theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_337
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_337

Dame Chi Onwurah:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the contribution of science and discovery centres to (a) UK STEM education, skills and career pathways, (b) inclusion and (c) public understanding of science. \p Catherine McKinnell: The department has no formal relationship with science and discovery centres and has therefore not made an assessment of their impact on education. We know many schools work with partners to enrich and supplement students’ core curriculum.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_338
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_338

Rachael Maskell:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she had made of the potential barriers to opportunity for adopted (a) children and (b) young people; and what steps her Department has taken to help tackle these in the last year. \p Janet Daby: The department recognises that many adopted children have experienced trauma and neglect. As part of the government’s Plan for Change, we are working to remove barriers to opportunity for all children, including those who are adopted.

To support adopted children in school, we are prioritising their access to school admissions, providing Pupil Premium Plus funding, and ensuring support from designated teachers and virtual school heads.

This year, we have allocated £50 million to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund to provide essential therapeutic services for eligible children. Additionally, we have invested £8.8 million in Adoption England to improve adoption practices. This includes expanding multi-disciplinary teams to offer specialist support, introducing a new early support framework called ‘Becoming a family’ for the first 12 to 18 months of placement, and implementing an Adoption Support Plan to assess and guide families’ support needs.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_339
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_339

Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support schools in reducing (a) energy bills and (b) carbon footprints. \p Stephen Morgan: The department provides tools, guidance and support to help schools manage their spending:
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_340
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_340

James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of banning smartphones in secondary schools. \p Stephen Morgan: Mobile phones have no place in our schools. Schools should prohibit the use of mobile phones and other smart technology with similar functionality to mobile phones throughout the school day, including during lessons, the time between lessons, breaktimes and lunchtime, as set out in the ‘Mobile phones in schools’ guidance, published in 2024.

The department expects all schools to take steps in line with this guidance to ensure mobile phones do not disrupt pupils’ learning.

New research from the Children’s Commissioner, with responses from nearly all schools and colleges in England, shows that the overwhelming majority of schools, 99.8% of primary schools and 90% of secondary schools, already have policies in place that limit or restrict the use of mobile phones during the school day.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_341
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_341

Tom Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Institute for Fiscal Studies report entitled, The short- and medium-term effects of Sure Start on children’s outcomes, published in May 2025, what assessment has she made of the potential impact of Sure Start children's centres on children's levels of attainment. \p Stephen Morgan: The report by the Institute of Fiscal Studies entitled ‘The short- and medium-term effects of Sure Start on children's outcomes’ highlights the powerful, long-term impact of strengthened early years support and shows the difference that integrated, evidence-based services can make to children’s lives. The research showed that access to Sure Start in early life generated widespread, long-lasting benefits, improving children’s health and educational outcomes and reducing the prevalence of identified special education needs and disabilities (SEND).

As our new publication ‘Giving every child the best start in life’, published 7 July 2025, sets out, we are making a significant investment of over half a billion pounds over the 2026/29 spending review period that will build back crucial family services and provide high-quality support to parents and children from pregnancy to age five. Proposals include:

More information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/giving-every-child-the-best-start-in-life.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_342
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_342

Nadia Whittome:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the financial sustainability of the higher education funding model. \p Janet Daby: Higher education (HE) providers are independent from government and as such are responsible for making the financial decisions that support their long-term sustainability.

To support providers in stabilising their finances, the Office for Students (OfS) continues to dedicate significant resources to ensuring the sector's financial sustainability. We have appointed Professor Edward Peck as OfS Chair, and he will play a key role in strengthening this commitment while also expanding opportunities in HE.

Additionally, we have made the difficult decision to increase tuition fee limits by 3.1%, in line with inflation, from the 2025/26 academic year.

The government also provides funding through the Strategic Priorities Grant (SPG) on an annual basis to support teaching and students. This includes funding to support teaching of expensive-to-deliver subjects such as science and engineering, access and participation of students from under-represented groups, and world-leading specialist providers. The total SPG for the 2025/26 financial year will be £1,348 million in recurrent (programme) grant and £84 million for capital to support teaching and learning.

