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Written Question
Higher Education: Disadvantaged
Friday 20th December 2024

Asked by: Ian Byrne (Independent - Liverpool West Derby)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of reintroducing maintenance grants on widening access to higher education.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department is determined that the higher education (HE) funding system should deliver for our economy, universities and students, and the government is committed to supporting the aspiration of every person who meets the requirements and wants to go to university.

The government recognises the impact that the cost of living crisis has had on students. That is why we are increasing maximum loans for living costs for the 2025/26 academic year by 3.1%, in line with the forecast rate of RPIX inflation, to ensure that the most support is targeted at students from the lowest income families. In addition, vulnerable groups of students, such as lone parents and some disabled students who are eligible for benefits, qualify for higher rates of loans for living costs.

Means-tested, non-repayable grants remain available to low-income students with children, or adults who are financially dependent on them. Students undertaking nursing, midwifery and allied health profession courses also qualify for non-repayable grant support through the NHS Learning Support Fund.

However, the department recognises that there is more to be done to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds and is determined to reverse the decline in participation rates for disadvantaged students.

The department will set out this government’s longer term plan for HE reform by summer 2025.


Written Question
Children: Epilepsy
Monday 9th December 2024

Asked by: Ian Byrne (Independent - Liverpool West Derby)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of provision of support for children with epilepsy in schools.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units to make arrangements for supporting pupils with medical conditions. Some children with medical conditions may be considered to be disabled under the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010. Where this is the case, governing bodies must comply with their duties under that Act.

Governing bodies should ensure all schools develop a policy for supporting pupils with medical conditions that is reviewed regularly and is readily accessible to parents and school staff. They must ensure the arrangements they put in place are sufficient to meet their statutory responsibilities and should ensure that policies, plans, procedures and systems are properly and effectively implemented.


Written Question
Children: Carers
Wednesday 13th November 2024

Asked by: Ian Byrne (Independent - Liverpool West Derby)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support children in kinship care.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Through the Autumn Budget 2024, the government announced £40 million to trial a new kinship allowance in up to ten local authorities. This will test whether paying an allowance to cover certain costs, such as supporting a child to settle into a new home with relatives, can help increase the number of children taken in by family members and friends.

In October 2024, the department announced the appointment of the first National Kinship Care Ambassador, to advocate for kinship children and their carers, and to work directly with local authorities to help improve services whilst sharing good practice across areas. We also published new Kinship Care statutory guidance for local authorities, which sets out the support and services local authorities should provide to kinship families.

From September 2024, the role of Virtual School Heads has been expanded to include championing the education, attendance and attainment of children in kinship care.

The government is extending the delivery of over 140 peer support groups across England, and the department is also delivering a package of training and support for all kinship carers across England. In addition, the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund continues to provide therapeutic support for some children in kinship care.

The government recognises the challenge that many kinship carers face in continuing to work alongside taking in and raising a child. The department is introducing kinship leave for its own employees and are dedicated to keeping this area under review to ensure working kinship families receive the support they need.


Written Question
Academies: Faith Schools
Tuesday 30th April 2024

Asked by: Ian Byrne (Independent - Liverpool West Derby)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to remove the 50% cap on faith-based admissions at (a) academies and (b) free schools.

Answered by Damian Hinds

The diversity of schools in this country is one of our education system’s most valuable assets and faith schools play a pivotal role in that by providing high-quality school places and choice for parents. This government remains committed in its support for faith schools.

Faith school providers, including churches, are among the largest providers of academy trusts. As the department moves to an education system that is increasingly based on schools being part of strong academy trusts, the department needs to ensure that it is making the best and full use of the talents of all trusts. This includes having mechanism in place for all providers to open new schools.

As the department continues to uphold diversity and quality education for all, it is keeping all policies, including the 50% faith admissions cap for free schools with a faith designation, under review to ensure that this country’s education system is world leading.


Written Question
Free School Meals
Wednesday 10th January 2024

Asked by: Ian Byrne (Independent - Liverpool West Derby)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made a recent assessment of the potential implications for her policies on provision of free school meals of universal school meals roll-out in (a) London, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales.

Answered by Damian Hinds

This government has extended Free School Meal (FSM) eligibility several times and to more groups of children than any other government over the past half a century. Around 2 million pupils are currently eligible for benefits-related FSM. Close to 1.3 million additional infants receive free and nutritious meals under the Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) policy. Taken together, over one third of pupils are receiving free meals.

