Asked by: Sureena Brackenridge (Labour - Wolverhampton North East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to improve staff (a) pay and (b) conditions in further education colleges.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Further education (FE) colleges, rather than government, are responsible for setting and negotiating staff pay and terms and conditions within colleges.
In May 2025, the department announced a further £190 million investment for colleges and other 16 to19 providers in addition to the £400 million of extra funding we already planned to spend on 16 to 19 education in the 2025/26 financial year.
Across the Spending review period, we will provide £1.2 billion of additional investment per year in skills by 2028/29. This significant investment will ensure there is increased funding to colleges and other 16 to 19 providers to enable the recruitment and retention of excellent staff, including expert teachers in high value subject areas, and interventions to retain top teaching talent.
Targeted Recruitment Incentives of up to £6,000 (after tax) are available for eligible early career FE teachers working in key science, technology, engineering and mathematics and technical shortage subjects, in disadvantaged schools and colleges, including in sixth form colleges. This payment is separate to teachers’ usual pay.
Asked by: Dan Norris (Independent - North East Somerset and Hanham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that teachers and pupils are adequately equipped to use artificial intelligence tools safely and effectively in the classroom.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The department is taking comprehensive action to ensure teachers and pupils are equipped to use artificial intelligence (AI) safely and effectively. Our Generative AI policy position sets clear guidance on the opportunities and risks of AI, and provides practical advice for safe, responsible use by educators. It emphasises that AI should enhance not replace high quality teaching and is informed by extensive evidence from educators, experts, parents and pupils.
We have also introduced updated Generative AI Product Safety Standards, announced at the UK Generative AI for Education Summit on Monday 19 January. These set out the safeguards AI developers must meet, including child centred design, enhanced filtering of harmful content, and protections for pupils’ cognitive and emotional wellbeing, ensuring tools are safe by design.
At Bett 2026 on Wednesday 21 January, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has committed to a five‑point plan for AI in education, including a strong focus on building the evidence for the safe and effective use of AI and technology tools to support pupils and teachers, and a new digital skills pathway for education staff.
Alongside this, we have published sector-developed support materials and are investing in evidence-based AI tools, helping schools adopt AI confidently, safely and in ways that support teaching and learning.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Cutting-edge drone degree to train military forces of the future unveiled, published on 21 January, how much has been spent on implementing the undergraduate drone degree as of 22 January 2026.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Army has provided a one-off payment of £240,000 to the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE) to initiate development of the undergraduate drone degree. This funding enabled NMITE to recruit academic staff and design the course which will offer students the opportunity to learn cutting-edge drones technology driven by lessons from Ukraine.
On current plans, the Army intends to sponsor serving-military personnel on the three year degree and multiple personnel on shorter modular courses. These costs will be met through existing Defence personnel development budgets, in line with routine investment in our people through training and apprenticeships.
The Army will continue to support personnel undertaking this degree as long as the course remains relevant and no suitable alternative exists elsewhere in the UK. This supports the Army’s wider ambition to upskill hundreds of personnel in drone technology over time.
Longer term, the vision is to replicate this model in additional UK locations where there is a strong cluster of military, academia, and the drone industry.
NMITE, as the accredited provider, is responsible for funding and delivering the course, including any future cohorts. As NMITE is an independent higher education provider, the Ministry of Defence does not hold details of NMITE’s own operating or delivery costs.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Cutting-edge drone degree to train military forces of the future unveiled, published on 21 January 2025, whether there is any funding in place to deliver further three-year courses in the undergraduate drone degree.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Army has provided a one-off payment of £240,000 to the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE) to initiate development of the undergraduate drone degree. This funding enabled NMITE to recruit academic staff and design the course which will offer students the opportunity to learn cutting-edge drones technology driven by lessons from Ukraine.
On current plans, the Army intends to sponsor serving-military personnel on the three year degree and multiple personnel on shorter modular courses. These costs will be met through existing Defence personnel development budgets, in line with routine investment in our people through training and apprenticeships.
The Army will continue to support personnel undertaking this degree as long as the course remains relevant and no suitable alternative exists elsewhere in the UK. This supports the Army’s wider ambition to upskill hundreds of personnel in drone technology over time.
Longer term, the vision is to replicate this model in additional UK locations where there is a strong cluster of military, academia, and the drone industry.
NMITE, as the accredited provider, is responsible for funding and delivering the course, including any future cohorts. As NMITE is an independent higher education provider, the Ministry of Defence does not hold details of NMITE’s own operating or delivery costs.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Cutting-edge drone degree to train military forces of the future unveiled, published on 21 January 2026, what the total cost is of delivering the undergraduate drone degree.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Army has provided a one-off payment of £240,000 to the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE) to initiate development of the undergraduate drone degree. This funding enabled NMITE to recruit academic staff and design the course which will offer students the opportunity to learn cutting-edge drones technology driven by lessons from Ukraine.
