Gregory Stafford

A tiered energy pricing system is known as a block tariff. Traditionally, block tariffs are either a rising block tariff where the cost of energy increases in increments the more energy used or, a falling block tariff which acts in reverse. Low energy users benefit more from a rising block tariff and high energy users benefit from a falling block tariff. Since the introduction of the energy price cap in 2018, suppliers can choose to offer block tariffs as a competitive incentive for their business model.

Ofgem, in their recent call for input on standing charges, asked about block tariffs, and feedback from consumer representatives and charities was mixed. As part of Ofgem’s continued work on standing charges, they are seeking views on options including increasing tariff diversity in the market, which could include block tariffs.

The Net Zero transition is critical to sustainable UK growth because of the economic costs of unmitigated climate change. The Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR) published its analysis of the cost of reaching net zero by 2050 in chapter 3 of the July 2021 edition of its UK Fiscal Risk Report. As the OBR has noted, “the costs of failing to get climate change under control would be much larger than those of bringing emissions down to net zero.”

The Government wants the UK research sector to engage with all international partners, in a way that takes account of specific national security concerns, is compliant with the UK’s security policies and regulations, and protects the integrity of global research.

As part of my department's proactive engagement with the research sector, the Research Collaboration Advice Team (RCAT) provides tailored advice to universities on managing national security risks in international collaboration. The Government also offers published guidance through the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and National Protective Security Authority's (NPSA) Trusted Research.

The department’s expectations for high quality, inclusive education are enforced through inspection by Ofsted. Ofsted’s proposed new framework for inspection of education settings will be informed by their public consultation, which closed on 28 April and includes a stronger focus on children with additional needs including neurodiverse children. We will continue to work with Ofsted to consider how their framework can best ensure continuous improvement in outcomes for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision. The framework is scheduled for implementation from autumn 2025.

There are several routes of redress available to parents, or children and young people with SEND, who disagree with a decision made by a school. First, they can complain informally or formally to the school. If they remain unhappy, they can complain to their local authority or multi-academy trust. They can also request to use their local authority’s dispute resolution service or lodge an appeal with the First Tier SEND Tribunal, if they feel that their child has been discriminated against on grounds of their disability.

We continue to ensure that local and regional delivery includes the voice of children and young people, parents/carers and the SEND sector. We are funding 153 local authority Parent Carer Forums, helping families to navigate the SEND system through the Contact national helpline support and advice service, and funding the training and support of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information and Advice Support Service (SENDIASS) staff.

Media literacy is covered in the citizenship, relationships, sex and health education and computing curriculums.

The department funds the National Centre for Computing Education, which provides teachers with continuing professional development and resources to support the teaching of computing. This includes units on messaging in digital media, the credibility of sources, and identifying ‘fake’ news and edited images, supporting the teaching of artificial intelligence (AI) and media literacy.

In 2024, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) provided £0.5 million to scale up two programmes, to provide media literacy support to teachers, children aged 11 to 16, parents/carers and other professionals working with families.

The Educate against Hate website also hosts a series of online media literacy resources which seek to help young people evaluate the validity of information. This can be accessed at: https://www.educateagainsthate.com/.

The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review’s interim report notes the rise of AI and trends in digital information and that it is necessary that the curriculum keep pace with these changes, including a renewed focus on digital and media literacy and critical thinking skills. The interim report is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/curriculum-and-assessment-review-interim-report. The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in autumn with the government’s response.

The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review’s interim report notes the rise of artificial intelligence and trends in digital information and that it is necessary that the curriculum keep pace with these changes, including a renewed focus on digital and media literacy and critical thinking skills. The interim report is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/curriculum-and-assessment-review-interim-report. The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in autumn with the government’s response.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

To achieve that ambition, we expect mainstream schools to welcome pupils from across the whole community, including pupils who may need additional support. We are working with Ofsted to ensure that schools are held accountable for their approach to inclusion, so that all children are given the high-quality support they need to achieve and thrive. This government has created an Expert Advisory Group for Inclusion, led by Tom Rees, that consists of experts across the SEND sector to advise on how to drive inclusive education practice and improve mainstream education outcomes and experiences for children and young people with SEND, whether or not they have an education, health and care (EHC) plan.

The department is providing an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year, following the Autumn Budget 2024. This brings total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND to over £12 billion. This funding makes a significant contribution to the costs of mainstream school pupils with EHC plans and funds the placement of pupils in special schools.

Alternative provision (AP) schools contribute to a more inclusive whole-school system by working with mainstream schools to identify children’s special educational needs at the earliest stage. They can help devise interventions and provide additional support, enabling children to remain in a mainstream classroom or successfully transition into specialist provision.

In future, the department’s focus will be on providing early intervention and support to mainstream schools to equip all their children with the skills and confidence needed to thrive in education and reduce the need for AP placements. This early intervention will help children and young people, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) awaiting their Tribunal hearing, to get back on track quickly and have the skills to achieve and thrive.