We aim to publish our plans for HE reform soon as part of the Post-16 Skills White Paper, and will work with the sector and the OfS to deliver the change that the country needs.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_343
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_343

Rachael Maskell:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has considered updating the Statutory Guidance on Adoption, published on 18 July 2013. \p Janet Daby: The department keeps all statutory guidance under regular review, including that relating to adoption, and considers updates where required.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_344
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_344

Rachael Maskell:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of prospective adopters; and what steps her Department is taking to increase this. \p Janet Daby: The government inherited a situation marked by a growing disparity between the number of children awaiting adoptive families and the number of approved adopters. In 2024/25, Adoption England launched a national recruitment campaign funded by the government, which led to a modest increase in approved adopters to 2,230, which is a rise of 0.5% from the previous year. We acknowledge that further efforts are needed to close the adopter sufficiency gap. That is why, this year, we have doubled the funding allocated to Adoption England for adopter recruitment, increasing it to £1 million.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_345
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_345

Rachael Maskell:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the findings of the Coram quarterly data reports on adoption and special guardianship, published in March 2025. \p Janet Daby: Coram’s quarterly statistics on adoption and special guardianship orders provide a critical insight into how well local services are performing. The department regularly takes stock of where improvements are needed and works closely with Adoption England and kinship organisations such as Family Rights Group and Kinship to review policy priorities.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_346
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_346

Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the UN report entitled A/HRC/59/23: From economy of occupation to economy of genocide - Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, published on 16 June 2025, whether she has had discussions with the University of Edinburgh on the report. \p Janet Daby: Since education is a devolved matter, no meetings have taken place between my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and the University of Edinburgh concerning the United Nations report.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_347
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_347

Dame Chi Onwurah:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support universities in (a) meeting student recruitment and (b) space targets in the context of current immigration policies. \p Janet Daby: The government has been clear that we welcome international students who meet the requirements to study in the UK. Higher education (HE) providers in the UK hosted 732,285 international students in the 2023/24 academic year, who come from all over the world and benefit UK HE and our society as a whole, boosting our economy by more than £21 billion a year.

The government is currently reviewing the UK’s International Education Strategy to ensure that it aligns with wider government policy and provides clear direction to the sector, including on international student recruitment.

Further, the department and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology are working to ensure that the UK space sector can access the skills and talent needed to grow whilst ensuring long-term investment and growth of the domestic talent pool, in line with the Immigration White Paper and the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan.

This may include collaborative working on the 2025/26 Space Sector Skills Survey, or closer engagement in key sector-facing and ministerial forums on space, all of which will be key to advising the government on how to achieve the right balance of international talent and domestic opportunity.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_348
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_348

Josh Babarinde:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to provide guidance to schools on when the roll out free breakfast clubs will take place in Eastbourne. \p Stephen Morgan: Free breakfast clubs were made available in up to 750 early adopter schools from April 2025, as part of a test and learn phase in advance of a national rollout. Further details on the national rollout, including guidance for schools, will be available in due course.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_349
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_349

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the ban on single use vapes on the prevalence of vaping in schools. \p Stephen Morgan: The sale of vapes to under 18s is illegal, and the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will ban the sale of all consumer nicotine products to anyone under 18.

Schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy that sets out what is expected of all pupils, including what items are banned from school premises. The department supports head teachers in taking proportionate and measured steps to ensure good behaviour in schools.

To support schools to do so, the 'Behaviour in schools' guidance supports schools to develop a behaviour policy that will encourage good behaviour and set out the sanctions that will be imposed for misbehaviour, including vaping anywhere in school.

Schools have the autonomy to decide which items should be banned from their premises, and these can include e-cigarettes or vapes. School staff can search pupils for banned items as outlined in the department’s Searching, Screening and Confiscation guidance.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_350
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_350

Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the funding rate for school meals in West Dorset constituency. \p Stephen Morgan: This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and tackling child poverty. We have now announced that we are extending free school meals (FSM) to all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit from September 2026. This will lift 100,000 children across England out of poverty and put £500 back in families’ pockets, supporting parents in decisive action to improve lives ahead of the Child Poverty Strategy coming later this year.

