theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-23)

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Afzal Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that mental health services are equipped to support autistic women and girls who may present with (a) high anxiety and (b) sensory distress in Manchester Rusholme constituency. \p Stephen Kinnock: We know that autistic people, including women and girls, can face challenges in accessing mental health services.

While it is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including the provision of mental health support for autistic people in Manchester Rusholme, we are taking action to increase awareness and understanding of autism within health and adult social care services. Under the Health and Care Act 2022, providers registered with the Care Quality Commission are required to ensure their staff receive specific training on learning disability and autism appropriate to their role.

To support this, we have been rolling out the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism to the health and adult social care workforce. The first part of this training has now been completed by over three million people.

NHS England has also rolled out additional training across mental health services. 5,000 trainers have been trained as part of the National Autism Trainer Programme and this training covers autism presentation in women and girls. These trainers will cascade their training to teams across mental health services.

NHS England also commissioned the Royal College of Psychiatrists to deliver the National Autism Training Programme for Psychiatrists, with over 300 psychiatrists trained in the past three years.

Furthermore, NHS England has published guidance on how to improve the quality, accessibility, and acceptability of care and support for autistic adults to meet their mental health needs, as well as guidance on adaptations of NHS Talking Therapies for autistic people.
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Noah Law:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department has provided to (a) local healthcare trusts and (b) ICBs on the specification for Neighbourhood Health Centres. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Government has set out its vision for Neighbourhood Health Centres in the 10-Year Health Plan, co-locating National Health Service, local authority and voluntary sector services and bring historically hospital-based services into the community. These should be part of a broader offer that is defined locally to meet the local population needs holistically, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

NHS England’s health building notes give best practice guidance on the design and planning of new healthcare buildings and on the adaption or extension of existing facilities, including for primary and community care services. These are available to both NHS trusts and integrated care boards, and are available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/estates/health-building-notes/
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-23)

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Ian Roome:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when dental contracts will be uplifted in England; and what that uplift will be in percentage terms. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Department accepted the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration (DDRB) recommendation of a 4% increase in the pay element of the dental contract. The Department will be engaging with the British Dental Association on the implementation of this uplift in due course.

The Department published its response to 2025/26 pay recommendations earlier than it has for several years. This paves the way for staff getting their pay rises earlier, including general dental practitioners, via uplifts to NHS dental contracts.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-23)

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Afzal Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to use the NHS 10 Year Health Plan to adapt housing policy to better support the needs of (a) disabled and (b) older people. \p Stephen Kinnock: We recognise how important the right housing arrangements are in supporting people to live independently, and the need to support disabled and older people to live behind their own front door wherever possible.

We are working across Government to tackle the wider determinants of health, including poor housing and fuel poverty, providing advice on the health impacts for the new Fuel Poverty Strategy, and supporting the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government with the implementation of Awaab’s Law and the Decent Homes Standard in the social housing sector.

In the 10-Year Health Plan, we have committed to moving towards a Neighbourhood Health Service, with more care delivered locally to create healthier communities, spot problems earlier, and support people to stay healthier and maintain their independence for longer. Over the next three years, we will roll out the neighbourhood health approach to the groups most failed by the current system, improving people’s quality of life and easing pressures on both hospitals and the adult social care system.

We have provided an additional £172 million across this and the last financial year to uplift the Disabled Facilities Grant, which could provide approximately 15,600 home adaptations to give older and disabled people more independence in their homes.
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Afzal Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to reduce waiting times for autism (a) diagnosis and (b) support for (i) adults and (ii) children. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Government has recognised that, nationally, the demand for assessments for autism has grown significantly in recent years and that people are experiencing severe delays for accessing such assessments. The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan will make the National Health Service fit for the future, and it recognises the need for early intervention and support, without the need for diagnosis.

It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including provision of autism services, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

On 5 April 2023, NHS England published a national framework and operational guidance to help ICBs and the NHS deliver improved outcomes for people referred to an autism assessment service. The guidance also sets out what support should be available before an assessment and following a recent diagnosis of autism. Since publication, NHS England has been supporting systems and services to identify where there are challenges for implementation and how they might overcome these.

