Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what percentage of pupils from primary schools in North Herefordshire can (i) swim 25m (ii) self-rescue as reported through the online reporting tool.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department is processing the information received through the Digital Expenditure Reporting Return and will publish a summary of quality assured data in the new year.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has conducted an equalities impact assessment of the age limit for Lifelong Learning Entitlement tuition fee loans; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that knowledge of the age limit is widely promoted amongst people who are over 60 years old.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department conducted an equalities impact assessment (EIA) in 2023 that considered the availability of Lifelong Learning Entitlement tuition loans up to the age of 60. The EIA can be found in the public domain and is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64061b31e90e0740d2e5a80b/Lifelong_loan_entitlement_-_equality_analysis.pdf.
The department has published guidance about the availability of the Lifelong Learning Entitlement which is accessible here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/lifelong-learning-entitlement-lle-overview/lifelong-learning-entitlement-overview . The Student Loans Company has also published information on its website: https://www.heinfo.slc.co.uk/lle/lle-faq/lifelong-learning-entitlement-faq/.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to implement a national exemption from council tax for foster carers; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of such a policy on the recruitment and retention of foster carers.
Answered by Janet Daby
Councils already have the power to offer council tax discounts and exemptions in their area where appropriate. Some councils use these powers to provide council tax reductions and exemptions for foster carers.
All fostering providers should have a clear policy around remuneration of foster carers. Many fostering service providers provide incentive schemes as rewards, and we encourage the use of these.
Government has published a plain English guide to council tax, which sets out the support available: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/paying-the-right-level-of-council-tax-a-plain-english-guide-to-council-tax/paying-the-right-level-of-council-tax-a-plain-english-guide-to-council-tax#am-i-entitled-to-a-reduced-council-tax-bill.
The department recognises the need to recruit and retain more foster carers, and the need for sufficient financial support to carry out their role. Foster carers pay varying levels of council tax across the country, therefore a nationwide exemption would result in inconsistent financial support, with some foster carers receiving significantly less financial support than others.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
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.
Answered by Janet Daby
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.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
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.
Answered by Janet Daby
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.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
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.
Answered by Janet Daby
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.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
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.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
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.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she plans to take to monitor compliance with the updated school food standards; and what support she plans to provide to schools that are not currently meeting those standards.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The department is engaging with stakeholders on revising the school food standards, to ensure they support our work to create the healthiest generation of children in history.
School governors and trustees have a statutory duty to ensure compliance with the school food standards.
To improve understanding of the school food standards and give governing boards confidence to hold their school leaders to account, the department, along with National Governance Association, developed an online training course on school food for governors and trustees.
The department is also working with the Food Standards Agency on next steps following the findings of the compliance pilot run by the department and the Food Standards Agency during the 2022/23 academic year.
As with all aspects of the school food standards review, the department will keep our approaches to compliance under consideration.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
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.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
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.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
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.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
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.