On current plans, the Army intends to sponsor serving-military personnel on the three year degree and multiple personnel on shorter modular courses. These costs will be met through existing Defence personnel development budgets, in line with routine investment in our people through training and apprenticeships.
The Army will continue to support personnel undertaking this degree as long as the course remains relevant and no suitable alternative exists elsewhere in the UK. This supports the Army’s wider ambition to upskill hundreds of personnel in drone technology over time.
Longer term, the vision is to replicate this model in additional UK locations where there is a strong cluster of military, academia, and the drone industry.
NMITE, as the accredited provider, is responsible for funding and delivering the course, including any future cohorts. As NMITE is an independent higher education provider, the Ministry of Defence does not hold details of NMITE’s own operating or delivery costs.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Cutting-edge drone degree to train military forces of the future unveiled, published on 21 January, for how many years has the undergraduate drone degree been financially forecasted.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Army has provided a one-off payment of £240,000 to the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE) to initiate development of the undergraduate drone degree. This funding enabled NMITE to recruit academic staff and design the course which will offer students the opportunity to learn cutting-edge drones technology driven by lessons from Ukraine.
On current plans, the Army intends to sponsor serving-military personnel on the three year degree and multiple personnel on shorter modular courses. These costs will be met through existing Defence personnel development budgets, in line with routine investment in our people through training and apprenticeships.
The Army will continue to support personnel undertaking this degree as long as the course remains relevant and no suitable alternative exists elsewhere in the UK. This supports the Army’s wider ambition to upskill hundreds of personnel in drone technology over time.
Longer term, the vision is to replicate this model in additional UK locations where there is a strong cluster of military, academia, and the drone industry.
NMITE, as the accredited provider, is responsible for funding and delivering the course, including any future cohorts. As NMITE is an independent higher education provider, the Ministry of Defence does not hold details of NMITE’s own operating or delivery costs.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Cutting-edge drone degree to train military forces of the future unveiled, published on 21 January, what is the annual cost of delivering the undergraduate drone degree.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Army has provided a one-off payment of £240,000 to the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE) to initiate development of the undergraduate drone degree. This funding enabled NMITE to recruit academic staff and design the course which will offer students the opportunity to learn cutting-edge drones technology driven by lessons from Ukraine.
On current plans, the Army intends to sponsor serving-military personnel on the three year degree and multiple personnel on shorter modular courses. These costs will be met through existing Defence personnel development budgets, in line with routine investment in our people through training and apprenticeships.
The Army will continue to support personnel undertaking this degree as long as the course remains relevant and no suitable alternative exists elsewhere in the UK. This supports the Army’s wider ambition to upskill hundreds of personnel in drone technology over time.
Longer term, the vision is to replicate this model in additional UK locations where there is a strong cluster of military, academia, and the drone industry.
NMITE, as the accredited provider, is responsible for funding and delivering the course, including any future cohorts. As NMITE is an independent higher education provider, the Ministry of Defence does not hold details of NMITE’s own operating or delivery costs.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of levels in smartphone usage on children's (a) level of reading comprehension and (b) average time spent reading per week.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department knows that reading for pleasure is hugely important and brings a range of benefits, yet just 1 in 3 children aged 8-18 say they enjoy reading in their free time, and a recent omnibus survey found that 31% of parents of primary-aged children and 40% of parents of secondary-aged children said their child prefers spending time online or playing video games, citing this as a barrier to encouraging reading in their free time.
The department has launched the National Year of Reading 2026, in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust, to address long-term declines in reading enjoyment through engaging new audiences, reshaping public attitudes and building the systems needed to embed lasting, meaningful change.
The National Year of Reading encourages everyone to see how reading, in all its forms, can unlock more of our existing passions and interests, from reading a story in a print book or on an e-reader, to reading a magazine article or an online blog, to listening to an audio book on a phone or tablet. Recognising that, digital technology is not incompatible with the National Year of Reading.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing mandatory nutrition and practical cooking education in all schools.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Mandatory nutrition and practical cooking education is already included within the national curriculum. Additional elements of nutrition education can also be covered within science and relationships, sex and health education. The national curriculum aims to teach children how to cook and how to apply the principles of healthy eating and nutrition. Schools also have flexibility within the broad framework of the national curriculum to tailor curriculum subjects to meet the needs of their pupils.
In response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review, the department has set out that we will enhance the identity of food education by clearly distinguishing cooking and nutrition, which will be renamed food and nutrition, as a distinct strand within design and technology. We are also legislating through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to require academies to follow the national curriculum, to ensure that pupils in academy schools also benefit from these changes alongside those in maintained schools.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the UK's level of participation in global disability rights and inclusion activities.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has been a long-standing supporter of disability rights around the world, and our global programmes are supporting disability inclusion in health, education and employment, as well as access to innovative assistive technology.
As well as building disability inclusion into the work we are doing across all Foreign Office priorities, the UK is co-chairing the Global Action on Disability Network, which will strengthen international coordination on disability rights and accelerate progress.