Ellie Chowns Portrait

Ellie Chowns

Green Party - North Herefordshire

5,894 (11.7%) majority - 2024 General Election

First elected: 4th July 2024



Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Ellie Chowns has voted in 259 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
View All Ellie Chowns Division Votes

Debates during the 2024 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Matthew Pennycook (Labour)
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
(69 debate interactions)
Lucy Powell (Labour (Co-op))
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
(26 debate interactions)
Hamish Falconer (Labour)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
(24 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Legislation Debates
Planning and Infrastructure Bill 2024-26
(23,462 words contributed)
Water Bill 2024-26
(3,142 words contributed)
View All Legislation Debates
View all Ellie Chowns's debates

North Herefordshire Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Petition Debates Contributed

We think that changing inheritance tax relief for agricultural land will devastate farms nationwide, forcing families to sell land and assets just to stay on their property. We urge the government to keep the current exemptions for working farms.


Latest EDMs signed by Ellie Chowns

3rd July 2025
Ellie Chowns signed this EDM as the primary signatory on Thursday 3rd July 2025

Rural Housing Week

Tabled by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
That this House marks Rural Housing Week beginning on 7 July 2025; notes that rural homes are proportionally more likely to be detached or built pre-1919 and therefore harder to heat efficiently, that rural households face deeper fuel poverty and higher energy costs than households in urban areas, that new …
2 signatures
(Most recent: 4 Jul 2025)
Signatures by party:
Green Party: 2
1st July 2025
Ellie Chowns signed this EDM on Tuesday 1st July 2025

Parliamentary approval for UK military action against Iran

Tabled by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
That this House is deeply concerned about the military confrontation between the United States, Israel, and Iran; supports diplomatic efforts to maintain a ceasefire; acknowledges the deployment of UK combat aircraft and naval assets to the region; and notes that whilst there is no requirement for parliamentary approval to a …
17 signatures
(Most recent: 4 Jul 2025)
Signatures by party:
Plaid Cymru: 4
Labour: 4
Independent: 4
Green Party: 3
Scottish National Party: 1
Social Democratic & Labour Party: 1
Liberal Democrat: 1
View All Ellie Chowns's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Ellie Chowns, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


1 Urgent Question tabled by Ellie Chowns

Tuesday 4th March 2025

Ellie Chowns has not been granted any Adjournment Debates

3 Bills introduced by Ellie Chowns


A Bill to make provision to prevent, reduce and regulate agricultural pollution of water.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Monday 21st October 2024
Next Event - 2nd Reading
Friday 11th July 2025
Order Paper number: 15
(Unlikely to be Debated - would require unanimous consent to progress)

A Bill to require the installation of swift bricks on new buildings; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Tuesday 10th December 2024
Next Event - 2nd Reading
Friday 11th July 2025
Order Paper number: 14
(Unlikely to be Debated - would require unanimous consent to progress)

A Bill to require new buildings to meet net zero standards for embodied and operational carbon emissions; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Tuesday 10th December 2024
Next Event - 2nd Reading
Friday 11th July 2025
Order Paper number: 13
(Unlikely to be Debated - would require unanimous consent to progress)

Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
1 Other Department Questions
24th Mar 2025
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of issuing guidance on limiting ambient noise in specific settings to help improve levels of accessibility.

The Government welcomes steps some retailers are taking to introduce sensory friendly hours for customers who may find busy or loud shopping environments overwhelming.

In educational settings, guidance on ambient noise levels may be found in Building Bulletin 93 and in DfE standards and guidance documentation found at: School and Further Education College Design and Construction on GOV.UK.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
2nd Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 13 November 2025 to Question 12807 on Public Appointments, what recent progress he has made on publishing an updated list of significant public appointments.

An update will be provided in due course.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
4th Mar 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the oral contribution by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on 6 February 2025, Official Report, House of Lords, column 803, if he will make it his policy to review the Government's redactions of the Intelligence and Security Committee's report entitled Russia, Session 2019-21 HC 632, published on 21 July 2020.