If a local authority has issued an education, health and care plan naming a school or college, the plan carries statutory force until it is reviewed and amended, including when a plan is being appealed at the First Tier SEND Tribunal. This means the local authority must secure the specific special educational provision set out in the plan and that the setting must admit the child or young person, including those in AP, even whilst an appeal is ongoing.

The department monitors and holds local authorities to account for delivery of their SEND services through joint inspections by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission. These inspections place greater emphasis on the outcomes being achieved by children and young people and are the primary tool to maintain a focus on high standards in the SEND system across all partners.

The department is committed to supporting the UK net-zero carbon targets. Since 2021, the department’s own building standards require that all new school buildings delivered by the department are net-zero carbon in operation and are adapted to climate change.

Additionally, the department recently announced the £80 million Great British Energy Solar Accelerator Programme, in partnership with GB Energy, that will install solar and other technologies, such as electric vehicle (EV) chargers, in 200 targeted schools and colleges, prioritising those in areas of deprivation, to start in 2025/26.

The department is providing support for all schools and colleges to start on their journey towards net zero via our new online sustainability support for education platform and our climate ambassador programme. Where schools are considering options to become more sustainable, including considering decarbonisation of their energy supply, our ‘Get help for buying’ service provides support to ensure that schemes procured are of high-quality and value to the sector. More information can be found at: https://gethelpbuyingforschools.campaign.gov.uk/.

Details of other government funding available to public bodies for sustainability, prepared by the Crown Commercial Service can be found at: https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/social-value/carbon-net-zero/funding-and-grants.

Capital funding allocated to the school sector each year can also be used for projects that improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of school buildings, as well as improving the condition of the estate to keep schools safe and operational.

The department has allocated £2.1 billion in condition funding for the 2025/26 financial year, which is £300 million more than the previous year.

The government has committed £1.4 billion to continue the current School Rebuilding Programme (SRP) in 2025/26, reconfirming the department’s commitment to rebuild or refurbish 518 schools and sixth form colleges across England, prioritising delivery based on need. All schools within the programme are prioritised for delivery according to the condition of their buildings, readiness to proceed, and efficiency of delivery. Expected delivery timeframes have been communicated to all responsible bodies.

Just over half of SRP projects have started various stages of delivery activity and, so far, the department has handed over 28 projects, including refurbished or rebuilt schools. We plan to increase the number of existing school rebuilding projects that we will start delivery on in this financial year to 100, so work can start more quickly, and more children and teachers will ultimately benefit from new school buildings sooner.

All state-funded schools are required to teach about first aid as part of the statutory health education set out within the relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) statutory guidance. Independent schools are required to cover health education as part of their responsibility to provide personal, social, health and economic education.

The statutory guidance includes basic first aid for primary school children, for example dealing with common injuries, such as head injuries. Pupils in secondary schools will be taught further first aid, for example how to administer CPR and the purpose of defibrillators.

The department is currently reviewing the statutory RSHE curriculum, which includes considering whether any additional content is needed, and will be publishing revised guidance as soon as possible.

The department has made no separate estimate of the number of pupils in individual local authority areas who have left the independent school system as a result of VAT on school fees.

​The government predicts that, in the long-term steady state, there will be 37,000 fewer pupils in the private sector in the UK as a result of the removal of the VAT exemption applied to school fees. This represents around 6% of the current private school population.

Of the expected 37,000 pupil reduction in the private sector, the government estimates an increase of 35,000 pupils in the state sector in the steady state following the VAT policy taking effect, with the other 2,000 consisting of international pupils who do not move into the UK state system, and domestic pupils moving into homeschooling. This state sector increase represents less than 0.5% of total UK state school pupils, of which there are over 9 million. This movement is expected to take place over several years.

The impact on individual local authorities will interact with other pressures and vary between authorities. Every year many pupils move between schools, including between the private and state-funded sectors.

Local authorities routinely support parents who need a state-funded school place, including where private schools have closed. Where local authorities are experiencing difficulties in ensuring there are enough school places for children that need them, the department will offer support and advice.

​The department provides capital funding through the Basic Need grant to support local authorities to provide school places, based on their own pupil forecasts and school capacity data. They can use this funding to provide places in new schools or through expansions of existing schools.

Surrey County Council has been allocated just below £43 million to support the provision of new mainstream school places needed over the current and next two academic years, up to and including the academic year starting in September 2026.

Hampshire County Council has been allocated just over £22.2 million to support the provision of new mainstream school places needed over the current and next two academic years, up to and including the academic year starting in September 2026.

The department has made no separate estimate of the number of pupils in individual local authority areas who have left the independent school system as a result of VAT on school fees.

​The government predicts that, in the long-term steady state, there will be 37,000 fewer pupils in the private sector in the UK as a result of the removal of the VAT exemption applied to school fees. This represents around 6% of the current private school population.