The department invests over £1 billion in support of these policies. Schools are currently funded at £480 per eligible pupil per year as a factor value within the National Funding Formula. This is increasing to £490 in 2024/25. For UIFSM, schools receive £2.53 per meal per child. This was uplifted from £2.41 for the current academic year. Further Education institutions have received the same uplift.

In setting an income threshold for FSM, the government’s judgement is that the current level enables the most disadvantaged children to benefit while remaining affordable and deliverable for schools and the taxpayer. It is right that provision is aimed at supporting the most disadvantaged, those out of work, or those on the lowest incomes. The department does not have any plans to further extend provision at this time. The department will keep FSM eligibility under review to ensure that these meals are supporting those who need them most. The department facilitates this by working with other government departments to monitor the cost of living and impact on disadvantaged families and considering a wide range of evidence, including findings produced by the Child Poverty Action Group. In addition to this, the department regularly engages with a wide range of stakeholders including school leaders, pupils and catering organisations.


Written Question
Free School Meals
Wednesday 10th January 2024

Asked by: Ian Byrne (Independent - Liverpool West Derby)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her department has made a recent assessment of the potential (a) economic, (b) health and (c) educational benefits of extending eligibility for free school meals.

Answered by Damian Hinds

This government has extended Free School Meal (FSM) eligibility several times and to more groups of children than any other government over the past half a century. Around 2 million pupils are currently eligible for benefits-related FSM. Close to 1.3 million additional infants receive free and nutritious meals under the Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) policy. Taken together, over one third of pupils are receiving free meals.

The department invests over £1 billion in support of these policies. Schools are currently funded at £480 per eligible pupil per year as a factor value within the National Funding Formula. This is increasing to £490 in 2024/25. For UIFSM, schools receive £2.53 per meal per child. This was uplifted from £2.41 for the current academic year. Further Education institutions have received the same uplift.

In setting an income threshold for FSM, the government’s judgement is that the current level enables the most disadvantaged children to benefit while remaining affordable and deliverable for schools and the taxpayer. It is right that provision is aimed at supporting the most disadvantaged, those out of work, or those on the lowest incomes. The department does not have any plans to further extend provision at this time. The department will keep FSM eligibility under review to ensure that these meals are supporting those who need them most. The department facilitates this by working with other government departments to monitor the cost of living and impact on disadvantaged families and considering a wide range of evidence, including findings produced by the Child Poverty Action Group. In addition to this, the department regularly engages with a wide range of stakeholders including school leaders, pupils and catering organisations.


Written Question
School Meals: Costs
Wednesday 10th January 2024

Asked by: Ian Byrne (Independent - Liverpool West Derby)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department is taking steps to help tackle cost pressures on (a) parents and (b) schools who are paying to provide school meals.

Answered by Damian Hinds

This government has extended Free School Meal (FSM) eligibility several times and to more groups of children than any other government over the past half a century. Around 2 million pupils are currently eligible for benefits-related FSM. Close to 1.3 million additional infants receive free and nutritious meals under the Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) policy. Taken together, over one third of pupils are receiving free meals.

The department invests over £1 billion in support of these policies. Schools are currently funded at £480 per eligible pupil per year as a factor value within the National Funding Formula. This is increasing to £490 in 2024/25. For UIFSM, schools receive £2.53 per meal per child. This was uplifted from £2.41 for the current academic year. Further Education institutions have received the same uplift.

In setting an income threshold for FSM, the government’s judgement is that the current level enables the most disadvantaged children to benefit while remaining affordable and deliverable for schools and the taxpayer. It is right that provision is aimed at supporting the most disadvantaged, those out of work, or those on the lowest incomes. The department does not have any plans to further extend provision at this time. The department will keep FSM eligibility under review to ensure that these meals are supporting those who need them most. The department facilitates this by working with other government departments to monitor the cost of living and impact on disadvantaged families and considering a wide range of evidence, including findings produced by the Child Poverty Action Group. In addition to this, the department regularly engages with a wide range of stakeholders including school leaders, pupils and catering organisations.


Written Question
Free School Meals
Wednesday 10th January 2024

Asked by: Ian Byrne (Independent - Liverpool West Derby)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies on free school meals of the briefing by the Child Poverty Action Group entitled Free school meals: third of kids in poverty miss out, published in July 2023.

