asked by: David Baines (Labour - St Helens North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress she has made on considering the capital funding request from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The fiscal position means that there have been tough choices to get us back on the path to recovery. It is in this context that the department is considering the request made for funding by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust.
I was pleased to meet with Andy Lock to discuss the outstanding work done by the organisation across Britain’s coalfields. I recognise that addressing the acute challenges faced by our coalfield communities will require greater partnership working between government and the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, and I am committed to working in partnership with them to explore opportunities for collaboration.
This government remains committed to supporting our most disadvantaged communities. At Spending Review, we announced funding for up to 350 places. Of the 100 places announced, 15 are in coalfield areas. Details of the remaining places will be announced in due course.