The Government is supporting inclusive environments and earlier intervention for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) through the Early Language Support for Every Child and the Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools programmes. In addition, through local commissioning, the Government will ensure that neighbourhood health services work in partnership with family hubs, schools, nurseries, and colleges to offer timely and joined-up support to children, young people, and their families, including for those with SEND.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-23)

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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to implement the provisions of the Care Act 2014 on protecting individuals from unaffordable care costs. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Government inherited a commitment to implement charging reforms, including a cap on care costs and an extended means test, in October 2025. Regrettably, funding for these reforms had not been guaranteed, preparations for full rollout were not on track, and thus it was impossible to deliver these reforms by October.

The means test thresholds for support with adult social care costs continue to be reviewed annually.

The Government remains committed to reforming the adult social care sector and we have launched an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. The Terms of Reference are sufficiently broad to enable Baroness Casey to independently consider how to build a social care system fit for the future, including considering the affordability of care costs if she sees fit.
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Adam Dance:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding his Department plans to provide for NHS dentistry in each of the next three financial years. \p Stephen Kinnock: Prior to 2023/24 there was no specific dental budget allocation, as dentistry formed part of a wider budget which included community pharmacy and optometry. Since 2023/24, there has been a specific dental ringfence allocation for integrated care boards. This includes primary, secondary, and community dentistry and is set net of patient charges. The following table shows the dental budget as a proportion of the total National Health Service budget in each of the last two years:

Year

Proportion of NHS budget

2023/24

2.17%

2024/25

2.12%

Note: the figure for 2025/2026 is not yet confirmed.   The details of budget allocations within each Government department for future years is still being determined. The Department is working to provide the detail and certainty needed on future funding and spending plans. This includes preparing for the first multi-year planning round for the NHS in more than half a decade, which will give local leaders the certainty they need to deliver.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-23)

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Leigh Ingham:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of community provision of palliative care in Stafford constituency. \p Stephen Kinnock: We want a society where every person receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life.

Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative and end of life care. ICBs, including the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB, which covers the Stafford constituency, are responsible for the commissioning of palliative and end of life care services, to meet the needs of their local populations. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.

As set out in the Government’s recently published 10-Year Health Plan, we are determined to shift more care out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and their families receive personalised care in the most appropriate setting. Palliative care and end of life care services, including hospices, will have a big role to play in that shift, and were highlighted in the plan as being an integral part of neighbourhood teams.

The Government and the National Health Service will closely monitor the shift towards the strategic commissioning of palliative and end of life care services to ensure that, in future, services reduce variation in access and quality, although some variation may be appropriate to reflect both innovation and the needs of local populations.

Officials will present further proposals to ministers over the coming months, outlining how to operationalise the required shifts in palliative care and end of life care to enable the shift from hospital to community, including as part of neighbourhood health teams.
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Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce (a) digital, (b) language and (c) other barriers to South Asian communities accessing GPs for dementia care. \p Stephen Kinnock: We understand how vital it is to ensure that all patients with dementia, including those with language barriers or difficulty using digital services, have their communication needs met, so that they can access general practices (GPs) and other National Health Services, and receive the same quality of healthcare as others. To support this, GPs must provide translation and interpretation services. They are also expected to meet the Accessible Information Standard (AIS), which outlines how to meet the communication needs of patients who require language support. This ensures non-English speakers can access GP services safely.

Digital tools, such as online consultation systems, can help patients book appointments, request prescriptions, and register more easily, especially for those who may struggle with phone conversations due to language barriers. However, we understand that digital access is not suitable for everyone. That’s why in-person support must always be available. GP reception desks must remain open to support those who cannot use phone or online options.
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Kate Osamor:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of including specialist dementia nurses as part of the Neighbourhood Health Service. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Neighbourhood Health Service will bring together teams of professionals, closer to people’s homes, to work together to provide comprehensive care in the community. We expect neighbourhood teams and services to be designed in a way that reflects the specific needs of local populations, and so they could include dementia nurses. While we will be clear on the outcomes we expect, we will give significant licence to tailor the approach to local need. While the focus on personalised, coordinated care will be consistent, services may look different in rural communities, coastal towns, and deprived inner cities, depending on local need.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-23)

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Vikki Slade:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to reopen the New to Partnership Payment Scheme to support healthcare professionals to become GP partners. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Department has no current plans to reopen the New to Partnership Payment Scheme, which was launched by NHS England and ran from July 2020 to June 2023.

