Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent violent sectarian conflict between ethnic groups in Syria, and what assessment they have made of the threat to Christian minorities in Syria as a result of further sectarian violence and destabilisation.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are deeply concerned about sectarian tensions and violence in Syria. We have consistently advocated for an inclusive, representative and non-sectarian political transition and underlined the importance of protecting the rights of all Syrians, both publicly and as part of our engagement with the Syrian Government. We are pressing the Syrian Government on the need to improve their response to sectarian violence and hold those responsible to account. The Foreign Secretary raised these issues during his recent visit to Damascus, and during his call with Syria's Foreign Minister on 18 July. We will continue to judge the Syrian Government by its actions, not its words.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the level of equity of access for children to healthcare checks in independent schools in the UK.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Access to healthcare services is based on the clinical needs of the individual. The type of school a child attends does not affect their eligibility for access to NHS healthcare services. Parents or carers with concerns about their child’s health can speak to their GP who can make a referral to the relevant healthcare services. The NHS will consider referrals based on clinical need.
It remains the case that the NHS is free at the point of use and provides care to anyone who needs it.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on 19 July 2024 regarding the legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory; and when they expect to publish their analysis of that advisory opinion and its policy implications.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK respects the independence of the International Court of Justice, and we are considering its Advisory Opinion of 19 July 2024 with the seriousness and rigour it deserves. We have been clear that many aspects of the Opinion are already government policy: Israeli settlements are illegal under international law, and Israel should end its presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories as swiftly as possible.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking help to ensure that teachers are trained to (a) identify and (b) support children with dyslexia; and if she will take steps to introduce universal dyslexia screening checks for children within their first two years of school.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Rushcliffe to the answer of 1 August 2025 to Question 61402.
Asked by: David Baines (Labour - St Helens North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to (a) help children with dyslexia and (b) improve the availability of early screening.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for St Helens North to the answer of 1 August 2025 to Question 61402.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support her Department is providing to children with dyslexia.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
I refer the hon. member for Ashfield to the answer of 1 August 2025 to Question 61402.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the current maths curriculum in the context of increasing demand for data skills.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
High and rising standards across education, from early years to adulthood, are the key to unlocking stronger outcomes and a better future for children and young people. Our new regional improvement for standards and excellence (RISE) teams are now working closely with schools, including Maths Hubs to sharing best practice and put in place targeted plans to drive-up performance in schools needing extra support.
The department funded, school-led network of Maths Hubs across both primary and secondary schools, focusses on reducing attainment gaps by providing school-to-school support with mathematics subject knowledge and pedagogy training for teachers. In addition, the department funds the Maths Champions programme working with early years settings to boost young children’s basic number skills, and the Advanced Mathematics Support Programme supporting disadvantaged students with an aptitude for mathematics to go on to further study.
The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The Review is closely examining the key challenges to attainment for young people and the barriers which hold children back from the opportunities and life chances they deserve, to help us ensure high standards for all. The Review’s interim report, published in March, recognised the need for the curriculum to respond to social and technological change, including to consider what opportunities might be offered around the rise of artificial intelligence and trends in digital information demand.
Please note that in the context of international standings in PISA tests, this response extends only to England as education is a devolved matter.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the gap between the lowest and highest achievers in GCSE maths performance.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
High and rising standards across education, from early years to adulthood, are the key to unlocking stronger outcomes and a better future for children and young people. Our new regional improvement for standards and excellence (RISE) teams are now working closely with schools, including Maths Hubs to sharing best practice and put in place targeted plans to drive-up performance in schools needing extra support.
The department funded, school-led network of Maths Hubs across both primary and secondary schools, focusses on reducing attainment gaps by providing school-to-school support with mathematics subject knowledge and pedagogy training for teachers. In addition, the department funds the Maths Champions programme working with early years settings to boost young children’s basic number skills, and the Advanced Mathematics Support Programme supporting disadvantaged students with an aptitude for mathematics to go on to further study.
The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The Review is closely examining the key challenges to attainment for young people and the barriers which hold children back from the opportunities and life chances they deserve, to help us ensure high standards for all. The Review’s interim report, published in March, recognised the need for the curriculum to respond to social and technological change, including to consider what opportunities might be offered around the rise of artificial intelligence and trends in digital information demand.
Please note that in the context of international standings in PISA tests, this response extends only to England as education is a devolved matter.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to improve the UK’s PISA mathematics performance.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
High and rising standards across education, from early years to adulthood, are the key to unlocking stronger outcomes and a better future for children and young people. Our new regional improvement for standards and excellence (RISE) teams are now working closely with schools, including Maths Hubs to sharing best practice and put in place targeted plans to drive-up performance in schools needing extra support.
The department funded, school-led network of Maths Hubs across both primary and secondary schools, focusses on reducing attainment gaps by providing school-to-school support with mathematics subject knowledge and pedagogy training for teachers. In addition, the department funds the Maths Champions programme working with early years settings to boost young children’s basic number skills, and the Advanced Mathematics Support Programme supporting disadvantaged students with an aptitude for mathematics to go on to further study.
The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The Review is closely examining the key challenges to attainment for young people and the barriers which hold children back from the opportunities and life chances they deserve, to help us ensure high standards for all. The Review’s interim report, published in March, recognised the need for the curriculum to respond to social and technological change, including to consider what opportunities might be offered around the rise of artificial intelligence and trends in digital information demand.
Please note that in the context of international standings in PISA tests, this response extends only to England as education is a devolved matter.
Asked by: Chris Ward (Labour - Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to reduce educational inequalities in (a) the South East and (b) nationally.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
All children and young people should have every opportunity to succeed, no matter where they are from. However, we know educational inequalities exist across the country. This is not acceptable in the South East or nationally.
The department is tackling inequalities in the system head-on through our plan for change. From September we will be rolling out 30 hours of funded childcare for working parents, saving eligible parents using their full entitlement an average of £7,500 a year. We are also rolling out free breakfast clubs in every state-funded primary school, expanding free school meals to all children on Universal Credit and have delivered the largest ever uplift to early years pupil premium.
We are recruiting an additional 6,500 expert teachers in our schools and colleges and are making good progress, with over 2,000 more teachers in our secondary and special schools.
The department will spend close to £1.5 billion over the next three years on improving family services and early years education to begin the hard work needed.
We will fund Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority to ensure that children and families who need support the most, especially those from low-income backgrounds or with additional vulnerabilities, can access it. These hubs will be open to all families but will be located in disadvantaged communities where support is most needed, ensuring services are both inclusive and targeted.