Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to ensure an increased gradual tapering, as household income increases, of the non-repayable maintenance grant, to help support students from families marginally above an income threshold.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.
The new maintenance grants are a targeted measure designed to provide additional support to eligible students from the lowest-income households without increasing their debt. They will be introduced for new and continuing students studying subjects aligned with the Industrial Strategy and skills needs from the 2028/29 academic year.
Like other means-tested elements of the student finance system, eligibility criteria are required to ensure support is targeted effectively. Students with household incomes at or below the minimum means-testing threshold of £25,000 will receive the highest level of support, with grant entitlement tapering as household income increases towards the upper threshold at £30,000. Students with household incomes above this level will not be eligible for a maintenance grant.
Students at all levels of household income will continue to benefit from the government's commitment to increase maintenance loans every year in line with forecast inflation.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she will take to improve awareness among teachers and parents of about how autism presents differently in girls, so that they are identified earlier, can better understand themselves and can access appropriate support.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.
We recognise concerns that some children and young people, including some girls and young women, may not always have their needs identified as early as they should. We know that some children and young people can mask or compensate for their difficulties, or their needs may present differently, and it is important that practitioners have the knowledge and confidence to recognise and respond to those needs appropriately, regardless of a child's sex or background.
That is why we are strengthening the evidence base for identification and developing National Inclusion Standards to help education settings recognise and respond to barriers to learning, including where needs may be less visible or present differently across contexts. Support should be based on a child or young person's needs, not solely on whether they have received a diagnosis. We are also considering with the findings of the independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism.
By establishing clearer national expectations and strengthening workforce knowledge and confidence, we aim to reduce inconsistency in identification and support across the country and improve consistency for all children and young people.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on skills levels in Northern Ireland, particularly in the engineering, construction and trades based sectors.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Skills policy is devolved and the Northern Ireland Executive is responsible for matters of skills needs in Northern Ireland, including in engineering, construction and trades-based sectors.
The department maintains constructive relationships with the devolved governments through regular ministerial and official-level engagement, providing opportunities to discuss shared challenges and exchange learning and evidence across the UK.
Officials in the Department for Work and Pensions also maintain relationships with officials from The Northern Ireland Department of the Economy to discuss skills matters.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps are being taken to improve access to affordable childcare.
Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Education is a devolved matter and the response outlines the information for England only.
Through our Best Start in Life Strategy, we are ensuring that families across the country can access affordable high-quality early education.
In 2026/27, we are expecting to provide over £9.5 billion for the early years entitlements, as we have successfully rolled-out the expansion of government-funded childcare for working parents. Eligible working parents of children aged 9 months and above can now access 30 hours a week (over 38 weeks a year) from the term following their child turning 9 months to when they start school. Families using their full entitlement can save an average of £8,000 per eligible child per year.
Tax-Free Childcare remains available for working parents of children aged 0 to 11, or up to 17 for eligible disabled children. This can save parents up to £2,000 per year, or up to £4,000 for eligible children with disabilities, and has the same income criteria as 30 hours of government-funded childcare.
In addition to childcare entitlements, the Universal Credit childcare offer supports claimants with the costs of qualifying childcare, regardless of how many hours they work.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on supporting the operation of specialist SEN provision classes for schools across Northern Ireland.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Education is a devolved matter and England and Northern Ireland have different systems for supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Officials in the department engage regularly with counterparts in the Northern Ireland Executive through established networks, including the European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education. Recent discussions have focused on comparing approaches to special educational needs provision attached to mainstream schools and improving access to the specialist workforce in mainstream schools.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that skills and talents decide people gain graduate jobs.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper sets out our vision for a skills system that meets the needs of students and employers.
Graduate outcomes remain strong, with graduates more likely to be in employment, work in highly skilled occupations and earn more over their lifetimes than non-graduates. However, higher education is not the right route for everyone. We want all learners to be supported to make informed choices about the pathway that is right for them, whether that is a university degree, an apprenticeship, technical education or another route.
Through the Jobs and Careers Service and wider careers reforms, we are helping people access high-quality information, advice and guidance so they can make those decisions with a clear understanding of the opportunities available.
Demand for higher-level skills is expected to continue growing, with around two-thirds of additional employment demand in priority sectors by 2030 expected to come from roles requiring Level 4 qualifications and above. Universities have a central role to play in meeting that need and ensuring that graduates are equipped for the jobs of the future.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure autism in girls does not go unmissed.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.
Effective early identification and support is critical to improving outcomes for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with autism.
We have proposed the introduction of National Inclusion Standards, which will support education settings to identify and respond to needs earlier and more consistently, drawing on a broad range of evidence and professional expertise, so that all children and young people can receive the support they need to achieve and thrive.
The National Inclusion Standards will be underpinned by a £200 million training package to ensure that all teachers, educators, teaching assistants, support staff and leaders across early years, schools and post-16 settings can be trained to support pupils with SEND, and a new investment of £3.7 billion to drive more inclusive school estates and create additional specialist places.
We will continue to engage closely with young people, parents and professionals as we develop our reforms and how they will work in practice. The department also engages with the devolved governments at ministerial and official level on a range of areas covering education, skills and family policies and will continue to do so.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking with the Minister for Women and Equalities to ensure children are taught that religious hatred is wrong from a young age.
Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.
Every school should actively promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance for those of different faiths and beliefs. Promotion of these values plays an important role in preparing children and young people for life in a modern and diverse Britain.
Citizenship education equips young people to understand their place in the wider world and provides an important platform for discussions about global events and how they affect them and their communities. Religious education can also help pupils develop an understanding of different faiths and beliefs. Schools should promote critical thinking, logical reasoning and empathy, building children’s resilience to all forms of hatred, including antisemitism and anti-Muslim hostility.
The department has funded £7 million to tackle antisemitism in schools, colleges and universities, including £1 million for an innovation fund supporting projects that improve media literacy, tackle misinformation and promote tolerant debate. We also provide guidance and resources through the department’s Educate Against Hate website.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support schools in rural communities.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.
The department is making a significant investment in the core schools budget in the 2026/27 financial year, with an extra £2.3 billion for schools.
The schools national funding formula (NFF), which distributes funding for mainstream schools, accounts for the particular challenges faced by small schools in rural areas through the lump sum and sparsity factor. This funding recognises the financial challenges small and remote schools can face, such as fewer opportunities to find efficiencies, the significant role they play in the rural communities they serve and that without such, pupils could face long travel distances to attend school.
In the 2026/27 financial year, the sparsity factor provides eligible primary schools up to £58,600, and all other eligible schools up to £85,200. In addition to this, all small schools have benefited from the increase to core factors in the NFF in 2026/27, including the NFF lump sum set at £152,700. This provides a fixed amount of funding that is not affected by pupil numbers.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that commissioning practices do not disadvantage Independent Fostering Agencies when identifying the most appropriate placement for a child.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Fostering is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.
The department recognises the impact that lengthy allegations investigations can have on foster carers and the children they care for. Through the proposed new Fostering Quality Standards, currently out for consultation, we are seeking to improve the allegations process to make it more proportionate and timely, while maintaining robust safeguards for children. The consultation will inform next steps on improving the allegations process for all foster carers, including those approved by independent fostering agencies.
We have launched an ambitious fostering reform programme that aims to create 10,000 additional foster placements by 2029. As part of this programme, our enhanced regional hub model is improving regional coordination and visibility of fostering capacity across local authority and non-profit independent fostering agency provision. This will help local authorities make better use of all available fostering provision when identifying the most appropriate placement for a child, while increasing fostering capacity across the sector so children can be matched with homes that best meet their needs.