ISC reports, including the Russia report, contain highly classified material which would damage the operational capabilities of UK intelligence agencies if published unredacted. All ISC reports go through a number of administrative stages and processes before publication. This includes security checks to make sure there is nothing in the report that would be prejudicial to the continued discharge of the functions of the security and intelligence services. Redactions to the Russia report were made on grounds of national security and still apply.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
4th Mar 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Intelligence and Security Committee report entitled: Russa HC 632 published 21 July 2020, if he will open an investigation into alleged Kremlin-linked interference in UK elections.

We are committed to ensuring we have robust systems in place to defend the UK from all forms of malign state interference in UK democratic processes.

The Defending Democracy Taskforce brings together Ministers from across Government, along with representatives from law enforcement and the intelligence community, to coordinate a programme of work that aims to protect UK political parties, elected officials and core electoral infrastructure.

As part of this, the Cabinet Office, together with MHCLG, runs the Joint Election Security and Preparedness Unit, which leads on coordinating cross-government preparedness on election security, including running an extensive exercising programme.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
31st Jan 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' policy paper entitled Environmental principles policy statement, published on 31 January 2023, whether his Department provides training further to section 19 of the Environment Act 2021 in the (a) statutory instrument capability programme, (b) parliamentary capability team training programme and (c) Policy Profession programme.

A range of guidance is available to civil servants when preparing legislation, including on section 19 of the Environment Act 2021.

Ahead of the duty coming into force on 1 November 2023, guidance was issued to civil servants working on legislation. In January 2024, the Guide to Preparing Explanatory Memoranda (EMs) to Statutory Instruments was published and included information on this duty. The next update to The Guide to Making Legislation, which will be published shortly, will include guidance on the policy statement.

Nick Thomas-Symonds
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
4th Dec 2024
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether (a) templates and (b) guidance for (i) ministerial submissions, (ii) the write round process, (iii) post implementation reviews of legislation and (iv) the preparation of departmental business cases have been updated to refer to the environmental principles duty in section 19(1) of the Environment Act 2021.

Each Government department is responsible for its own ministerial submission templates and guidance. Departments have been advised to amend their submission templates to reflect the EPPS duty through the Defra-led Environmental Principles Working Group.

Ministers may seek collective agreement from the Cabinet or its committees through correspondence, or the ‘write round process’. It is a long-established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place in Cabinet and its Committees, including through correspondence, is not normally shared publicly.

In May 2024, the Department for Business & Trade published revised guidance, Producing post-implementation reviews: principles of best practice, which provides advice on the consideration of environmental impacts and specifies that departments should have due regard to the environmental principles policy statement when completing a post-implementation review of legislation.

It is mandatory for government departments to make proportionate use of the Green Book, and its supplementary business case guidance, when they develop spending proposals. Where the EPPS duty applies, it is relevant for appraisals that are conducted in line with the Green Book. This is made clear on the Green Book webpage and will be reflected in the Green Book when the document is next updated.

Nick Thomas-Symonds
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
17th Oct 2024
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a citizens assembly to consider the future relationship between the UK and the EU.

The Government has no plans to establish a citizens’ assembly to consider the future relationship between the UK and EU. We fully recognise the importance of maintaining an effective dialogue encompassing a broad range of views across civil society, including through the TCA Civil Society Forum and Domestic Advisory Group, as we work to reset our relationship with the EU.

Nick Thomas-Symonds
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
1st Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the petition entitled Introduction of a business, human rights and environment act, submitted to his Department on 19 June 2025, on the potential merits of creating a new UK business, human rights and environment act to support (a) workers, (b) communities and (c) the environment in (i) the UK and (ii) overseas.

The Department for Business and Trade has engaged with the Corporate Justice Coalition on the petition entitled Introduction of a business, human rights and environment act, submitted on 19 June 2025.

In the Trade Strategy, the Government launched a review into the UK’s approach to responsible business conduct, focused on tackling human rights and labour abuses, modern slavery, and environmental harms in global supply chains.

The review will be a neutral, objective appraisal of policy, led by officials at the Department for Business and Trade. It will consider the effectiveness of the UK’s current regime and alternative means of supporting responsible business practices. It will have due regard to costs on business and the approaches taken by our trading partners. Throughout the review, we will harness the insights and expertise of businesses, investors, trade unions, academia and civil society.

