Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with universities on reports of discussions on handling students' Gaza protests with BAE Systems.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department and the Office for Students (OfS) are aware of reports relating to discussions between universities and BAE Systems on student protests.
Universities are responsible for ensuring that their disciplinary, security and governance arrangements are lawful, and that their duties to secure freedom of speech within the law, including lawful protest, are met. Decisions affecting lawful speech or protest should be reached independently, proportionately and in accordance with the law.
The government believes that both BAE Systems and other defence companies should be welcomed onto campuses on occasions such as careers fairs and that students and staff have the right to protest lawfully about their activity.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made as of the potential merits of placing a cap on student numbers for each university.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
When parliamentary time allows, the government intends to develop legislative options to limit the growth of some courses with poor earning returns at some providers. This would not be a blanket cap on student numbers, but a focused measure to support the sector to prioritise provision that delivers good value for students and the taxpayer. Further work will inform the detailed design of any future measures.
Separately, the Office for Students has consulted on applying recruitment limits to providers with certain ratings under future Teaching Excellence Framework assessments, restricting growth until improvement is demonstrated. This is intended to help drive quality improvements.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of future pension arrangements of UK university staff who are transferred to subsidiary companies by their employer.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government recognises that a number of universities are adopting subsidiary models in a variety of circumstances. Higher education providers are independent from government and as such are responsible for their own decisions about their workforce. However, in any decisions affecting staff, the government expects providers to abide by all relevant legislation, including requirements under employment law pension requirements. The government also expects providers to engage constructively with their workforce when considering any changes that may affect them.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of UK universities setting up subsidiary companies and transferring staff into those companies on those staff.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government recognises that a number of universities are adopting subsidiary models in a variety of circumstances. Higher education providers are independent from government and as such are responsible for their own decisions about their workforce. However, in any decisions affecting staff, the government expects providers to abide by all relevant legislation, including requirements under employment law pension requirements. The government also expects providers to engage constructively with their workforce when considering any changes that may affect them.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has undertaken into the functionality of free mainstream spelling and grammar software for students with specific learning difficulties and other disabilities compared with specialist assistive technology funded through Disabled Students' Allowance.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department has conducted a detailed review of the spelling and grammar functionality available in computer operating systems, free software products and paid-for software products. This review concluded that free-to-access products provide similar spelling and grammar support functionality to those available in paid-for products for the types of support that are in scope of Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA).
As a result, from March 2025, the department removed funding for non-specialist spelling and grammar products through DSA other than in exceptional circumstances, as outlined at: https://www.practitioners.slc.co.uk/media/2070/ssin-spelling-and-grammar-software.pdf.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she plans to offer children who are eligible for free school meals with free bus travel.
Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Children aged 5 to 16 are eligible for free travel if they attend their nearest suitable school and cannot walk there because of the distance, their special educational needs, disability or mobility problem, or route safety. Statutory walking distances are set at 2 miles for children under 8 and 3 miles for those aged 8 and over.
There are extended rights to free travel for children currently eligible for free school meals, to support low-income families to exercise school choice. More detail can be found in the statutory guidance: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a10649929bb11891b1cf096/Travel_to_school_for_children_of_compulsory_school_age.pdf.
For these pupils, 11 to 16 year-olds may receive free travel to one of their three nearest schools between 2 to 6 miles from home, or to a school 2 to 15 miles away chosen on grounds of religion or belief; and the statutory walking distance is set at 2 miles for those aged 8 and over but under 11.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, does the government plan to review the impact of the introduction of VAT on private school fees on (a) pupil numbers (b) public finances and (c) state school capacity.
Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
His Majesty’s Treasury published a tax information and impact note on applying VAT to independent school fees, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-on-private-school-fees/applying-vat-to-private-school-fees#who-is-likely-to-be-affected.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether children adopted from care, or previously looked-after children, will lose any existing free school meal entitlement from September 2026.
Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and tackling child poverty. We are extending free school meals (FSM) to all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit from September 2026, lifting 100,000 children across England out of poverty and putting £500 back in families’ pockets.
Transitional protections meant that any child who had once received FSM would continue to receive it, even if their family circumstances had changed. No child who is eligible for FSM will lose their lunch before the expansion takes effect.
From the start of the 2026/27 academic year, all transitional protections will end and schools and local authorities will need to recheck FSM eligibility annually.
Local authorities play an important role in supporting these children’s educational outcomes and should continue work with schools to identify and verify eligibility for FSM where a parent or carer meets the relevant eligibility criteria.
Further details are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/free-school-meals-guidance-for-schools-and-local-authorities/free-school-meals-guidance-for-local-authorities-local-authority-maintained-schools-academies-and-free-schools.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the end of free school meal transitional protections will affect any adopted children who currently receive free school meals.
Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and tackling child poverty. We are extending free school meals (FSM) to all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit from September 2026, lifting 100,000 children across England out of poverty and putting £500 back in families’ pockets.
Transitional protections meant that any child who had once received FSM would continue to receive it, even if their family circumstances had changed. No child who is eligible for FSM will lose their lunch before the expansion takes effect.
From the start of the 2026/27 academic year, all transitional protections will end and schools and local authorities will need to recheck FSM eligibility annually.
Local authorities play an important role in supporting these children’s educational outcomes and should continue work with schools to identify and verify eligibility for FSM where a parent or carer meets the relevant eligibility criteria.
Further details are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/free-school-meals-guidance-for-schools-and-local-authorities/free-school-meals-guidance-for-local-authorities-local-authority-maintained-schools-academies-and-free-schools.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what consideration she has given to awarding compensation to individuals impacted by forced adoptions.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
On 2 July, my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister issued a formal apology on behalf of the state for historical forced adoption practices in England.
The government recognises that these practices caused deep and lasting harm to many mothers, adopted people and families. The apology acknowledged the role of the state and some public institutions in systems that failed to protect and support mothers, children and families, and recognised that women were denied genuine choice.
Alongside the apology, the government announced a £4 million support package, to be delivered over the next three years. Our focus is on delivering practical support that can make a meaningful difference to people’s lives today and that responds to what people have told us matters most. This includes improving access to adoption records, strengthening intermediary and reconnection services, and improving recognition and signposting within health services.