Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions her Department has had with local authorities in Lancashire on the delivery of Best Start Family Hubs.

The government has committed to provide funding for all local authorities to deliver Best Start Family Hubs, backed by over £900 million. The department works closely with local authorities to monitor implementation and ensure they are meeting programme expectations.

We engage with local authorities on the programme in several ways, including through guidance, grant payments and associated formal documentation, routine communications shared with all local authorities on programme updates and information, and regular engagement between departmental officials and local authorities to support effective delivery. Guidance provided to local authorities on delivery expectations for April 2026 to March 2029 can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/best-start-family-hubs-and-healthy-babies-guidance-for-local-authorities.