Douglas Alexander
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
27th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what progress the Competition and Markets Authority has made on its investigation into misleading environmental claims, announced on 26 January 2023.

Following the closure of the Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”) investigation into certain claims made by Unilever in relation to some of its fast-moving consumer goods, which include everyday items such as toiletries and cleaning products, the CMA does not currently have any open investigations into misleading environmental claims.

The CMA remains interested in the issue and may take further enforcement action where this is warranted and appropriate, based on intelligence and its published prioritisation criteria.

Justin Madders
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
26th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many products have been investigated in detail by the Competition and Markets Authority as part of its fast-moving consumer goods investigation announced in January 2023.

In January 2023 the Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”) announced a compliance review into the Fast Moving Consumer Goods sector – these include essential everyday items such as toiletries and cleaning products. Over the period following that announcement, the CMA carried out an initial review of hundreds of products.

Justin Madders
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
26th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what progress the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has made on their investigation into misleading environmental claims made in relation to fast moving consumer goods announced in January 2023; and when he expects the CMA to report publicly on any findings.

Following its compliance review into environmental claims, in December 2023 the Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”) opened an investigation into certain claims made by Unilever in relation to some of its fast-moving consumer goods, which include everyday items such as toiletries and cleaning products.

In November 2024 the CMA announced its decision to close the investigation. In making this decision, the CMA took into account a range of factors, including changes Unilever had made to claims on some of its products and the wider impact of the CMA’s programme of work tackling misleading green claims.

Justin Madders
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
12th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to amend the policy paper entitled UK-Gulf Cooperation Council Free Trade Agreement: The UK’s Strategic Approach, published in June 2022.

The Department for Business and Trade published the UK's Strategic Approach for the UK-Gulf Cooperation Council Free Trade Agreement ahead of launching negotiations. The Strategic Approach was based on public consultation with stakeholders and has informed the approach to negotiations since launch.

Economic growth is the priority of this government and drives our trade agenda. The objectives of our Free Trade Agreement programme support delivery of this government's growth priorities.

The government will continue to update parliament as negotiations progress and will publish further information on the GCC Free Trade Agreement following the conclusion of negotiations.

Douglas Alexander
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
9th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Investor-State Dispute Settlement provisions of the UK/Colombia: Bilateral Agreement for the Promotion and Protection of Investments on the (a) natural environment and (b) rights of indigenous peoples.

I refer the Hon. Member for North Herefordshire to my response to Question 12968 on 12th November 2024.

Douglas Alexander
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
4th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to update guidance for the Better Regulation Framework to include section 19(1) of the Environment Act 2021.

Consistent with section 19(1) of the Environment Act 2021, the new template for regulatory impact assessments, published under the reformed Better Regulation Framework, states, “All policies, where relevant, must have due regard to the Environmental Principles Policy Statement, and demonstrate how the policy will affect the achievement of the legally binding Environment Targets set out in the Environment Act.”

Justin Madders
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
29th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether any environmental (a) policies and (b) programmes are impacted by the UK Internal Market Act 2020.

The UK Internal Market Act provides the practical framework that facilitates businesses and people to trade and purchase goods and services freely across the UK. It supports economic growth and protects jobs and investment across all four nations of the UK. The Act does not prevent the UK Government or Devolved Governments from legislating in any areas of reserved or devolved policy, including environmental policy.

Douglas Alexander
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
6th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the energy used to run artificial intelligence technologies on the UK's net-zero emissions targets.

Embracing the opportunities that AI can provide to drive growth and productivity in the economy is a government objective. Building the low carbon economy of the future will lead to significant increases in electricity demand across many sectors. These projected increases were a key part of the analysis that underpinned the department’s Clean Power Action Plan, consistent with our net zero targets. This set out how, by unlocking new low carbon electricity generation, improving access to the electricity grid and efficient use and operation of the energy system - which can be supported by new technologies such as AI - we will achieve Clean Power by 2030 and maintain secure, resilient energy supplies.

Michael Shanks
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
1st Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the number of district heating schemes.

The Government believes that heat networks are an essential part of a decarbonised future energy system. In high density urban areas, they are often the lowest cost, low carbon heating option, and can use a range of low carbon energy sources such as waste heat from industry. This helps to reduce costs for consumers and strengthens the Uk’s energy resilience.

