Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had discussions with the Minister of State for Security on independent primary and secondary schools owned by Chinese (a) businesses and (b) nationals.
Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, regularly meets colleagues across government to discuss issues in education, including issues relating to school governance and ownership.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the European Convention on Human Rights on levels of illegal immigration.
Answered by Alex Norris - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
We assess that current ECHR interpretation has undermined our Immigration Rules and effective immigration control.
The Immigration, Asylum and Appeals Bill, introduced on the 30 June, will therefore, deliver a fundamental reset of the balance between individual Article 8 rights and the public interest.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information has been provided to schools about plans to phase out the Primary PE and School Sport Premium during the 2026/27 Academic Year.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government is committed to ensuring every child can access high-quality physical education (PE) and school sport by removing barriers to participation. As part of our curriculum reforms, work is underway to develop a new curriculum and assessment system that is ambitious and accessible for every child, focused rich in knowledge and in skills. Following the Curriculum and Assessment Review, we have outlined our commitment to revisit the activity list for PE GCSE, AS and A levels to ensure the list is inclusive to all children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). A revised PE national curriculum is expected in spring 2027, with first teaching from 2028.
To support these ambitions, the government has committed more than £1 billion to school sport over the next three years, including £580 million for a new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network, investment in sports facilities and transitional support for primary schools. This network will build on existing initiatives such as Inclusion 2028, working with the Youth Sport Trust to strengthen inclusive practice to ensure every child can participate, build confidence, and experience the benefits of school sport.
To ensure a smooth transition to the new approach, the government has confirmed £300,000 of funding for the Youth Sport Trust to continue delivering Inclusion 2028 until the end of the 2026/27 financial year, helping schools provide high-quality PE and physical activity opportunities for pupils with SEND.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Inclusion 2028 programme.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government is committed to ensuring every child can access high-quality physical education (PE) and school sport by removing barriers to participation. As part of our curriculum reforms, work is underway to develop a new curriculum and assessment system that is ambitious and accessible for every child, focused rich in knowledge and in skills. Following the Curriculum and Assessment Review, we have outlined our commitment to revisit the activity list for PE GCSE, AS and A levels to ensure the list is inclusive to all children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). A revised PE national curriculum is expected in spring 2027, with first teaching from 2028.
To support these ambitions, the government has committed more than £1 billion to school sport over the next three years, including £580 million for a new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network, investment in sports facilities and transitional support for primary schools. This network will build on existing initiatives such as Inclusion 2028, working with the Youth Sport Trust to strengthen inclusive practice to ensure every child can participate, build confidence, and experience the benefits of school sport.
To ensure a smooth transition to the new approach, the government has confirmed £300,000 of funding for the Youth Sport Trust to continue delivering Inclusion 2028 until the end of the 2026/27 financial year, helping schools provide high-quality PE and physical activity opportunities for pupils with SEND.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what measures is she taking as part of the new curriculum to ensure that disabled children can access and participate in PE and sport at school.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government is committed to ensuring every child can access high-quality physical education (PE) and school sport by removing barriers to participation. As part of our curriculum reforms, work is underway to develop a new curriculum and assessment system that is ambitious and accessible for every child, focused rich in knowledge and in skills. Following the Curriculum and Assessment Review, we have outlined our commitment to revisit the activity list for PE GCSE, AS and A levels to ensure the list is inclusive to all children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). A revised PE national curriculum is expected in spring 2027, with first teaching from 2028.
To support these ambitions, the government has committed more than £1 billion to school sport over the next three years, including £580 million for a new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network, investment in sports facilities and transitional support for primary schools. This network will build on existing initiatives such as Inclusion 2028, working with the Youth Sport Trust to strengthen inclusive practice to ensure every child can participate, build confidence, and experience the benefits of school sport.
To ensure a smooth transition to the new approach, the government has confirmed £300,000 of funding for the Youth Sport Trust to continue delivering Inclusion 2028 until the end of the 2026/27 financial year, helping schools provide high-quality PE and physical activity opportunities for pupils with SEND.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how funding for the Every Child Can Enrichment programme will be allocated to schools and colleges.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
I am responding as the Minister for Sport, Tourism, Civil Society and Youth with responsibility for DCMS youth enrichment policy, including Every Child Can.
As announced on 14 June, we will align the Every Child Can funding with DfE’s Enrichment Framework. This investment of £132.5m of dormant assets funding will fund opportunities exclusively across five key categories of enrichment: civic engagement; arts and culture; nature, outdoor and adventure; sport and physical activities; and developing wider life and future skills.
The Libraries in Primaries programme - the first announced under Every Child Can - intends to extend provision to approximately 1,675 schools across England. It will prioritise schools with above-average free school meal eligibility, ensuring support reaches those with the greatest need, and schools with high SEND provision or additional needs will receive enhanced funding. The programme is led by the National Literacy Trust and is fully funded, meaning eligible schools receive this support at no cost.
The remaining funding will be directed across the categories above, funding enriching activities which may be delivered on school premises or in the community, in order to reach as many young people as possible. Eligibility criteria are still being considered as we develop the funding programmes and further details on which groups and organisations will be able to apply will be confirmed in due course. Dormant assets funding cannot fund statutory provision and all activities funded should adhere to the additionality principle.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will publish a list of a) independent primary schools and b) independent secondary schools that are owned by Chinese businesses or Chinese nationals.
Answered by Olivia Bailey
The information the department holds on the management of independent schools is available via Get Information about Schools: https://www.get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many independent primary and secondary schools have been taken over by Chinese businesses or Chinese nationals in the past five years.
Answered by Olivia Bailey
The information the department holds on the management of independent schools is available via Get Information about Schools: https://www.get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will publish information on the number of independent (a) primary and (b) secondary schools owned by Chinese (i) businesses and (ii) nationals.
Answered by Olivia Bailey
The information the department holds on the management of independent schools is available via Get Information about Schools: https://www.get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle potential barriers to progression for learners completing Level 6 architecture apprenticeships who are unable to access Level 7 apprenticeship funding due to age eligibility requirements.
Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This Government is investing in young people’s futures and reversing the sharp decline in apprenticeship starts amongst young people – which have fallen by 40% over the last decade
Since January 2026, the government no longer funds level 7 apprenticeships, equivalent to master’s degree level, except for young apprentices under the age of 22, and those under 25 who are care leavers or have an Education, Health and Care Plan. This will create more opportunities for those entering the labour market and help apprenticeships opportunities to be rebalanced towards young people.
This decision was informed by a range of evidence, including Skills England’s analysis of official apprenticeship statistics and engagement with a wide range of stakeholders. Skills England’s evidence suggested there was unlikely to be a significant or unavoidable fall in the supply of these skills in the long term, post-defunding. Skills England have published a report on their findings: Skills England: evidence on defunding of level 7 apprenticeships - GOV.UK.
We are encouraging more employers to invest in upskilling their staff over 22 to level 7 where it delivers a benefit to the business and the individual. It will be for employers to determine the most appropriate training. There are alternative training options available to employers at level 7 including non-apprenticeship routes. The department has published guidance on privately funded apprenticeships, which will enable employers to privately fund level 7 apprenticeships for staff aged over 22: Privately funded apprenticeships: rules and guidance - GOV.UK.
Where a student has studied architecture at level 6 via an apprenticeship route, they are unable to access undergraduate support for a level 7 masters’ qualification in architecture. Students may be eligible for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan for a Master’s in Architecture. This is subject to meeting the eligibility criteria for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan.