Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a child risk disclosure scheme.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government recognises the strength of feeling behind proposals for a Child Risk Disclosure Scheme and has considered the potential merits of such an approach. At its heart, the proposal seeks to ensure that relevant information about risk is shared quickly so that children can be protected from harm.
Some key elements of such a scheme are already possible through existing arrangements. Sarah’s Law enables both proactive and application‑based disclosures where there is a risk to a child, and we are strengthening this by placing it on a statutory footing.
We are also taking further action to improve visibility of risk and support safeguarding professionals, including through the introduction of a child cruelty register and a new information sharing duty. This duty will place a clear legal obligation on agencies to share information relevant to a child’s welfare at the earliest opportunity.
These reforms along with a strengthened role for education in local safeguarding arrangements, the creation of multi-agency child protection teams and a new Child Protection Authority will strengthen safeguarding in England, helping keep children safe from harm.
We will continue to engage closely with Maya Chappell’s family and other stakeholders to test whether ongoing reforms are addressing the risks they have identified.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the impact of local government reorganisation on local authorities' ability to (a) convene and (b) support Standing Advisory Councils for Religious Educations effectively.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The legal duty on local authorities, or any replacement of these entities, to convene a standing advisory council on religious education (SACRE) remain included throughout local government reorganisation. Discussions have been held about the role of SACREs with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government as part of regular engagement.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions her Department has had with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government regarding the role of Standing Advisory Councils for Religious Education since the publication of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's policy paper entitled Protecting What Matters: Towards a more confident, cohesive, and resilient United Kingdom.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The legal duty on local authorities, or any replacement of these entities, to convene a standing advisory council on religious education (SACRE) remain included throughout local government reorganisation. Discussions have been held about the role of SACREs with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government as part of regular engagement.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that reintroduced maintenance grants reach students who need them most; what proportion of the student population will be eligible for support; and what steps she is taking to ensure take-up rates among students from the most disadvantaged backgrounds.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government is committed to supporting the aspiration of every person who meets the requirements and wants to attend higher education. This is why we are reintroducing maintenance grants for students from low-income households studying courses aligned with the government’s Missions and the Industrial Strategy. Maintenance grants will be available to new and continuing full-time students from the 2028/29 academic year. Students who have a household residual income of £25,000 or less will receive the maximum grant of £1,000 per year.
The proportion of students that receive maintenance grants will depend on the list of eligible subjects, and it is vital that this is informed by the best and most up-to-date evidence on future employment and skills priorities. The full list of eligible subjects will be confirmed in advance of maintenance grant introduction, helping raise awareness amongst prospective students.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the (a) revenue from the international student levy on higher education providers’ income from international students and (b) cost of introducing maintenance grants for the most disadvantaged students.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The International Student Levy (ISL) will require higher education providers to pay a flat fee of £925 per international student per year. An impact analysis of the ISL published in November 2025 estimated that the levy would raise £445 million in the 2028/29 financial year, rising to £480 million in 2030/31. The full impact analysis is available here: https://consult.education.gov.uk/international-student-levy-unit/international-student-levy/supporting_documents/international-student-levy-impact-analysispdf.
Proceeds from the ISL will be fully reinvested into higher education and skills, to support the reintroduction of targeted maintenance grants, progression through the post-16 system, and for wider skills. This will make sure that revenue from international students directly benefits domestic students from low-income households.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will extend funding for the holiday activities and food programme beyond 21 March 2025.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for North Durham to the answer of 17 January 2025 to Question 24633.