The Committee for Climate Change has recommended the government grows the heat network sector from providing 3% of national heat demand to 20% by 2050. We are implementing heat network zoning and funding low carbon heat networks to get to this scale.

Miatta Fahnbulleh
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
19th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has had discussions with his counterpart in Brazil on the four-lane highway through protected Amazon rainforest being built for the COP30 climate summit in the Brazilian city of Belém.

Planning decisions in Brazil are a matter for the Brazilian government.

Brazil has commitment to achieve zero deforestation by 2030 and we welcome the focus on forests set out by the incoming COP30 President in his letter of 10 March. We will continue to work closely with the COP President and others to drive forward efforts to halt and reverse deforestation globally by 2030, and to support their preparations for the important COP30 conference in Belem.

Kerry McCarthy
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
19th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with BP on the company's new strategy to prioritise oil and gas production over investment in renewable energy; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of this decision on the Government's green strategy.

We have noted the changes bp is making to its strategy. Such decisions are a commercial matter for the company.

The Government is unable to assess the potential future impact of the new strategy on the UK as it relates to the company’s global business rather than being focused on activities in this country. However we welcome the significant investment bp is continuing to plan to make in low carbon projects in the UK, including in the East Coast Cluster.

Existing regulation of emissions from bp’s activities in the UK remain unchanged.

Michael Shanks
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
19th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of BPs decision to scale back investment in renewable energy and increase investment in oil and gas on their ability to be a credible partner in the transition to renewable energy.

The Department has made no such assessment.

Michael Shanks
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
26th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, for what reason the Government uses the marginal cost pricing system for electricity.

The wholesale electricity market, like most commodity markets worldwide, is based on marginal pricing. This reflects the value of consuming or generating an additional unit of electricity at any given time and ensures that generators increase or decrease their output to meet demand.

Michael Shanks
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
29th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he plans to publish an update to the Reduced Data Standard Assessment Procedure.

Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are a crucial tool for consumers to understand the energy efficiency of their homes. We are implementing an interim update to the Reduced Data Standard Assessment Procedure (RdSAP), which underpins EPC ratings, in Spring this year. This update aims to enhance the accuracy and robustness of the current model. This is ahead of a more significant, ambitious EPC reform programme set for late 2026, aimed at better supporting Net Zero objectives and delivering the Warm Homes Plan.

Miatta Fahnbulleh
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
24th Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential (a) economic, (b) social and (c) environmental impact of poor home insulation; and if he will make it his policy to establish a local-authority-led street-by-street retrofit programme to insulate homes.

Energy efficiency improvements remain the best way to tackle fuel poverty in the long term, contributing to the reduction of energy bills, as well as reducing carbon emissions in line with Net Zero.

The Warm Homes Plan will offer grants and low interest loans to support investment in insulation, low carbon heating and other home improvements to cut bills. We will partner with combined authorities and local and devolved governments to roll out this plan.

We will announce further policy detail in due course.

Miatta Fahnbulleh
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
24th Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make it his policy to require landlords to improve the energy efficiency of their properties to a EPC C rating.

This government is committed to reducing the number of fuel poor households in England. We will require landlords to improve their properties to Energy Performance Certificate standard C by 2030. Ensuring warmer, healthier private rented homes will lift many families out of fuel poverty and reduce energy bills.

Miatta Fahnbulleh
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
27th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2025 to Question 37932 on Gambling Commission, in what month this year she expects the Gambling Commission to concludes its investigation on allegations under section 42 of the Gambling Act 2005 relating to bets placed on the date of the 2024 General Election.

The Gambling Commission is continuing its investigation into potential criminal offences of cheating under section 42 of the Gambling Act 2005 in relation to bets placed on the timing of the 2024 General Election. Responsibility for specific timings related to this investigation are a matter for the Gambling Commission and it would be inappropriate to comment whilst the matter is ongoing.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
12th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the progress of the Gambling Commission’s investigation on allegations under section 42 of the Gambling Act 2005 relating to bets placed on the date of the 2024 General Election; and what steps her Department is taking to help ensure the timely conclusion of this investigation.

The Gambling Commission is continuing its investigation into potential criminal offences of cheating under section 42 of the Gambling Act 2005 in relation to bets placed on the timing of the 2024 General Election. It would be inappropriate to comment whilst this investigation is ongoing.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
26th Jun 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of moving home (a) in the lead up to and (b) during GCSE exams on care-experienced young people’s (i) educational attainment and (ii) future opportunities.

The department is committed to ensuring that looked-after children are supported to succeed in education and achieve positive outcomes. We recognise the critical importance of continuity and stability throughout a looked-after child’s life. Under the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review guidance and regulations, a child’s social worker should do everything possible to minimise disruption to their education. School changes should be minimised and any transitions well-planned and supported. Where a change to a child’s educational arrangements is unavoidable, their Personal Education Plan should set out arrangements to minimise disruption to education, especially during exam periods and other critical periods in their education.

The government is introducing measures, including through the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, to rebalance the market, improve regulation and commissioning of placements, and bring greater visibility to the prices local authorities are paying. This includes a focus on addressing the barriers that prevent homes from being established where they are needed.

Through our Plan for Change, we’re also investing £2 billion over this Parliament to give more children a safe, loving home, including expanding the children’s home estate, delivering more foster care placements and helping keep families together by providing targeted support before problems escalate.

These measures will provide greater placement availability, stability and ensure that, where it is in a child's best interests, they are placed closer to home.

Janet Daby
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
26th Jun 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the press release by Become entitled New research shows shockingly high numbers of children in care being moved during GCSEs and A-levels, published on 24 June 2025, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the number of children in care who moved school during their GCSE period.

The department is committed to ensuring that looked-after children are supported to succeed in education and achieve positive outcomes. We recognise the critical importance of continuity and stability throughout a looked-after child’s life. Under the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review guidance and regulations, a child’s social worker should do everything possible to minimise disruption to their education. School changes should be minimised and any transitions well-planned and supported. Where a change to a child’s educational arrangements is unavoidable, their Personal Education Plan should set out arrangements to minimise disruption to education, especially during exam periods and other critical periods in their education.

The government is introducing measures, including through the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, to rebalance the market, improve regulation and commissioning of placements, and bring greater visibility to the prices local authorities are paying. This includes a focus on addressing the barriers that prevent homes from being established where they are needed.

Through our Plan for Change, we’re also investing £2 billion over this Parliament to give more children a safe, loving home, including expanding the children’s home estate, delivering more foster care placements and helping keep families together by providing targeted support before problems escalate.

These measures will provide greater placement availability, stability and ensure that, where it is in a child's best interests, they are placed closer to home.

Janet Daby
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
26th Jun 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the press notice by Become entitled New research shows shockingly high numbers of children in care being moved during GCSEs and A-levels, published on 24 June 2025, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of that charity's findings that 17% of children in care moved school during Key Stage 4.

The department is committed to ensuring that looked-after children are supported to succeed in education and achieve positive outcomes. We recognise the critical importance of continuity and stability throughout a looked-after child’s life. Under the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review guidance and regulations, a child’s social worker should do everything possible to minimise disruption to their education. School changes should be minimised and any transitions well-planned and supported. Where a change to a child’s educational arrangements is unavoidable, their Personal Education Plan should set out arrangements to minimise disruption to education, especially during exam periods and other critical periods in their education.

The government is introducing measures, including through the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, to rebalance the market, improve regulation and commissioning of placements, and bring greater visibility to the prices local authorities are paying. This includes a focus on addressing the barriers that prevent homes from being established where they are needed.

Through our Plan for Change, we’re also investing £2 billion over this Parliament to give more children a safe, loving home, including expanding the children’s home estate, delivering more foster care placements and helping keep families together by providing targeted support before problems escalate.

These measures will provide greater placement availability, stability and ensure that, where it is in a child's best interests, they are placed closer to home.

Janet Daby
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
19th Jun 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 13 May 2025 to Question 49999 on Holiday Activities and Food Programme, whether she plans to continue the provision of funding for the Holidays and Activities Programme beyond the 2025-26 financial year.

The government remains committed to the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme. We are currently working through the outcomes of the Spending Review and will share further information in relation to the future of the HAF programme in due course.

Stephen Morgan
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
17th Jun 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 13 May 2025 to Question 49999 on Holiday Activities and Food Programme, following the Spending Review 2025, whether the Holiday Activities and Food Programme will continue beyond March 2026; and whether the 500,000 children who are now eligible for free school meals will be eligible for the Holiday Activities and Food Programme.

The government remains committed to the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme to ensure children who are eligible for free school meals can access enriching activities and healthy meals. More than £200 million has been allocated to the programme for 2025/26.

We are currently working through the outcomes of the Spending Review, and we will share further information in relation to the future of the HAF programme in due course.

Stephen Morgan
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
2nd May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of establishing the Holiday Activities and Food programme on a permanent basis.

The government is committed to the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme and the impact it has on children, young people and families. We are very pleased that the overall funding for the HAF programme in 2025/26 is again more than £200 million, with delivery across England taking place at Easter, summer and Christmas.

Funding beyond March 2026 is subject to the multi-year Spending Review and any decisions will be made as part of the Review taking place later this year.

Stephen Morgan
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
3rd Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the (a) Plan 5 student loan repayment threshold and (b) annual pay for someone on the minimum wage in a full-time job from 1 April 2025 on the net income of graduates with student loans.

In 2022, the department conducted a government consultation to assess the impact of policy reforms on higher education funding and finance, including changes to repayment thresholds from Plan 2 to Plan 5. More details on the consultation can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/62223cfb8fa8f549071fc82c/Higher_education_policy_statement_reform_consultation_-_Equality_analysis.pdf.

Comparing the previous threshold of £28,470 under Plan 2 with the new threshold of £25,000 under Plan 5, the monthly repayments under the new repayment plan would result in an individual who was previously earning £28,470 and not repaying their loan, to now repaying approximately £26 per month.

From 1 April 2025, the National Minimum Wage has increased to £12.21 for workers aged 21 and over. If working a standard 37.5 hours per week, a minimum wage worker will earn £23,809.50, which is below the annual threshold for both Plans 2 and 5. This calculation is based on the average actual weekly hours of work for full-time workers.

Janet Daby
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
26th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help ensure the adequacy of support for children in kinship care.

The department is taking a number of steps to ensure that children in kinship care get the support that they need to thrive. This includes promoting their educational and mental health needs and supporting the people who care for them.

From September 2024, the department expanded the role of virtual school heads on a non-statutory basis to include championing the education, attendance and attainment of children in kinship care, ensuring that more children in kinship care receive the help they need to thrive at school. The department is now mandating this through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

In addition, the department is providing over £3 billion of pupil premium funding to improve the educational outcomes of disadvantaged pupils in England, including looked after and previously looked after children. Schools can direct pupil premium spending where the need is greatest, including to pupils with other identified needs, such as children in kinship care. Schools can also use pupil premium on whole class approaches that will benefit all pupils, such as on high quality teaching.

Some children in kinship care will be able to access the adoption and special guardianship support fund, which helps adoptive and special guardianship order children and their families access therapeutic interventions related to trauma and attachment.

Children in kinship care will also benefit from this government’s commitment to improving mental health support for all children and young people. The government will deliver on this commitment through providing access to specialist mental health professionals in every school, so every young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate. We will also recruit an additional 8,500 new mental health staff to treat children and adults, and open new Young Futures hubs with access to mental health support workers.

The steps the government is taking to improve support for kinship carers will also improve the support children living in kinship care receive. In October, the department announced £40 million to trial a new kinship allowance in up to ten local authorities. This pilot will test whether paying an allowance will help support more children to live and thrive with a kinship carer.

In addition, the government has provided over 140 peer support groups and a package of training and support for all kinship carers to access across England. The increased financial support, emotional support and training kinship carers receive should help them in their role as carers and enhance the support they give the children in their care.

Janet Daby
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
10th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2024 to Question 18517 on Natural History: GCSE, what progress she has made in her consideration of next steps on the implementation of a new GCSE in Natural History.

This government recognises the importance of providing all children and young people with the knowledge, skills and behaviours to understand and develop a connection to the natural world, access green careers, and thrive in life and work in a world with a changing climate.

