Asked by: Mohammad Yasin (Labour - Bedford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the financial impact on working families of the requirement that eligibility for funded childcare for children aged from nine months begins from the term after a child reaches the qualifying age; and whether her Department has considered options to reduce disparities in support experienced by families whose children are born shortly after the relevant termly eligibility cut-off dates.
Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
It is our ambition that all families have access to high-quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life and delivering on our plan for change.
Children become eligible for the working parent entitlement from 1 September, 1 January or 1 April, the term after they reach the relevant age and meet relevant eligibility criteria.
Depending on when a child is born and when the eligibility criteria are met, there will be differing periods to wait until the relevant termly date.
Termly deadlines enable local authorities and childcare providers to better plan and ensure sufficient early years places are available for parents each term, as there are clear periods for when children are likely to enter into a place.
Children born in April, May or June 2025 will have qualified to access the offer from April 2026. Due to the termly deadlines, children who were born in July and August 2025 will not be able to access the offer until September 2026. We cannot determine which parents of those children born in those cohorts were eligible as we do not hold information on income-based eligibility.
As announced in the Autumn Budget 2025, the department is leading a cross-government review into the early education and childcare support that is provided by different parts of government. The Review is supporting the vision for early education and care set out in the publication ‘Giving every child the best start in life’, one that strengthens children’s life chances across the country, supports parents’ work choices, is simpler and easier to use, and improves access.
Asked by: Mohammad Yasin (Labour - Bedford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has undertaken an equality or impact assessment of the effect of termly childcare funding eligibility dates on parents returning to work from maternity leave; and if she will publish the findings.
Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
It is our ambition that all families have access to high-quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life and delivering on our plan for change.
Children become eligible for the working parent entitlement from 1 September, 1 January or 1 April, the term after they reach the relevant age and meet relevant eligibility criteria.
Depending on when a child is born and when the eligibility criteria are met, there will be differing periods to wait until the relevant termly date.
Termly deadlines enable local authorities and childcare providers to better plan and ensure sufficient early years places are available for parents each term, as there are clear periods for when children are likely to enter into a place.
Children born in April, May or June 2025 will have qualified to access the offer from April 2026. Due to the termly deadlines, children who were born in July and August 2025 will not be able to access the offer until September 2026. We cannot determine which parents of those children born in those cohorts were eligible as we do not hold information on income-based eligibility.
As announced in the Autumn Budget 2025, the department is leading a cross-government review into the early education and childcare support that is provided by different parts of government. The Review is supporting the vision for early education and care set out in the publication ‘Giving every child the best start in life’, one that strengthens children’s life chances across the country, supports parents’ work choices, is simpler and easier to use, and improves access.
Asked by: Mohammad Yasin (Labour - Bedford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children born between 1 April and 31 August 2025 became eligible for funded childcare only from September 2026 despite reaching the qualifying age of nine months several months earlier.
Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
It is our ambition that all families have access to high-quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life and delivering on our plan for change.
Children become eligible for the working parent entitlement from 1 September, 1 January or 1 April, the term after they reach the relevant age and meet relevant eligibility criteria.
Depending on when a child is born and when the eligibility criteria are met, there will be differing periods to wait until the relevant termly date.
Termly deadlines enable local authorities and childcare providers to better plan and ensure sufficient early years places are available for parents each term, as there are clear periods for when children are likely to enter into a place.
Children born in April, May or June 2025 will have qualified to access the offer from April 2026. Due to the termly deadlines, children who were born in July and August 2025 will not be able to access the offer until September 2026. We cannot determine which parents of those children born in those cohorts were eligible as we do not hold information on income-based eligibility.
As announced in the Autumn Budget 2025, the department is leading a cross-government review into the early education and childcare support that is provided by different parts of government. The Review is supporting the vision for early education and care set out in the publication ‘Giving every child the best start in life’, one that strengthens children’s life chances across the country, supports parents’ work choices, is simpler and easier to use, and improves access.
Asked by: Mohammad Yasin (Labour - Bedford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Department takes to involve autistic people and other experts by experience in the design, drafting and review of written communications, guidance and other documents relating to benefits and employment support; and whether autistic people with lived experience are involved in the development and delivery of autism-related training provided to DWP staff as is currently mandatory in the NHS.
Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
DWP works with a range of internal and external experts when developing learning and support relating to disabled customers, including autistic people.
Working in partnership with Coventry University, Neurobox and DWP psychologists, the Department has developed a new Supporting Customer Needs learning offer for customer-facing colleagues. This includes dedicated learning on neurodivergence, including autism, and has been informed by expert insight and engagement with stakeholders from across the Department.
