Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many state school students took the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in each of the last five years; and what proportion of those students were female.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The data requested is below. Data relating to 2024/25 will be available in February 2026.
The number and proportion of state-funded student entries for international baccalaureate by sex
Time Period | Sex | Number of State-Funded Students | Proportion (%) |
2023/24 | Female | 764 | 55.9 |
2023/24 | Male | 602 | 44.1 |
2022/23 | Female | 661 | 55.8 |
2022/23 | Male | 524 | 44.2 |
2021/22 | Female | 772 | 57.3 |
2021/22 | Male | 574 | 42.6 |
2020/21 | Female | 763 | 59.5 |
2020/21 | Male | 519 | 40.5 |
2019/20 | Female | 737 | 58.5 |
2019/20 | Male | 522 | 41.5 |
*Source: A level and other 16 to 18 results
*Coverage: All institutions, England
To note regarding the data:
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he has taken to help increase awareness amongst employers of the incentives available to hire apprentices, including National Insurance relief when hiring apprentices under 25.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government offers a range of financial support to help employers to take on apprentices. In addition to the National Insurance exemptions for apprentices under 25, the government pays £1,000 to employers that take on apprentices under 19 or eligible 19 to 24-year-olds.
An incentive payment of up to £2,000 has also been introduced to employers who take on foundation apprenticeships, on the seven apprenticeships that launched in August 2025.
Apprenticeships and the financial support available for employers are promoted through multiple channels, including social media and email and telephone marketing campaigns.
In addition, the government facilitates and funds the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (AAN) which comprises 2,500 employers and apprentices who volunteer to promote the benefits of apprenticeships.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress he has made on the design of the PIP review.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Timms Review will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, carers, clinicians, experts, MPs and other stakeholders, to ensure that expertise from a wide range of perspectives is drawn upon.
On 30 October, I announced that the Review will be co-chaired by myself alongside Sharon Brennan and Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE. We will oversee a steering group responsible for leading the co-production process, setting the Review’s strategic direction, priorities and workplan. The group will be made up of a majority of disabled people or representatives of disabled people’s organisations and will be recruited through an open and transparent Expression of Interest (EOI) process. The EOI is now live and will run until 30 November.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he expects the data on incidence of corridor care to be published by NHS England.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to tackling the unacceptable practice of corridor care in our National Health Service. Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan, published in June 2025, sets out steps we are taking, including the commitment to publish data on the prevalence of corridor care.
NHS England has been working with trusts since 2024 to put in place new reporting arrangements related to the use of temporary escalation spaces, to drive improvement. The data quality is currently being reviewed, and the information will be published shortly.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether integrated care boards will be given additional one-off funding for redundancy programmes to meet the 50% cost reduction target.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department has given to integrated care boards on covering redundancy programme costs.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support access to a broad curriculum for state pupils.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The Review wants to ensure a rich, broad, inclusive and innovative curriculum that readies young people for life and work. It is also looking closely at the key challenges to attainment for young people, and the barriers which hold children back from the opportunities and life chances they deserve.
The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published shortly with the government’s response.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions he has had with small businesses on the apprenticeship system.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Small businesses are a vital part of our economy and apprenticeship system. They provide valuable opportunities in priority sectors for young people and apprentices from disadvantaged areas.
The government engages with small employers regularly to promote apprenticeships. During National Apprenticeship Week 2025, we held a round table with small and medium employers and other key partners to better understand the challenges they are facing in recruiting apprentices. This insight allows us to better target engagement activities with small businesses.
The government pays the full training costs for young apprentices under 22 and eligible apprentices aged 22-24 undertaking apprenticeships with non-levy paying employers, also paying £1,000 to both employers and providers for apprentices aged 16-18, and for eligible apprentices aged 19-24.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of fully funding apprenticeships for under-22s in SMEs on apprenticeship starts.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Small businesses are a vital part of our economy and apprenticeship system. They provide valuable opportunities in priority sectors for young people and apprentices from disadvantaged areas.
The government engages with small employers regularly to promote apprenticeships. During National Apprenticeship Week 2025, we held a round table with small and medium employers and other key partners to better understand the challenges they are facing in recruiting apprentices. This insight allows us to better target engagement activities with small businesses.
The government pays the full training costs for young apprentices under 22 and eligible apprentices aged 22-24 undertaking apprenticeships with non-levy paying employers, also paying £1,000 to both employers and providers for apprentices aged 16-18, and for eligible apprentices aged 19-24.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of its targeted support to help SMEs offer apprenticeships.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Small businesses are a vital part of our economy and apprenticeship system. They provide valuable opportunities in priority sectors for young people and apprentices from disadvantaged areas.
The government engages with small employers regularly to promote apprenticeships. During National Apprenticeship Week 2025, we held a round table with small and medium employers and other key partners to better understand the challenges they are facing in recruiting apprentices. This insight allows us to better target engagement activities with small businesses.
The government pays the full training costs for young apprentices under 22 and eligible apprentices aged 22-24 undertaking apprenticeships with non-levy paying employers, also paying £1,000 to both employers and providers for apprentices aged 16-18, and for eligible apprentices aged 19-24.