Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2024 to Question 17058 on Holiday Activities and Food Programme, whether she plans to make a statement on continued funding of the Holidays Activities and Food Programme before March 2025.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department’s budgets for 2025/26 will be confirmed in due course, including the exact funding available for this type of support for children, young people and families during the holidays.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 18 October 2024 to Question 8623 on Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, whether she plans to make a statement on continued funding of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme before March 2025.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Yes, we will announce the outcomes of the Business Planning process, including any implications for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme soon.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the 2008 National Year of Reading, if she will make it her policy to organise a Year of Reading in 2026.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

Excellent foundations in reading and writing are at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life.

​We know that reading for pleasure is hugely important and brings a significant range of benefits. As well as strong links with attainment, wide recreational reading expands pupils’ knowledge about the world and about language, as well as their understanding of subject-specific academic and technical vocabulary. Pupils who read regularly also report heightened levels of social and emotional wellbeing. Reading allows readers to adopt new perspectives, develop empathy and become more socially conscious.

In recognition of this, the department has implemented a range of measures to support reading for pleasure. The English Hubs programme supports the teaching of phonics, early language development and reading for pleasure, with a further £23 million committed for the 2024/25 academic year to support this work. Furthermore, the government’s reading framework provides guidance on improving the teaching of reading, to ensure that every child is not only able to read proficiently but also develops a genuine love of reading.

England men's cricket team's upcoming fixture against Afghanistan

Found: Chairs: Sir Christopher Chope, Mr David Mundell, Graham Stringer, Valerie Vaz Clerks: Kevin Maddison

Found: Chairs: Sir Christopher Chope, Mr David Mundell, Graham Stringer, Valerie Vaz Clerks: Kevin Maddison

Found: Chairs: Sir Christopher Chope, Mr David Mundell, Graham Stringer, Valerie Vaz Clerks: Kevin Maddison

Found: Chairs: Sir Christopher Chope, Mr David Mundell, Graham Stringer, Valerie Vaz Clerks: Kevin Maddison