Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support university employees.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department is aware that some providers are making difficult decisions around staffing to safeguard their financial sustainability. Higher education (HE) providers are autonomous institutions, and the government therefore cannot intervene in pay and workforce matters, unlike in other sectors. Nevertheless, we expect providers to work with their staff to develop sustainable models that retain talent and expertise and provide stability for the workforce and the institution.
The department remains committed to creating a secure future for our HE sector so it can continue to deliver for students, taxpayers, staff and the economy. Our decision to increase tuition fees annually in line with inflation, demonstrates this commitment.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what artificial intelligence services and tools are used by her Department; and whether her Department has a contract with providers for those services.
Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government is committed to adopting artificial intelligence in a way that is transparent, responsible and accountable to the public.
Information about algorithmic and AI tools used by government departments to support decisions that affect members of the public, or that have a significant influence on a decision-making process with public effect, is published through the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard (ATRS). The ATRS has been mandatory for central government departments since 2024, and records are published on GOV.UK at www.gov.uk/algorithmic-transparency-records. In addition, departments may use other internal tools which do not fall within the scope of the Standard.
In line with public procurement transparency requirements, departments publish contractual information for AI services and tools on Contracts Finder and, where above the relevant threshold, on the Find a Tender Service.
AI services and tools are accessed across government through a range of commercial routes. Departments may contract directly with AI providers, access AI products via intermediated routes such as reseller arrangements where the contractual relationship sits with a partner rather than the underlying provider, or use AI capabilities delivered as features within existing enterprise software and platform contracts (for example productivity, HR or service management tools).
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, a) what AI training her Department provides, b) how many hours of AI training her Department provides and c) what topics and skills are covered.
Answered by Olivia Bailey
The department offers a wide range of artificial intelligence (AI) training to its employees, from short courses covering foundational skills through to apprenticeship and postgraduate options. These range in duration from bite-sized sessions and one-hour introductory courses to programmes lasting several months. The total combined hours of AI-related learning available to employees is at least 111 hours (excluding apprenticeships).
The training available covers a broad range of topics, including, but not limited to:
Staff across the department also have access to the Government Campus Prospectus, to request additional learning.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which programmes have been cancelled or delayed in order to fund the Department's contributions to the Defence Investment Plan.
Answered by Olivia Bailey
Around 1% of the department’s capital budget has been contributed each year between 2026/27 to 2029/30 to support the Defence Investment Plan. This contribution has now been reflected in the department's capital settlement, and we will continue to manage budgets through standard business planning and prioritisation processes.
Our core capital priorities remain unchanged, including rebuilding over 750 schools through the School Rebuilding Programme, investing almost £3 billion per year by 2034/35 in capital maintenance for schools and colleges, and £3.7 billion towards special educational needs provision in the Spending Review period. Furthermore, our commitment to permanently removing reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in schools and colleges remain unchanged. By 2029, every school and college in England that is not being fully or substantially rebuilt will be RAAC free, and every school needing to be rebuilt through the School Rebuilding Programme will be in delivery.
The department’s contribution to funding the Defence Investment Plan through the c.1% top slice in capital budgets is set out below:
Financial Year | 2026/27 | 2027/28 | 2028/29 | 2029/30 |
Department Contribution | £82 million | £76 million | £76 million | £76 million |
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much her Department will contribute per year from its capital budget towards funding the Defence Investment Plan.
Answered by Olivia Bailey
Around 1% of the department’s capital budget has been contributed each year between 2026/27 to 2029/30 to support the Defence Investment Plan. This contribution has now been reflected in the department's capital settlement, and we will continue to manage budgets through standard business planning and prioritisation processes.
Our core capital priorities remain unchanged, including rebuilding over 750 schools through the School Rebuilding Programme, investing almost £3 billion per year by 2034/35 in capital maintenance for schools and colleges, and £3.7 billion towards special educational needs provision in the Spending Review period. Furthermore, our commitment to permanently removing reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in schools and colleges remain unchanged. By 2029, every school and college in England that is not being fully or substantially rebuilt will be RAAC free, and every school needing to be rebuilt through the School Rebuilding Programme will be in delivery.
The department’s contribution to funding the Defence Investment Plan through the c.1% top slice in capital budgets is set out below:
Financial Year | 2026/27 | 2027/28 | 2028/29 | 2029/30 |
Department Contribution | £82 million | £76 million | £76 million | £76 million |
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to respond to correspondence from the Honourable Member for Twickenham referenced MW65580, sent on the 18th March 2026.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
I can confirm that a response to the letter of 18 March 2026 from the hon. Member for Twickenham was sent on 18 June 2026.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department provides to schools on supporting siblings of children with life-threatening or terminal illness; and whether this includes consideration of partnership working with community-based social palliative care services.
Answered by Olivia Bailey
The department recognises the significant impact that serious or life‑threatening illness can have on children and their families, including siblings. Schools play an important role in supporting pupils through these difficult moments in life through the pastoral care they provide. While the department does not issue specific guidance on supporting siblings of children with life‑threatening or terminal illness, a range of departmental guidance on issues like safeguarding, disabilities, mental health, and wellbeing set expectations that schools should identify and support pupils facing additional challenges, including those arising from family circumstances. Schools are also encouraged to work with relevant local services where appropriate, including health and social care partners, to ensure pupils and families can access the support they need.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of a life-threatening or terminal illness on children’s school attendance, attainment and wellbeing, whether they are the affected child or their sibling.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department recognises that a life‑threatening or terminal illness can have a significant impact on children’s attendance, attainment and wellbeing, both for those directly affected and for their siblings.
The department does not hold specific data on the impact of such illnesses on pupils’ attendance, attainment or wellbeing. However, we are clear that children whose education is affected by health needs or family circumstances should receive appropriate support to remain engaged in learning.
The statutory guidance ‘Arranging education for children who cannot attend school because of health needs’ is clear that local authorities must arrange suitable education for children of compulsory school age who cannot attend school due to ill health. Schools are also expected to provide pastoral support, make reasonable adjustments, and support pupils’ mental health and wellbeing. This includes a holistic approach to supporting pupils affected by the serious illness of a family member, including siblings. The full guidance is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/657995f0254aaa000d050bff/Arranging_education_for_children_who_cannot_attend_school_because_of_health_needs.pdf.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will include Previously Looked After Children in the definition of disadvantaged children, in regard to the core eligibility criteria for the Holiday Activity and Food programme.
Answered by Olivia Bailey
The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme provides free nutritious meals, enriching activities, and safe environments to eligible children during the school holidays, benefiting their health, wellbeing and readiness to learn. The core purpose of the programme is to support children and young people who are eligible for free school meals (FSM) given that children from low-income households are more likely to experience food insecurity, reduced physical activity, and fewer opportunities for enriching experiences during the school holidays.
Local authorities have discretion to allocate 15% of their funding to provide free or subsidised holiday club places for school-age children who do not meet the eligibility criteria but who the local authority believe could benefit from HAF.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed SEND reforms on care-experienced children whose needs arise from early trauma and attachment disruption, particularly where those needs span education, health and social care and may not meet the highest threshold within any single category.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Care-experienced children will benefit from our special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reforms and vision to create a more inclusive education system. A strengthened universal offer, grounded in high‑quality adaptive teaching and earlier support, will enable additional needs to be identified and met more quickly. For children with SEND, our £1.8 billion ‘Experts at Hand’ service will give settings access to specialist input earlier, even where needs may be masked by trauma, and individual support plans will help ensure those working with children understand their needs and how best to support them. For those with the most complex needs, education, health and care plans will remain in place, underpinned by strengthened specialist provision packages that make expectations clear and consistent across the system.
Every local authority must appoint a Virtual School Head (VSH), who has a statutory duty to promote the educational attainment of the children in their care. Looked-after children also have highest priority for school admissions and attract Pupil Premium Plus of £2,690 per child, up to age 16.
And for the first time under their new framework, Ofsted now assesses all settings for inclusion. Collectively, these reforms seek to ensure all children who can achieve and thrive in mainstream education will be supported to do so, and children and young people who need specialist support will receive it promptly and with dignity, clarity and care. The consultation for these reforms is underway and we encourage anyone with views, including on how reforms will affect care-experienced children, to participate.