Providing over half a million children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds with a free, nutritious lunchtime meal every school day will also lead to higher attainment, improved behaviour and better outcomes, meaning children get the best possible education and chance to succeed in work and life.

The new entitlement will be fully funded. The department has set aside over £1 billion in funding over the multi-year spending review period to cover the additional meal costs. This is new money, as opposed to funding within existing school budgets. This will support schools to deliver nutritious and high quality meals which meet the school food standards to over half a million additional pupils.

Schools fund benefits-related FSM from core funding, at a rate set by the national funding formula, which has increased to a factor value of £495 per eligible pupil for the 2025/26 academic year. The current meal rate for universal infant free school meals and further education free meals is increasing to £2.61 for 2025/26. As with all programmes, we will continue to keep funding for FSM under review.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_351
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_351

Tom Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, on what criteria she plans to allocate funding for the new Best Start Family Hubs; and whether this differs from the criteria for the Hubs and Start for Life Programme 2022. \p Janet Daby: Local authorities were pre-selected in rank order using Income Deprivation Affecting Children Indices Average Rank, ensuring a minimum of 25% of local authorities from each Office for National Statistics rural urban classification have been pre-selected for Family Hubs and Start for Life funding.

One in three disadvantaged children live in authorities which currently receive no programme funding. This is why on 7 July 2025, the government published ‘Giving every child the Best Start in Life’. This outlines our commitment to deliver a new Best Start Family Service to bring together parenting, healthcare and education support services, as well as creating and funding Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority. The department will provide a start-up grant to local authorities currently receiving no programme funding this year, before full expansion of Best Start Hubs begins from April 2026.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_352
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_352

Rebecca Long Bailey:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of ending the Strategic Priorities Grant funding for journalism courses in higher education on their future financial viability. \p Janet Daby: I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Salford to the answer of 16 July 2025 to Question 63373.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_353
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_353

Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to provide additional support to adoptee children in schools with learning disabilities. \p Catherine McKinnell: I refer the hon, Member for Cheadle to the answer of 2 July 2025 to Question 62189.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_354
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_354

Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress the Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group has made on developing recommendations to improve inclusivity for neurodivergent children in mainstream schools. \p Catherine McKinnell: The Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group, chaired by Professor Karen Guldberg from Birmingham University, is providing an expert view and making recommendations on how to best meet the needs of neurodivergent children and young people within mainstream education settings.

The group brings together experts including clinicians, scientists and academics, education professionals, and charities representing specific types of neurodivergence.

The department has been clear that in developing their advice, we expect the group to draw on a wide range of inputs, including other sector experts and stakeholders, to ensure appropriate coverage of other types of neurodivergence. The group have also been listening to the voices of neurodivergent children and young people, their parents, and others who care for them.

The group is finalising its recommendations.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_355
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_355

Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of serving teachers have completed continuous professional development specifically covering ADHD and dyslexia since 2020; and what plans she has to make such training compulsory. \p Catherine McKinnell: The requested information on continuous professional development completed by teachers is not collected centrally.

The department is committed to improving support for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other neurodiverse conditions.

From September 2025, the new initial teacher training and early career framework (ITTECF) will set out a minimum entitlement to training for all new teachers. The ITTECF contains significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and SEND which was tested with SEND educational experts to ensure new teachers are equipped to support pupils with a range of additional learning needs.

The department recognises that continuous improvement is essential and has committed to review the ITTECF in 2027 to ensure it continues to provide the best possible support. This review will include a focus on teaching pupils with SEND.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_356
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_356

Afzal Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that autistic girls with (a) avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, (b) sensory sensitivities and (c) other additional needs are able to access inclusive learning environments. \p Catherine McKinnell: This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed and thrive in their education and as they move into adult life.

Under the Children and Families Act 2014, mainstream schools must use their best endeavours to make sure a child or young person who has SEND gets the special educational provision they need. The SEND code of practice is clear that support should be put in place to meet the needs of the child or young person when these are identified. There is no need to wait for a formal diagnosis.

The Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group, chaired by Professor Karen Guldberg, brings together experts to make recommendations on how to best meet the needs of neurodivergent children and young people within mainstream education settings, including those who are autistic.

Additionally, the department is strengthening the evidence base of what works to improve inclusive practice in mainstream settings and have commissioned evidence reviews from Newcastle University and University College London. The ‘What Works in SEND’ research programme is researching tools that schools can use to identify the needs of neurodivergent children.

The department provides continuing professional development to the school and further education workforce through the Universal SEND Services programme, led by the National Association for Special Educational Needs (NASEN). From April 2025, NASEN are developing a new autism-specific online training offer to support the workforce’s understanding of autism, which will include ‘train the trainer' packages and webinars to support teachers and leaders to deliver autism training in their settings.

The department has also invested in the Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) programme, which is a national programme backed by £22 million of investment. PINS deploys specialists from both health and education workforces to build teacher and staff capacity to identify and better meet the needs of neurodivergent children including pupils with autism.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_357
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_357

Neil O'Brien:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the real terms cost to the public purse is of Free School Meals in 2025-26; and what she expects this to be in future years. \p Stephen Morgan: The department published information on pupil free school meal eligibility in the annual Schools, Pupils and Characteristics publication, which can be accessed here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics/2024-25. The most recent data is based on the January (spring) school census. Under current eligibility criteria, the department spends around £1.5 billion on free lunches annually.

We estimate that over 500,000 additional children will benefit from expanded free school meal eligibility from September 2026, net of the ending of transitional protections, based on data which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/estimate-of-additional-children-claiming-free-school-meals-following-expansion-of-eligibility/2025. We have set aside over £1 billion in additional funding over the multi-year spending review period to cover meal costs.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_358
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_358

Dr Simon Opher:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support (a) foster carers, (b) kinship carers and (c) adoptive parents. \p Janet Daby: The Transformation Fund, announced in the spring, builds on the £15 million investment for foster care in the Budget. The department will provide an additional £25 million over two years, beginning in the 2026/27 financial year.

Foster carers receive the national minimum allowance to cover the costs of looking after children in their care, uplifted each year in line with inflation and earnings. Our investment includes the rollout of the Mockingbird Family model, which offers peer support to foster carers and children. We also continue to fund Fosterline, a free helpline for current and prospective foster carers.

To support kinship carers, the government announced £40 million to pilot the Kinship Allowance in some local authorities, supporting eligible kinship carers with the additional costs of taking parental responsibility for a kinship child. The pilot will launch in late autumn and support approximately 5,000 kinship children until March 2029. In addition, the department funds training and peer support groups for kinship carers.

In April, the department announced £8.8 million for Adoption England to improve adoption services and support regional adoption agencies to respond more effectively to adoptive families in crisis. The £50 million adoption and special guardianship support fund will continue to enable families to access a significant package of therapeutic support.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_359
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_359

John Glen:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 3 July 2025 to Question 62928 on Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund, if she will place in the Library a copy of the equalities impact assessment for the changes to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund before the summer recess. \p Janet Daby: The equalities impact assessment for the adoption and special guardianship support fund will be deposited in the Libraries of both Houses shortly.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_360
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_360

Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to introduce a Young Carers Pupil Premium. \p Janet Daby: ​Statutory guidance ’Keeping children safe in education’ sets out that all school and college staff should be alert to the potential need for early help of young carers and requires designated safeguarding leads to undergo training to provide them with the necessary knowledge and skills to carry out their role, including having a good understanding of the specific needs of young carers. ​This will ensure they receive tailored support and do not miss out on vital educational opportunities.

Whilst young carer status does not attract pupil premium funding, evidence suggests that around 60% of young carers are eligible for this funding through free school meals entitlement. Our guidance to school leaders is clear that pupil premium should not be restricted to those pupils who have eligibility for the funding, and schools should use it to support other pupils with identified needs, including young carers.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_361
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_361

Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department records and publishes statistics on the (a) number and (b) nature of serious safeguarding incidents and child deaths in early years settings. \p Stephen Morgan: Information on the number and nature of serious incident notification statistics is published annually in the Official Statistics release on serious incident notifications, which is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/serious-incident-notifications/2025.