Additionally, learning for all Jobcentre staff includes comprehensive mandatory learning enabling them to support customers with a broad range of health, disability and additional or complex needs. This equips staff to determine appropriate actions, avoid making assumptions, and explain what reasonable adjustments, support and signposting options DWP can offer when supporting customers into work.
Asked by: Mohammad Yasin (Labour - Bedford)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that products subject to an OPSS withdrawal notice, such as the UPP U004 e-bike battery, cannot remain listed for sale on online marketplaces months after the notice is issued.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
Under UK law, businesses are responsible for only placing safe products on the market, and must act to protect consumers where a product poses a risk. In 2024, the Office for Product Safety and Standards OPSS issued Withdrawal Notices, including eight to online marketplaces, to prevent the sale of dangerous models of UPP-branded e-bike battery. OPSS holds businesses, including online marketplaces, accountable for removing unsafe products from supply.
My department also recently consulted on reforming the Product Safety Framework, including to introduce requirements for online marketplaces to take proactive action to identify, prevent and remove non-compliant products from sale.
Asked by: Mohammad Yasin (Labour - Bedford)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what plans he has to use secondary legislation under the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 to mandate independent third-party certification of e-bike and e-scooter batteries before they can be sold in the UK.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
Battery safety is covered by the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 which require all consumer products sold in the UK to be safe. Batteries are also subject to traceability requirements. Through our recent product safety framework consultations, we have sought views on the risks associated with lithium-ion batteries and potential measures to strengthen consumer protections. Defra is also reviewing the UK’s extended producer responsibility scheme for batteries.
Given the complexity of the issues in the consultation, we will carefully consider stakeholder feedback and intend to publish our response in the autumn.
Asked by: Mohammad Yasin (Labour - Bedford)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what plans he has to introduce mandatory registration of e-bike and e-scooter batteries at the point of sale, to improve traceability in the event of a recall, fire or safety incident.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
Battery safety is covered by the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 which require all consumer products sold in the UK to be safe. Batteries are also subject to traceability requirements. Through our recent product safety framework consultations, we have sought views on the risks associated with lithium-ion batteries and potential measures to strengthen consumer protections. Defra is also reviewing the UK’s extended producer responsibility scheme for batteries.
Given the complexity of the issues in the consultation, we will carefully consider stakeholder feedback and intend to publish our response in the autumn.
Asked by: Mohammad Yasin (Labour - Bedford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government what progress has been made in updating the national Incident Recording System to capture data on lithium-ion battery fires, including whether the battery involved was an e-bike or e-scooter battery and whether it was on charge at the time of the incident; and when this update will be operational.
Answered by Samantha Dixon
There is currently no set date for Fire and Rescue Services to record whether fires involve lithium-ion batteries or electric vehicles. However, development work is ongoing to enable the collection of these data points, with the intention that this capability will be in place by the end of 2026. As part of the development of Version 2 of the Fire and Rescue Data Platform (FaRDaP), we will be adding new reference data to allow fire and rescue services to record and report on when an incident involves lithium‑ion batteries or electric vehicles. This will include identifying whether the source of ignition was a battery and, where relevant, whether that battery was on charge at the time of the incident. These additions will ensure that such information is collected and reported consistently across services. Publication of the data is currently expected by the end of next year.
Asked by: Mohammad Yasin (Labour - Bedford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason there is no dedicated bereavement-related income support payment paid directly or specifically in respect of bereaved children.
Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Bereavement Support Payment aims to provide support during the acute period following a bereavement by way of an initial lump sum followed by up to 18 monthly instalments with a higher amount paid for those with dependent children. Longer-term financial support is delivered through the wider welfare system, including through Universal Credit, Child Benefit and other forms of local support where appropriate. School support, local family help services and wider health services all play a role in meeting the longer-term emotional needs of bereaved children.
Asked by: Mohammad Yasin (Labour - Bedford)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to monitor how accredited lenders are applying the Growth Guarantee Scheme, including the use of personal guarantees, the interest rates being charged, and the criteria used to assess applications from viable small businesses; and whether he will require the British Business Bank to publish annual performance data for the Scheme, including application volumes, approval and decline rates, average APRs, and the proportion of facilities supported by personal guarantees.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Accredited lenders must operate within Growth Guarantee Scheme (GGS) rules and the British Business Bank (BBB) monitors lenders to ensure compliance with those requirements.
Decisions on individual lending applications, including the assessment of whether a business meets GGS eligibility criteria, the use of personal guarantees and the interest rates charged, are decisions for accredited lenders, undertaken in accordance with the Scheme's rules and each lender's own credit and risk assessment processes.
The BBB publishes quarterly performance data for GGS, including information on the number and value of facilities, sectoral and regional distribution, the characteristics of supported businesses, and portfolio performance.