Lord Bishop of Sheffield

Reaching Net Zero requires a wide-reaching transformation of the UK economy but will be an incredible opportunity—supporting hundreds of thousands of good quality jobs across the UK, including in South Yorkshire. The UK has made significant progress in attracting investment into green sectors. According to analysis by the CBI, the net zero sector is growing three times faster than the overall UK economy and the GVA of the net zero economy grew by 10% in 2024. Government also supports local areas to attract investment – including funding the North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub.

There are multiple targeted schemes in place to deliver energy efficiency measures to low income and fuel poor households. Current schemes include the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, the Home Upgrade Grant, the Energy Company Obligation and the Great British Insulation Scheme. Between them they help social housing providers, local authorities, charities, homeowners and private and social tenants with domestic energy efficiency measures.

The Warm Home Discount schemes also provide a £150 rebate off bills to eligible low-income households across Great Britain. Through Industry Initiatives suppliers can provide further assistance through third parties such as fuel poverty charities and organisations.

This Government fully recognises the importance of youth services to help young people live safe and healthy lives, and we are committed to giving all young people the chance to reach their full potential. That is why this Government has launched the co-production of an ambitious new National Youth Strategy, which will be co-produced together with young people at the centre.

The DCMS Youth Participation Pilot Survey found that in the previous year, for young people aged 10-19 in Yorkshire and the Humber, 67% reported they had taken part in out of school activities (compared to 66% nationally), 39% reported they had been on an overnight stay (compared to 40% nationally), and 45% reported they had volunteered (compared to 44% nationally).

We do not hold the broken down data requested for Sheffield.

The national curriculum for citizenship (key stages 3 and 4) provides a framework that would enable schools to discuss this matter. For example, pupils should be taught about local, regional and international governance and the United Kingdom’s relations with the rest of Europe, the Commonwealth, the United Nations and the wider world.

There is also considerable flexibility within the current history curriculum which would allow for teaching about this matter, for example in the statutory theme ‘challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world 1901 to the present day’.

The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The review seeks to deliver a curriculum that ensures children and young people leave compulsory education ready for life and ready for work, building the knowledge, skills and attributes needed to thrive.

The Review Group has now published its interim report, which sets out its initial findings and confirms the key areas for further work. The report highlights the successes of the current system, making clear that the most trusted and valued aspects of our system will remain, whilst setting a positive vision for the future. The report is attached and can also be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/curriculum-and-assessment-review-interim-report.

The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in the autumn with the government’s response.

The department will support the aspiration of every person who meets the requirements and wants to go to university, regardless of their background, where they live and their personal circumstances.

Too many people across our country do not get the chance to succeed. The department will act to address the persistent gaps for different student groups and to break down the barriers to opportunity. Opportunity should be available to all and it is the department’s aspiration that no groups are left behind.

The data cited in the Joseph Rowntree report is sobering. The department’s data shows that the progression rate to higher education (HE) for pupils who received free school meals at age 15 fell for the first time in nearly two decades, falling from 29.2% in the 2021/22 academic year to 29% in 2022/23.

The department expects universities to strengthen efforts to improve access and outcomes for disadvantaged students. There are already many examples of great practice throughout the sector which show a real commitment to social justice. These include targeting outreach support to those who are least likely to enter HE and working with local colleges to develop study pathways. However, the department wants HE providers to play a stronger role in expanding access and improving outcomes for disadvantaged students, making sure they are delivering strong and ambitious access and participation plans.

As part of this, the department is exploring how it can best support disadvantaged pupils at every stage of the student journey, from prior attainment to access, progression and outcomes. The department will consider the right level of transparency for students, the support available for different groups and ensure that providers commit to, and are held to account for, an ambitious approach to access and participation.

For the 2025/26 academic year, the department will be increasing loans for living costs by 3.1%. This approach ensures that the most support is targeted at students from the lowest income families, while keeping the student finance system financially sustainable.

The government continues to provide means-tested non-repayable grants to low-income students with children and/or adults who are financially dependent on them.

The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The terms of reference were published in July and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/curriculum-and-assessment-review.

The review will seek to address the key problems and hard barriers to achievement in curriculum and assessment, including post-16 education. It will look at ensuring all young people aged 16 to 19 have access to rigorous and high-value qualifications and training that will give them the skills they need to ensure they are ready for the changing workplace.