We recognise that fewer general practitioners (GPs) are interested in going into partnership, and that the partnership model is not the only model currently delivering general practice. General practices can and do choose to organise themselves in different ways, many of which cite evidence of good outcomes in terms of staff engagement and patient experience.

Reasons for GPs not wanting to take on a contractor role or moving back to a salaried role from a contractor role can vary and include concerns about workload and work/life balance, the personal financial risk involved or a lack of interest in aspects of the work, such as managing income and expenditure.

Where the traditional GP partnership model is working well, it should continue, but through the delivery of the 10-Year Health Plan we want to create an alternative that supports the neighbourhood health model, provides resilience and allows economies of scale, securing the sustainability of general practice into the future.

We have committed to substantive GP contract reform within this Parliament following acceptance of the 2025/26 contract by the England general practitioners committee of the British Medical Association. As part of this, we expect to consider a breadth of topics, which may include updates to the partnership model.
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Luke Taylor:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of trends in the level of waiting times on children and young people seeking urgent mental health support. \p Stephen Kinnock: We know that too many children and young people are not receiving the mental health care they need, and that waits for mental health services are far too long. We are determined to change that, as we recognise the importance of timely access to mental health support for children and the positive impact this can have on areas such as family life and educational outcomes.

Backed by an extra £688 million in Government funding this year, we are transforming mental health services, including hiring more staff and getting waiting lists down through our 10-Year Health Plan, so children can have the best possible start in life.

We will deliver on our commitment to get every child who needs it access to mental health support within school, and over the course of this year we will roll that support out to nearly a million extra children. Under Government plans, all pupils will have access to mental health support in school by 2029/30.
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Mike Wood:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his planned timetable is for the review of NHS England guidance entitled Delivering same-sex accommodation; and what role he will play in the process. \p Karin Smyth: The National Health Service is currently reviewing its ‘Delivering same-sex accommodation’ guidance and will ensure revised guidance reflects the Supreme Court ruling and is aligned with the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) statutory guidance when this becomes available.

The EHRC is working at pace to develop a new statutory Code of Practice in light of the judgment. This will cover in detail the approach employers should take in relation to single-sex spaces to align with their legal obligations. All service providers, including the NHS, must comply with this Code of Practice.

The EHRC recently closed their consultation for the new Statutory Code of Practice and are now processing the responses.

In the meantime, I continue to expect NHS employers to act in line with their legal obligations, including applying the Equality Act 2010 in line with the Supreme Court’s judgment.
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Dr Simon Opher:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve the quality of information provided on (a) choice over pregnancy, (b) menopause care and (c) the availability of free contraceptive pills at pharmacies. \p Karin Smyth: It is important that women are provided with accurate information that enables them to make informed choices about their care, including contraceptive choices and menopause.

Pharmacies are well placed to advise patients on the options available to them when accessing oral contraception on the National Health Service. Contraceptive pills are available from pharmacies on prescription or when issued as part of the NHS Pharmacy Contraception Service. The service launched in April 2023 and enables pharmacists to initiate and continue ongoing supplies of contraception initiated in general practice surgeries and sexual health services. Later in 2025, the service will expand to include emergency hormonal contraception (EHC), which means women will have access to the ‘morning-after pill’ free of charge at pharmacies on the NHS, thereby ending the current situation where free EHC is only available in some areas. NHS England has launched an online tool to help educate individuals wishing to access the service and to signpost where they can find a participating pharmacy.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published their updated menopause guideline in November 2024 and recommended more treatment choices for menopause symptoms. The updated guideline aims to support healthcare professionals by providing them with the information they need to support evidence-based decisions about treatment choices, as well as information and support about menopause. There are also a range of resources and support that pharmacies can signpost patients to, for example the NHS website and the NHS menopause factsheet, which was created to help women understand and manage symptoms and know how to seek help.
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Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a regulatory body for antenatal education organisations. \p Karin Smyth: As outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, we are cutting the number of regulatory bodies as they are overwhelming the National Health Service system and taking focus away from the basics of patient care. The changes we are making will improve quality and safety by making it clear where responsibility and accountability sits at all levels of the system, and making it easier for staff, patients, and users to directly feed into the system to improve quality of care.