Information on the placement type at the time of the incident is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/1c759373-93c2-4d6a-1d6e-08ddc13e16b8.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_362
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_362

Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether any schools in Warrington South constituency are receiving support through the new attendance and behaviour hubs; and how her Department is monitoring the impact of this programme on pupil (a) attendance and (b) behaviour outcomes. \p Stephen Morgan: The department recently announced our Attendance and Behaviour Hubs programme and will be announcing the appointment of lead Hubs and further information about available support in the coming months. Schools in need of support will then be matched with lead hubs.

Each new Attendance and Behaviour Hub will work closely with their respective regional improvement for standards and excellence (RISE) team to help identify and deliver the appropriate support for schools with attendance and behaviour challenges. In addition, lead Hubs will also deliver termly regional events, including open days and training sessions, collectively reaching up to 4,500 schools per year.

The programme will be independently evaluated throughout its lifespan utilising process, impact and economic evaluation methodologies.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_363
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_363

Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much of the £740 million investment to support inclusive classrooms has been allocated to schools in Warrington South constituency; and what criteria were used to determine allocations for (a) adaptations, (b) specialist units and (c) additional special school places. \p Stephen Morgan: The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or who require alternative provision sits with local authorities.

The department provides local authorities with capital funding to support them to meet this duty and has published allocations for £740 million in high needs provision capital allocations for the 2025/26 financial year.

Of this £740 million, Warrington Borough Council has been allocated £3 million.

This funding can be used to adapt schools to be more accessible, to create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit pupils’ needs and to create special school places for pupils with the most complex needs.

It is up to the council to determine how they prioritise this funding to address local need in the most appropriate way.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_364
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_364

Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to his oral contribution in response to the hon. Member for Twickenham during the Oral Statement of 7 July 2025 on Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life, Official Report, column 687, whether inspector training for early years settings will include guidance on reviewing CCTV footage. \p Stephen Morgan: The safety of children is our utmost priority and we continually monitor and review the early years foundation stage (EYFS) safeguarding requirements to ensure children are kept as safe as possible. The EYFS statutory framework can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2.

Currently, the decision to install and use camera surveillance equipment in a nursery is a matter for individual providers to determine based on their own risk assessment and policies.

The department works closely with Ofsted in our work monitoring and reviewing the safeguarding requirements within the EYFS. This includes ongoing discussions regarding the merits and concerns regarding the use of CCTV in early years settings.

Any proposed changes to EYFS requirements will be informed by engagement with providers, health professionals, sector stakeholders and safeguarding experts.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_365
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_365

Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much their Department has spent on translating documents into languages other than (a) English and (b) other native UK languages in each year since 2023; and what these languages were. \p Feryal Clark: The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology have awarded two contracts for the total value of £97,848.94 since 2023 on translating documents into languages other than English and other native UK languages.

These languages were: French, Korean, Arabic and Mandarin

These translation services related to research on AI and Large Language Models and the material was not published.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_366
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_366

Dame Chi Onwurah:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the impact of science and discovery centres' on (a) science communication, (b) public engagement and (c) the level of interest in STEM skills amongst school students; and what assessment she has made of trends in the level of financial resilience of these centres since the COVID-19 pandemic. \p Feryal Clark: The Government has not conducted an assessment of interest in science and discovery centres among school students. The financial sustainability of Science and Discovery Centres was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, as entrance fees are a significant income source. Sector surveys by the Association for Science and Discovery Centres, conducted in Spring 2024 and 2025, show that visitor numbers have since increased, with over 5.2 million last year—including school children, families and communities. Science and Discovery Centres engaged 37% of UK schools and offered programmes such as 'Thinking Doing Talking Science' to improve attainment, particularly among disadvantaged pupils.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_367
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_367

Dame Chi Onwurah:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department holds data on the number of vacancies in the science and technology sectors in London. \p Feryal Clark: DSIT does not hold vacancy data specifically for the Science and Technology Sectors in London.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_368
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_368

Gregor Poynton:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department plans to require AI developers to demonstrate that their models include technical protections against the generation of (a) child sexual abuse imagery and (b) other (i) illegal and (ii) harmful material. \p Feryal Clark: The Government recognises the importance of tackling AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Creating, possessing, or distributing CSAM, including AI Generated CSAM, is illegal. The Online Safety Act requires services to proactively identify and remove this content. We are taking further action in the Crime and Policing Bill to criminalise CSAM image generators.

As set out in the AI Opportunities Action Plan, we believe most AI systems should be regulated at the point of use, with our expert regulators best placed to do so. Departments are working proactively with regulators to provide clear strategic direction and support them on their AI capability needs.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_369
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_369

Blair McDougall:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will hold discussions with X.com on the potential impact of the output of its Grok AI on community safety. \p Feryal Clark: The Government’s commitment to tackling online harms applies across all social media companies, and we engage with all major platforms in this regard. Many generative AI services have functionalities that bring them into scope of the Online Safety Act – services in scope will be required to assess the risk of harm to users from illegal content and content that is harmful to children on their services and implement measures to manage and mitigate this risk. Online platforms, including X, will need to fulfil these duties. Ofcom has strong enforcement powers where platforms fail to comply.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_370
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_370

Sarah Champion:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that AI technologies which fall outside the scope of the Online Safety Act are subject to appropriate regulatory oversight of their potential use in generating child sexual abuse material. \p Feryal Clark: We are committed to ensuring our laws keep pace with technology and are building on the Online Safety Act by taking further action in the Crime and Policing Bill to criminalise AI models which have been optimised to create child sexual abuse material.

As set out in the AI Opportunities Action Plan, we believe most AI systems should be regulated at the point of use, with our expert regulators best placed to do so. We are working proactively with regulators, including Ofcom, to provide clear strategic direction and support them on their AI capability needs.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_371
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_371

Dame Chi Onwurah:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will steps to ensure that the proposed Cyber Security and Resilience Bill supports the establishment of common levels of cyber security with the UK's international partners. \p Feryal Clark: The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will better safeguard UK national security by strengthening our cyber defences and ensuring the essential and digital services people and businesses rely on every day are better protected.

Cyber threats do not respect borders, and the nature of digital technology means we are all fundamentally interconnected. The UK is tackling similar challenges to those faced by governments across the globe. Businesses operating across borders are also reckoning with this threat and adjusting practices to comply with regulation in other jurisdictions as well as in the UK.

The Bill is being designed with these issues in mind and government is continuing to actively engage with our international partners on its development and on our shared cyber issues. We will continue to seek harmonisation and commonality in cyber security and risk mitigation where appropriate through the design and implementation of the Bill.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_372
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_372

Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the (a) percentage and (b) cash term monetary change in average fees for his Department's nursery was in 2025-26 compared to 2024-25; and what assessment he has made of the reasons for the increase. \p Catherine West: There has been no increase in fees for the nursery based at King Charles Street during the period 2024-25 to 2025-26.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_373
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_373

Luke Akehurst:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his Chinese counterparts on the right of the Tibetan Buddhist authorities to select the successor to the Dalai Lama without interference. \p Catherine West: This Government stands firm on human rights, including China's repression of the people of Tibet. We champion freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all in the UK and abroad, and work to uphold the right to FoRB through the UN, G7 and other multilateral fora, and through bilateral engagement. For example, On July 2 the UK convened an event in Geneva to reaffirm the right to FoRB for all, including Tibetan Buddhists and the right to choose their own religious leaders.

The UK views the Dalai Lama as a respected spiritual leader and strong human rights advocate. It is our longstanding position that the appointment of the next Dalai Lama is a matter for the Tibetan Buddhist community across the world, in line with FoRB.