Answered by Damian Hinds

This government has extended Free School Meal (FSM) eligibility several times and to more groups of children than any other government over the past half a century. Around 2 million pupils are currently eligible for benefits-related FSM. Close to 1.3 million additional infants receive free and nutritious meals under the Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) policy. Taken together, over one third of pupils are receiving free meals.

The department invests over £1 billion in support of these policies. Schools are currently funded at £480 per eligible pupil per year as a factor value within the National Funding Formula. This is increasing to £490 in 2024/25. For UIFSM, schools receive £2.53 per meal per child. This was uplifted from £2.41 for the current academic year. Further Education institutions have received the same uplift.

In setting an income threshold for FSM, the government’s judgement is that the current level enables the most disadvantaged children to benefit while remaining affordable and deliverable for schools and the taxpayer. It is right that provision is aimed at supporting the most disadvantaged, those out of work, or those on the lowest incomes. The department does not have any plans to further extend provision at this time. The department will keep FSM eligibility under review to ensure that these meals are supporting those who need them most. The department facilitates this by working with other government departments to monitor the cost of living and impact on disadvantaged families and considering a wide range of evidence, including findings produced by the Child Poverty Action Group. In addition to this, the department regularly engages with a wide range of stakeholders including school leaders, pupils and catering organisations.


Written Question
Free School Meals
Wednesday 10th January 2024

Asked by: Ian Byrne (Independent - Liverpool West Derby)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Answer of 14 June 2023 to Question 187978 on Free School Meals, how her Department keeps eligibility for free school meals under review to ensure that these meals are supporting those who most need them.

Answered by Damian Hinds

This government has extended Free School Meal (FSM) eligibility several times and to more groups of children than any other government over the past half a century. Around 2 million pupils are currently eligible for benefits-related FSM. Close to 1.3 million additional infants receive free and nutritious meals under the Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) policy. Taken together, over one third of pupils are receiving free meals.

The department invests over £1 billion in support of these policies. Schools are currently funded at £480 per eligible pupil per year as a factor value within the National Funding Formula. This is increasing to £490 in 2024/25. For UIFSM, schools receive £2.53 per meal per child. This was uplifted from £2.41 for the current academic year. Further Education institutions have received the same uplift.

In setting an income threshold for FSM, the government’s judgement is that the current level enables the most disadvantaged children to benefit while remaining affordable and deliverable for schools and the taxpayer. It is right that provision is aimed at supporting the most disadvantaged, those out of work, or those on the lowest incomes. The department does not have any plans to further extend provision at this time. The department will keep FSM eligibility under review to ensure that these meals are supporting those who need them most. The department facilitates this by working with other government departments to monitor the cost of living and impact on disadvantaged families and considering a wide range of evidence, including findings produced by the Child Poverty Action Group. In addition to this, the department regularly engages with a wide range of stakeholders including school leaders, pupils and catering organisations.


Written Question
Free School Meals
Wednesday 10th January 2024

Asked by: Ian Byrne (Independent - Liverpool West Derby)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will raise the threshold for receipt of free school meals.

Answered by Damian Hinds

This government has extended Free School Meal (FSM) eligibility several times and to more groups of children than any other government over the past half a century. Around 2 million pupils are currently eligible for benefits-related FSM. Close to 1.3 million additional infants receive free and nutritious meals under the Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) policy. Taken together, over one third of pupils are receiving free meals.

The department invests over £1 billion in support of these policies. Schools are currently funded at £480 per eligible pupil per year as a factor value within the National Funding Formula. This is increasing to £490 in 2024/25. For UIFSM, schools receive £2.53 per meal per child. This was uplifted from £2.41 for the current academic year. Further Education institutions have received the same uplift.

In setting an income threshold for FSM, the government’s judgement is that the current level enables the most disadvantaged children to benefit while remaining affordable and deliverable for schools and the taxpayer. It is right that provision is aimed at supporting the most disadvantaged, those out of work, or those on the lowest incomes. The department does not have any plans to further extend provision at this time. The department will keep FSM eligibility under review to ensure that these meals are supporting those who need them most. The department facilitates this by working with other government departments to monitor the cost of living and impact on disadvantaged families and considering a wide range of evidence, including findings produced by the Child Poverty Action Group. In addition to this, the department regularly engages with a wide range of stakeholders including school leaders, pupils and catering organisations.