The government is therefore pleased to confirm that we will be moving ahead with a new GCSE in natural history. The GCSE will enable more young people to benefit from the opportunity to learn about the natural world in more depth at key stage 4. It will equip them to understand and respect the natural world and contribute to the protection and conservation of the environment locally, nationally and internationally.

The content of the new natural history GCSE will need to build on the curriculum content that pupils learn earlier in their schooling related to the natural world in subjects like science, geography and citizenship. We therefore plan to finalise and consult on proposed subject content for the new GCSE after the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review has concluded. The Review Group is expecting to publish its final report with recommendations in autumn 2025.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
27th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of making the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund permanent.

I refer the hon. Member for North Herefordshire to the answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 26025.

Janet Daby
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
21st Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 9 December 2024 to Question 17264 on Children: Epilespy, what steps her Department is taking with governing bodies to ensure that all schools (a) develop a policy for supporting pupils with medical conditions, (b) ensure the arrangements they put in place are sufficient to meet their statutory responsibilities and (c) ensure that policies, plans, procedures and systems are properly and effectively implemented.

Governing bodies must ensure that the arrangements they put in place are sufficient to meet their statutory responsibilities and that policies, plans, procedures and systems are properly and effectively implemented. This includes the duty under Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 to make arrangements for supporting pupils with medical conditions and the duties under the Equality Act 2010. The effectiveness of a school is assessed through inspection by Ofsted.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
19th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to collect data on the number of children in care that are living in placements that are not in line with their care plan.

Information on whether a looked after child is currently living in a placement that is not in line with their care plan is not held by the department. Information on the numbers of children looked after who were moved to a new placement during the reporting year ending 31 March 2024 and the reasons why the placement changed, including a change to or implementation of a care plan, is submitted by local authorities. This information was recently published on 14 November 2024 in the department’s statistical release and can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/fast-track/f2f7a002-bc22-40de-ada3-08dcedcfecfd.

The department is working to improve the data available about children’s social care, including making it more relevant to the experiences of children, young people and families. A core part of this work includes understanding the data needs of the children’s social care sector as a whole and identifying ways in which data gaps may be addressed over time. Addressing data gaps in children’s social care is a long term endeavour due to the need to agree data definitions and standards, as well as redesign local authority and departmental systems before rolling out nationally.

Janet Daby
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
16th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy to fund the holiday activities and food programme on a permanent basis.

The future of the Holiday Activities and Food programme beyond the 31 March 2025 is subject to the next government Spending Review, which is taking place this autumn. The outcome of that process will be communicated in due course.

Stephen Morgan
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
16th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to increase the procurement of sustainable local food for school meals.

It is important that children eat nutritious food at school and the department encourages schools to have a whole school approach to healthy eating. The School Food Standards regulate the food and drink provided at lunchtime and at other times of the school day. Compliance with the School Food Standards is mandatory for all maintained schools, academies and free schools. School Governors have a responsibility to ensure compliance and should appropriately challenge the headteacher and the senior leadership team to ensure the school is meeting its obligations.

The government’s ambition is to source half of all food served in public sector settings from local producers or from growers certified to meet higher environmental standards, where possible. The government wants to use the purchasing power of the public sector food supply chain to lead the way and to set best practice in delivering our wider ambitions on sustainability, animal welfare, economic growth, nutrition and health. The government has also committed to supporting schools to improve the sustainability of school food. Schools can voluntarily follow the government buying standards, which include advice around sustainable sourcing.

Ministerial teams are working with department officials on plans to deliver the government’s manifesto commitments, including making quick progress to deliver breakfast clubs in every primary school. Our aim is to deliver better life chances for all, through a system which works for all. As part of this, as with all government programmes, we will keep our approach to school food under continued review.

Stephen Morgan
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
16th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to (a) monitor and (b) manage the standard of food provided by schools.

It is important that children eat nutritious food at school and the department encourages schools to have a whole school approach to healthy eating. The School Food Standards regulate the food and drink provided at lunchtime and at other times of the school day. Compliance with the School Food Standards is mandatory for all maintained schools, academies and free schools. School Governors have a responsibility to ensure compliance and should appropriately challenge the headteacher and the senior leadership team to ensure the school is meeting its obligations.

The government’s ambition is to source half of all food served in public sector settings from local producers or from growers certified to meet higher environmental standards, where possible. The government wants to use the purchasing power of the public sector food supply chain to lead the way and to set best practice in delivering our wider ambitions on sustainability, animal welfare, economic growth, nutrition and health. The government has also committed to supporting schools to improve the sustainability of school food. Schools can voluntarily follow the government buying standards, which include advice around sustainable sourcing.

Ministerial teams are working with department officials on plans to deliver the government’s manifesto commitments, including making quick progress to deliver breakfast clubs in every primary school. Our aim is to deliver better life chances for all, through a system which works for all. As part of this, as with all government programmes, we will keep our approach to school food under continued review.

Stephen Morgan
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
4th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will make it her policy to restore school funding in real terms to the level provided in May 2010.

This government is increasing overall core revenue funding for schools to almost £61.8 billion this financial year (2024/25). In July, the department announced that it is providing schools with almost £1.1 billion of additional funding in the 2024/25 financial year through the new core schools budget grant (CSBG), to support them with overall costs. This matches what the department has calculated is needed to fully fund, at a national level, the teacher pay award and the support staff pay offer in the 2024/25 financial year, after accounting for the available headroom in schools’ existing budgets.

This increase in funding shows the government’s commitment to supporting schools as a part of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity.

Departmental expenditure limits for the 2025/26 financial year are yet to be agreed across government and will be set alongside the Budget on 30 October. This will include schools’ funding in the 2025/26 financial year.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
26th Jun 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make future disease outbreak compensation payments conditional on (a) evidence of private insurance in place and (b) demonstrable compliance with specified biosecurity standards.

Compensation is paid by Defra for animals culled by the Government for disease control purposes, as set out in the Animal Health Act 1981. In addition to the financial support offered to producers directly affected by outbreaks through compensation, producers can insure privately for losses not covered by Defra’s compensation scheme, this may include consequential losses including business interruption caused by control measures.

Defra continues to monitor the situation and to remind producers that they are responsible for the on-farm management of their flocks. Having strong biosecurity measures in place, and maintaining them year-round, significantly reduces the risk of infection on site.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
19th Jun 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of excess sewage sludge on river pollution.

Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations 1989 (SUiAR) supported by the Sewage Sludge Code of Practice provide environmental and health protections from sludge spreading.

The Government is continuing to work with the Environment Agency to assess the regulatory framework for spreading sludge. We recognise that effective and proportionate regulations are an essential tool to improve the water environment.

The Independent Water Commission’s Call for Evidence, published in February 2025, highlighted the Environment Agency’s recommendation to strengthen the regulatory framework for sludge application on land by incorporating the Sludge Use in Agriculture Regulations 1989 into the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016.

A set of recommendations will be delivered by Q3 of this year. The UK Government will then respond and consult on proposals we intend to take forward.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
19th Jun 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of land-spreading sewage sludge on soil contamination.

The Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations 1989 (SUiAR) supported by the Sewage Sludge Code of Practice provide environmental and health protections from sludge spreading.

The Government is continuing to work with the Environment Agency to assess the regulatory framework for spreading sludge. We recognise that effective and proportionate regulations are an essential tool to improve the environment.

The Government has been working with water companies under their Chemical Investigations Programme (CIP), to improve the evidence base on the behaviour and fate of contaminants in during treatment processes. CIP phase 4 will include a Groundwater, Soil and Biosolids investigation. This will be looking at the fate and behaviour of multiple chemical compounds, including PFAS substances, to establish whether detected substances pose a risk to long-term soil health, groundwater quality ansd the wider environment.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
17th Jun 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to support the removal of barriers to keystone species reintroduction projects (a) in England and (b) over devolved boundaries.

The Government supports species reintroductions including keystone species, where there are clear benefits for nature, people and the environment.

All reintroductions in England are expected to follow the Code for Reintroductions and other Conversations Translocations. The Code states that, while it is specific to England, cross-border co-operation and engagement with relevant authorities and stakeholders is essential where releases occur close to England’s neighbours or involve a reintroduction of a species to Great Britain. We would therefore expect any reintroduction project to carry out cross-border coordination as part of the planning phase of their reintroduction project.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)