We raise our concerns at the highest levels: the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Chancellor, Energy Secretary and I all raised human rights recently with our Chinese counterparts.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_374
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_374

Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department will take steps to support (a) the freedom of expression and (b) civil society in Georgia. \p Stephen Doughty: I remain deeply concerned by the Georgian Dream government's increasing repression of opposition voices, civil society, and independent media. On 11 July in coordination with European partners, the Foreign Secretary condemned politically motivated detentions of opposition politicians. I have repeatedly called out repressive legislation targeting Civil society and peaceful protesters. We have downgraded our bilateral cooperation and are considering all other options available to us. We urge Georgian Dream to reverse course and engage in inclusive national dialogue with all stakeholders in Georgia's future.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_375
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_375

Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his letter to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, dated 16 June 2025, what changes he plans to make in the context of his comments on (a) working as an investor rather than only a donor and (b) moving from service delivery to system support. \p Stephen Doughty: We have been clear that we must transform what development means to respond to the global context. For too long it has been the Global North telling the Global South how to work - we will work in partnership, not paternalism.

When moving from donor to investor, we will partner with countries to unlock growth, jobs and trade through innovative finance and private sector investment - scaling up our instruments and public-private partnership to channel greater investment. And when moving from service delivery to system support, we will prioritise helping countries build their own education, health, and economic systems so they can thrive without aid, including by expanding the way that UK expertise works alongside countries. We must modernise our approach, make choices and focus on greater impact - ensuring every pound delivers for the UK taxpayer and the people we support.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_376
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_376

Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his new development financing strategy will prioritise the most vulnerable countries. \p Stephen Doughty: Reducing poverty in the world's poorest, most fragile and unstable environments remains central to our Official Development Assistance (ODA). The UK will remain a leading humanitarian actor, in a world where 300 million people require humanitarian assistance. That includes our continued bilateral support to Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan.

Reducing the overall size of our ODA budget will have an impact on the scale and shape of the work we do. We need to focus on greater impact, ensuring every pound delivers for the UK taxpayer and the people we support. We will sharpen our focus on three priorities that align with the needs of our partners, UK interests, and where we can drive real change: humanitarian, health, and climate and nature, underpinned by economic development.

We expect to publish the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office final 2025/26 ODA programme allocations in the Annual Report & Accounts on the 21 July. Over the coming months, we will work through detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used, informed by internal and external consultation and impact assessments, ahead of publishing indicative multi-year allocations in the autumn.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_377
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_377

Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his letter to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee of 16 June 2025, how the £200 million uplift in non-ODA spending in 2025-26 will be allocated across the priorities he identifies. \p Stephen Doughty: The £200 million non-Official Development Assistance (ODA) spending uplift is from 2026/27 onwards as was agreed in the latest Spending Review. There is no £200 million uplift in 2025/26. Decisions on the allocation of non-ODA programme will be agreed during the multi-year allocations process, expected to conclude in the Autumn.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_378
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_378

Rachael Maskell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will have discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on increasing the level of ODA spend. \p Stephen Doughty: To fund an increase in defence spending, the Government has taken the decision to reduce our ODA budget to 0.3% of Gross National Income (GNI) by 2027. This reflects the world we live in and the threats our country faces. We must do this to maintain economic stability - the foundation of this Government's Plan for Change. The Government is committed to returning to spending 0.7% of GNI on ODA when the fiscal circumstances allow.

The government will continue to monitor future forecasts closely, and each year will review and confirm, in accordance with the International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Act 2015, whether a return to spending 0.7% GNI on ODA is possible against the latest fiscal forecast. The Office for Budget Responsibility's latest forecast shows that the ODA fiscal tests are not due to be met within the Parliament.
wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_379
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_379

James Naish:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much funding his Department has allocated to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in each of the next three years. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK is a longstanding supporter of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), having contributed £1.4 billion since 1995. This has enabled GPEI to reduce wild poliovirus cases by over 99 per cent. The UK is also the largest donor to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. We recently announced a new investment of £1.25 billion for 2026 - 2030 that will support eligible countries with polio vaccines as part of an essential package of childhood immunisation. The UK is working with international partners to ensure sustainable resources for global health. We are reviewing our spending - including for GPEI - following the outcome of the Spending Review to ensure that every pound of development assistance is spent in the most impactful way.