Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the Institute for Fiscal Studies' report entitled The short- and medium-term effects of Sure Start on children’s outcomes, published in May 2025.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies' report offers interesting insight into parental employment support provided through Sure Start. We will consider the findings and reflect on learning as part of DWPs key strategic aims.

The Department is actively engaged in supporting families including through the work of the child poverty taskforce. The value evidence and analysis as part of this policy making process. The taskforce will consider this report and others in this work.