Of the expected 37,000 pupil reduction in the private sector, the government estimates an increase of 35,000 pupils in the state sector in the steady state following the VAT policy taking effect, with the other 2,000 consisting of international pupils who do not move into the UK state system, and domestic pupils moving into homeschooling. This state sector increase represents less than 0.5% of total UK state school pupils, of which there are over 9 million. This movement is expected to take place over several years.

The impact on individual local authorities will interact with other pressures and vary between authorities. Every year many pupils move between schools, including between the private and state-funded sectors.

Local authorities routinely support parents who need a state-funded school place, including where private schools have closed. Where local authorities are experiencing difficulties in ensuring there are enough school places for children that need them, the department will offer support and advice.

​The department provides capital funding through the Basic Need grant to support local authorities to provide school places, based on their own pupil forecasts and school capacity data. They can use this funding to provide places in new schools or through expansions of existing schools.

Surrey County Council has been allocated just below £43 million to support the provision of new mainstream school places needed over the current and next two academic years, up to and including the academic year starting in September 2026.

Hampshire County Council has been allocated just over £22.2 million to support the provision of new mainstream school places needed over the current and next two academic years, up to and including the academic year starting in September 2026.

As part of the Children Not in School measures, the department will publish statutory guidance outlining the steps that local authorities and parents need to take to comply with the new provisions. This guidance will be consulted on, ensuring families have sufficient time to feed in, understand and prepare for any requirements.

To engage effectively during the passage and future implementation of the Children in School measures, the department has set up implementation fora to engage with home-educating parents, stakeholders and local authorities.

Through round-table discussions and direct engagement with home-educating communities, we have sought to understand the concerns and priorities of families who choose to educate their children at home.

As part of the Children Not in School measures, the department will publish statutory guidance outlining the steps that local authorities and parents need to take to comply with the new provisions. This guidance will be consulted on, ensuring families have sufficient time to feed in, understand and prepare for any requirements.

To engage effectively during the passage and future implementation of the Children in School measures, the department has set up implementation fora to engage with home-educating parents, stakeholders and local authorities.

Through round-table discussions and direct engagement with home-educating communities, we have sought to understand the concerns and priorities of families who choose to educate their children at home.

This government is absolutely committed to, and will continue to protect, academic freedom.

The department recognises the concerns of overseas interference in the academic sector and regularly works with colleagues from across government, the Office for Students, and other stakeholders to ensure that overseas influence does not interfere with academic freedom and related policies.

The department wants to deliver better life chances for all, through a system which works for all.

The department knows that parents have struggled to get the right support for their children, particularly through a long and difficult education, health and care (EHC) plan process. The department will work across the sector to provide support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision (AP) and their families. The department is committed to taking a community-wide approach, improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools and AP settings, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.

The department wants to ensure that EHC plan applications are processed promptly and plans are issued as quickly as possible where required, so that children and young people can access the support they need. The department has listened to parents, schools and local authorities and is reflecting on what practice could be made consistent nationally.

I have the deepest sympathy with everyone affected by historic forced adoption. The practice was abhorrent and should never have taken place. Moreover, the treatment that women experienced during this time was very wrong.

Following the report of the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR), ‘The Violation of Family Life: Adoption of Children of Unmarried Women 1949-1976 (2022)’, regulations were amended in 2023 to make it easier for adults to access adoption support. These amendments were widely welcomed.

The department is also currently funding the Adoption England project Improving Adoption Services for Adults (IASA) which is designed to maintain relationships and access to better support for adopted adults, including those adopted between 1940-1970.

The government is working to carefully consider the impact of charging VAT on independent schools’ fees. This government will undertake appropriate analysis and assessment to support this process.

The department is continuing to support and challenge Surrey and Hampshire to improve the delivery of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services.

The last local area SEND inspection by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for Surrey was in September 2023. The department’s regional team has put in place systems to track outcomes against the areas for improvement that were identified by inspectors and to track the progress made by children and young people with SEND. Surrey County Council are committed to working closely with the department to improve services.

Surrey County Council entered into a Safety Valve agreement with the department in March 2022. Safety Valve agreements were established under the previous government with the aim of improving the effectiveness of local authority high needs systems and ensure their long-term financial sustainability.

Hampshire were last inspected under the previous Ofsted and CQC framework in March 2020. As with all local areas, the department has continued to provide support to Hampshire through a regional case lead, who seeks regular assurances on the adequacy of SEND provision. Hampshire will be assessed under the new Ofsted and CQC Area Inspection Framework, with all local authorities due to be inspected by the end of 2027.

Hampshire is taking part in the Delivering Better Value (DBV) in SEND Programme. The DBV in SEND Programme, which is currently under review, was established under the previous government with the aim of helping local authorities provide more effective SEND services by meeting the needs of children and young people at an early stage and with the right level of support.

The department is aware that the number of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in England continues to rise, and that parents have struggled with getting the right support for their children, particularly through a sometimes long and difficult education, health and care plan process.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with SEND or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department is committed to taking a community-wide approach, to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools and to ensuring that special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, and I will work with families and education and care experts to deliver this in the best interests of our children.