We therefore have no plans currently to introduce a further regulatory body specific to antenatal education organisations.
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Samantha Niblett:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of the £10 billion NHS technology investment will be spent on software licensing. \p Karin Smyth: The information requested is not available.
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Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to (a) improve access to antenatal care education for women and families and (b) ensure that high-quality (a) information and (b) information on birthing is delivered during antenatal classes. \p Karin Smyth: Maternity services are commissioned by integrated care boards (ICBs), and it is the responsibility of local commissioners to ensure services, including antenatal education, are designed to be accessible and high-quality.

As was set out in the 2025/26 National Health Service operational planning and contracting guidance, when taking decisions, ICBs and providers are asked to pay particular attention to challenged and fragile services, including maternity and neonatal services, thereby delivering the key actions of the Three Year Delivery Plan and continuing to address variation in access, experiences, and outcomes. Antenatal care is a key focus of the plan.

In addition, NHS England expects ICBs to have due regard to relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. For antenatal care education, NICE guidelines recommend offering antenatal classes to all first-time mothers and their partners, covering a range of topics, including preparing for labour and birth. It also advises that classes should be considered for women in subsequent pregnancies where there may be a benefit.
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James Naish:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to update the regulatory framework for the General Dental Council. \p Karin Smyth: The Government is committed to modernising the regulatory frameworks for healthcare professionals in the United Kingdom. The Government is aiming to publish a consultation on secondary legislation to modernise the General Medical Council’s (GMC) regulatory framework in late 2025. This legislation will be the blueprint for the reform of all of the healthcare professional regulators. In addition to the GMC’s legislation, we aim to deliver reformed legislation for the Health and Care Professions Council and the Nursing and Midwifery Council within this Parliament. No timeframe has yet been set for reforming the General Dental Council’s legislative framework.
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Sarah Gibson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many serious incidents involving maternity care were reported by NHS Trusts covering Wiltshire in each of the last five years. \p Karin Smyth: Across the last five years, there have been a total of 116 serious incidents involving maternity care reported by National Health Service trusts covering Wiltshire. The following table shows the number of incidents per year against the trusts in Wiltshire, from 2020/21 to 2024/25:

Year

Royal United Hospitals, Bath

Salisbury Foundation Trust

Great Western Hospital

Total

2020/21

10

5

11

26

2021/22

16

5

12

33

2022/23

16

8

3

27

2023/24

7

6

16

29

2024/25

1

1

Total

50

24

42
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Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help strengthen the UK’s relationship with Sweden. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK maintains strong and enduring ties with Sweden across a broad range of bilateral files. We work closely together as North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) allies and Sweden was among the first countries the Foreign Secretary visited in July 2024. Most recently, the Foreign Secretary hosted Foreign Minister Stenergard on 1 May and the Prime Minister then hosted Prime Minister Kristersson at No 10 on 12 May. I also hosted State Secretary Hartelius and State Secretary Danielsson in March and Minister for the Cabinet Office, Nick Thomas Symonds, visited Stockholm the same month. We continue to engage our Swedish counterparts regularly at all levels.
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Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help strengthen the UK’s relationship with Finland. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK maintains strong and enduring ties with Finland across a broad range of bilateral files. We work closely together as North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) allies. Most recently, the Foreign Secretary hosted Foreign Minister Valtonen on 4 February and the Prime Minister hosted President Stubb at No 10 on 31 March. I also hosted State Secretary Rajala in March. I am due to visit Helsinki for the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act later this month, where I expect to continue bilateral discussions with my ministerial counterparts.
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Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help strengthen the UK’s relationship with Germany. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK maintains a strong relationship with Germany. We work closely together bilaterally, as North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and G7 allies, and through other formats such as the E3. On 17 July, we signed a landmark Bilateral Treaty with Germany, building on our strong defence and security ties and expanding cooperation across key shared priorities - including foreign policy, migration, economic growth, organised crime, and science and technology. We also signed the Trinity House Agreement in October 2024. Germany was the first country the Foreign Secretary visited in July 2024. The Prime Minister last visited Berlin in October 2024. Chancellor Merz and Foreign Minister Wadephul visited London on 17 July, and we engage frequently at Ministerial level. I have visited Berlin on a number of occassions and hosted Lander representatives here in London from Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia in recent months.
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Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help strengthen the UK’s relationship with Italy. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK enjoys a strong, historic relationship with Italy across a broad range of bilateral files. We work closely together through NATO, the G7 and G20 on key foreign policy and defence priorities, including support to Ukraine and conflict in the Middle East. Most recently, Prime Minister Meloni visited the UK on 2 March for the 2025 London Summit for Ukraine, which included a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister. Their Majesties' State Visit to Italy (7-10 April) further deepened ties, focusing on sustainability, defence, and cultural links. The Foreign Secretary continues to engage regularly with Foreign Minister Tajani at summits such as the G7 (March), NATO (April), and co-chaired a migration event at the Munich Security Conference (February). I also visited Italy on 12 June for the Weimar+ meeting and met Deputy Foreign Minister Cirielli.
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Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to have discussions with his Chinese counterpart on dissuading that country to collaborate with Iran on matters that are counter to UK security interests. \p Catherine West: The Foreign Secretary recently met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit to discuss international security issues, including Iran. As P5 members of the United Nations Security Council, we must continue to engage China and all other relevant stakeholders as we try to find a diplomatic path to ensure Iran can never develop a nuclear weapon.
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Anna Gelderd:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Malaysian counterpart on (a) protecting tropical forests and (b)(i) safeguarding and (ii) recognising the rights of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities. \p Catherine West: The Foreign Secretary met Malaysian PM Anwar on 11 July and discussed Malaysia's climate commitments.

Tackling deforestation and safeguarding the role of local smallholder communities was the focal point of the Minister for Climate's visit in April 2025 when she and Malaysian Minister for Plantations launched the Forest, Agriculture and Commodity Trade (FACT) Dialogue Forum promoting deforestation-free crop production.

In March 2025, I launched the UK International Climate Fund (ICF) programme 'Seed to Tree'. I engaged with the indigenous community on establishing seed banks, plant nurseries and translocating saplings for wider forest restoration efforts in Malaysia to combat climate change.

The UK is working with Malaysia and the Netherlands under a UK ICF programme where smallholders (comprising indigenous and local community groups) from across Malaysia are trained to be market-ready producers of sustainable palm oil and deforestation free crops.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps she has taken with local authorities to help improve special educational and disability needs provision in (a) England and (b) Romford. \p Catherine McKinnell: The government’s ambition for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is that they will achieve and thrive, and lead happy, healthy and productive lives. The department is working closely with experts on SEND reforms.

The department and NHS England have been supporting local areas, including Havering, to improve their SEND service delivery for several years. This includes a monitoring, support and challenge relationship following an inspection by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Where a local authority does not meet its duties, we can take action that prioritises children’s needs and supports local areas to bring about rapid improvement.

Ofsted and the CQC undertook a joint local area SEND inspection of Havering in March 2018 and received a positive outcome (the local area was not required to produce a written statement of action).
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Jess Asato:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans her Department has to support schools to develop timetabling expertise in order to enable more flexible working patterns for teachers (a) who are mothers and (b) generally. \p Catherine McKinnell: The department is taking action to support and promote flexible working in schools for all teachers and leaders. We have published non-statutory guidance alongside our flexible working toolkit, which includes practical resources to help leaders implement flexible working and to support school staff to request it. We have also clarified the position on planning, preparation and assessment time, so that schools are aware that teachers can use this time more flexibly. This can include taking it in a single chunk of time, or working from home, where the school deems this operationally feasible.

The department is also funding support for teachers and school leaders. We are delivering a culture change programme, focused on embedding flexible working in schools and multi-academy trusts (MATs). This programme allows schools to access support to overcome the perceived or practical barriers they face to implementing flexible working. This includes peer support provided by flexible working ambassador schools and MATs, and the delivery of supportive webinars, including several specifically addressing how timetabling can support flexible working.