Professor Francis is supported by an expert group of individuals with experience throughout the education system. Primary, secondary and post-16 sectors are represented to give due authority and respect to the expertise of education professionals in shaping the curriculum and outcomes they deliver.

The review will be undertaken in close consultation with education professionals and other experts, parents, children and young people, and stakeholders such as employers, colleges, universities and trade unions.

The Review Group has recently launched a call for evidence, which sets out key questions and themes where it would particularly welcome input, closing on 22 November. The review will also include a range of engagement activity across every region during the autumn term, including visits to schools and colleges, as well as Q&A events and discussions with young people.

The Review Group will publish an interim report in the new year setting out their interim findings and confirming the key areas for further work. The final review with recommendations will be published in autumn 2025.

The Youth Guarantee will initially provide support to 18–21-year-olds to ensure young people not accessing higher or further education have a clear pathway to access quality support.

Across the UK, 18 to 21-year-olds have lower employment rates compared to 22 to 24-year-olds, even when taking into consideration their increased participation in full-time education.

DWP provides extensive support at a national and local level for 16–17-year-olds and 22–24-year-olds. This includes flexible provision driven by local need, nationwide employment programmes and support delivered by work coaches based in our Jobcentres and in local communities working alongside partners. These young people will also be able to access tailored support through the DWP Youth Offer, which includes the Youth Employment Programme, Youth Employability Coaches and access to Youth Hubs across Great Britain.

We will continue to monitor the need to expand the Youth Guarantee during the delivery phase and through future evaluation.

The Get Britain Working White Paper identified a lack of accountability for support that joins up the various education, training and employment opportunities available to 18-21 year olds.

As a first step, the Get Britain Working White paper announced £45m funding for eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers in England. Our partnerships with local government will test one of the key objectives of the Youth Guarantee that ensures better connections through local systems, of knowledge and awareness of resource and services in local areas, to ensure all 18-21 year olds have easy access to a wide range of education, training or employment opportunities.

By working closely on the detail of the design and delivery of the Youth Guarantee with the eight trailblazer areas, we will be able to maximise the difference it makes to young people’s lives locally. The findings of the trailblazers will inform future approach.

We will also work in partnership with organisations at the national and local level to join up, enhance and champion their efforts as part of our new Youth Guarantee. Our first partnerships will be developed with Channel 4, the Royal Shakespeare Company and leading sports organisations including the Premier League.​

The Government’s plan to Get Britain Working includes a new Youth Guarantee for all young people in England aged 18-21 to ensure that they can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or help to find work. More detail on the Youth Guarantee will be set out in the upcoming Get Britain Working White Paper.

In the recent budget, the Chancellor announced funding for eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazer areas to test new ways of supporting young people into employment or training, by bringing together and enhancing existing programmes in partnership with local areas. Decisions on the locations of the trailblazers will be announced in due course.

The Government is committed to ensuring that asylum costs fall and the Home Secretary has reduced in-donor refugee costs by taking action to reduce the asylum backlog and seeking to end the use of costly asylum hotels. We therefore anticipate further reductions to in-donor refugee costs in the next Spending Review period.

The Home Office’s Spending Review settlement will be subject to agreement with HM Treasury in the usual way.

The UK has always reported ODA spending consistent with internationally agreed OECD Development Assistance Committee rules. This includes certain support for refugees arriving from developing countries. The Home Secretary is committed to ensuring that asylum costs fall and has already acted, taking measures to reduce the asylum backlog, reform the asylum accommodation system to end the use of expensive accommodation, and increase detention capacity to facilitate more asylum removals. We expect these decisions to drive down in-donor refugee costs, creating more space in the ODA budget to spend on our international development priorities overseas. On current forecasts, ODA spending outside of in-donor refugee costs in 2025 will be more than the £11.0bn spent in 2023.

Tackling unsustainable debt is one of the Government’s key international priorities. As a member of the Paris Club and G20, the UK is committed to providing debt treatments through the Paris Club and the G20 Common Framework, for countries that need it. The UK continues to work with our international partners to push for more timely, orderly and predictable restructurings.

We are also committed to tackling the underlying drivers of unsustainable debt, including through enhancing debt sustainability and transparency. The UK is a strong advocate of the G20 Operational Guidelines for Sustainable Financing – we have committed to adhering to these guidelines and call on other countries to do the same.