Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps to roll out family hubs in Battersea constituency.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
On 11 June, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer set out plans for spending and public sector reforms through the Spending Review 2025. This announcement confirmed departmental budgets for 2026/27 onwards and committed that the government will continue to invest in and expand the Family Hubs programme, working with parents to help give children the best start in life.
This builds upon my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change, published in December 2024, which outlined the ambition to give children the best start in life by strengthening and joining up family services to improve support through pregnancy and early childhood.
We are working within the department and with the Department for Health and Social Care to share further information about what the Spending Review settlement means for the continuation and expansion of the programme. We recognise the importance of providing local authorities with certainty of future funding across the whole programme and we will share further information when we are able.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of learning through play in early years education.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework sets standards and requirements for all early years providers to ensure every child has the best start in life and is prepared for school. The EYFS is clear that children learn through play and that play is essential for children’s development. For example, singing songs helps to develop language comprehension, vocabulary, self-expression and literacy. Practitioners should organise enabling environments and cultures for high-quality play, create games, and provide opportunity for indoor and outdoor play.
The ‘Children of the 2020s’ study is part of a programme of departmental research to improve our understanding of children’s progress throughout key phases of learning and education. The study follows over 8,500 families and their babies, born in England between September and November 2021. The second wave of data is due to be published in autumn, and we will assess that to consider future policy for early education, including learning through play.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2025 to Question 60089 on Artificial Intelligence: Copyright, when he plans to publish a response to his Department's consultation on Copyright and Artificial Intelligence.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is currently reviewing over 11,500 responses to the consultation on copyright and AI and will publish its response in due course.
In addition, as set out in the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, the Government has committed to providing a progress report to Parliament by 18 December, and publishing an economic impact assessment, and report on the use of copyright works in the development of AI systems, by 18 March 2026.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps her Department has taken to improve media literacy education in schools.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review’s interim report notes the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and trends in digital information and that it is necessary that the curriculum keep pace with these changes, including a renewed focus on digital and media literacy and critical thinking skills.
Media literacy is currently taught through the national curriculum for citizenship at key stages 3 and 4. Primary schools can choose to teach citizenship, using non-statutory programmes of study at key stages 1 and 2. Teaching of citizenship equips pupils to understand the identification of misleading and malicious information and to counter the effects of negative and harmful news, events and information, including online. As well as citizenship, media literacy is taught through the computing curriculum at key stages 2 to 4. The computing curriculum ensures, for example, that pupils know how to use search technologies effectively, appreciate how results are selected and ranked, and how to be discerning when evaluating digital content, all of which supports the teaching of good media literacy.
The department recently appointed a task and finish group to advise on digital, AI and technology. We will consider how best to develop and implement any of their recommendations.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent steps his Department has taken to improve community access to media literacy education.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is improving community access to media literacy through the Digital Inclusion Action Plan, which supports local and community-led initiatives to boost digital participation. Libraries, as trusted and accessible public spaces, play a key role in delivering digital and media literacy support to communities across the UK.
DSIT also works closely with Ofcom, which engages civil society and community organisations as part of its role as the online safety regulator.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 23 May 2025 to Question 52657 on Immigration: EU Nationals, whether her Department collects any data on the ethnicity of applicants to the EU Settlement Scheme.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
A detailed breakdown of the EU Settlement Scheme statistics is available to the public via GOV.UK. Within the latest published statistics, Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK, a list of data fields sets out what data is collected, as part of the EU Settlement Scheme application.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on energy affordability for disabled people.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
My Rt. Hon. Friends the Secretary of State and the Chancellor of the Exchequer have regular meetings on a range of issues.
The Government knows that more needs to be done to support vulnerable households that are struggling with bills whilst we transition to clean power. The Warm Home Discount provides a £150 rebate off winter energy bills for eligible low-income households. On 19 June we announced that we are expanding the Warm Home Discount to around an additional 2.7 million households. This means that from next winter, around 6 million low-income households will receive the £150 support to help with their energy bill costs. The Warm Home Discount regulations expire in 2026, and we will want to consider all options for future bill support beyond this point.
I have been clear with suppliers that they should do all that they can to support their customers – including vulnerable consumers – who may be struggling with their bills.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to respond to her Department's consultation entitled Pavement parking: options for change, that closed on 22 November 2020.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department has been carefully considering the responses to the consultation and working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. As soon as the Government has decided its preferred way forward, we will announce the next steps and publish our formal response. In the meantime, local authorities can make use of existing powers to restrict and enforce pavement parking.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions she has had with Homes England on building accessible homes.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Grant funding allocated through the Affordable Homes Programme 2021-26, which is delivered by Homes England outside of London, can be used for supported housing, including specialist housing.
The government will shortly set out its policies on accessible new build housing, reinforcing our commitment to ensuring everyone has access to a safe, suitable home.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when her Department plans to open the technical consultation on the M4(2) requirement in building regulations.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Housing is one of this government’s top priorities, everyone deserves to live in a decent home that is suitable for them and meets their needs.
The government will shortly set out its policies on accessible new build housing, reinforcing our commitment to ensuring everyone has access to a safe, suitable home.