Our programme also offers practical support on combining flexible working with life as a parent and has a range of tailored content such as a webinar on making a flexible working request when returning from parental leave.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-23 conversation_129

Afzal Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to work (a) Teach First and (b) other school led partnerships to place additional high calibre graduates into schools in low income communities. \p Catherine McKinnell: Evidence shows that high-quality teaching is the most important in-school factor that improves outcomes for children. The department has reformed initial teacher training and the early career induction to ensure that children in every area of England benefit from high-quality teaching. The High Potential Initial Teacher Training Programme, currently delivered by Teach First, recruits high-quality candidates specifically for placement in schools serving low-income communities to help improve outcomes for pupils. We are making the post-graduate teaching apprenticeship route easier to deliver for schools, helping us to better meet candidate demand across the country, including in lower income areas.

Work is already underway to deliver on our pledge to recruit an additional 6,500 expert teachers. The workforce has grown by 2,346 full-time employed staff between 2023/24 and 2024/25 in secondary and special schools. Our future schoolteacher pipeline is also growing. As of June 2025, there are 12% more trainees who have accepted offers to train as secondary teachers, and in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, acceptances are up 25% compared to last year.

The Teaching Regulation Agency has no responsibility in determining initial teacher training placement provision.
wrans/answers2025-07-23 conversation_130
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-23 conversation_130

Afzal Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve retention of early career teachers in schools rated (a) requires improvement and (b) inadequate by Ofsted. \p Catherine McKinnell: From September 2025, all early career teachers (ECTs) are entitled to two years of development support and training based on the content of the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF). The offer for ECTs includes regular, structured sessions with a dedicated mentor and time off timetable to undertake development activities, including training and mentoring. This investment is grounded in strong evidence that high-quality teaching is the most important in-school factor for improving pupil outcomes, and that structured professional development is key to teacher effectiveness and retention.

In addition to a structured programme of development and support, every ECT is also supported by an appropriate body who ensures that their teaching post is suitable and that ECTs receive all their entitlements and are supported with any difficulties. This support is available to every ECT serving an induction period. There are also restrictions on schools in special measures recruiting new ECTs unless Ofsted’s report specifically states that they can.

The latest data suggests that the support available to ECTs is having a positive impact on retention. In 2024/25, the ECT retention rate showed a continued increasing trend with one-year retention reaching 89.7%, the highest on record for a cohort of ECTs since the introduction of the Early Career Framework reforms.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-23 conversation_131

Jade Botterill:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the merits of outdoor education for (a) children and (b) adults. \p Catherine McKinnell: The department believes that outdoor education can be a valuable part of a broad and balanced curriculum, for example in physical education and geography, and a school’s enrichment offer. Both form an important part of our mission to break down barriers to opportunity and to achieve high and rising standards for all children.

We are supporting research by the University of Oxford which will help us to better understand the specific benefits of spending time in nature and ascertain which nature-based activities are most impactful for which outcomes.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-23 conversation_132

Afzal Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will (a) extend and (b) increase bursaries and salary uplifts for shortage subject teachers in schools with high proportions of pupils from low income backgrounds. \p Catherine McKinnell: For the 2024/25 and 2025/26 academic years, the department is offering Targeted Retention Incentive payments worth up to £6,000 after tax for mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing teachers in the first five years of their careers who choose to work in disadvantaged schools. These payments are offered to teachers in the most disadvantaged 50% of schools nationally, based on the proportion of pupils eligible for the Pupil Premium. This supports the recruitment and retention of specialist teachers in these subjects and in the schools and areas that need them most. It also represents a doubling of the payments of up to £3,000 after tax that were offered in the same schools prior to the 2024/25 academic year.

In addition, the department announced an initial teacher training (ITT) financial incentives package worth £233 million for trainee teachers in the 2025/26 academic year, a £37 million increase on the last cycle. This includes bursaries worth up to £29,000 tax-free and scholarships worth up to £31,000 tax-free, to encourage talented trainees to key subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing. It also includes salary grants of up to £29,000 in the same subjects so schools, including those in disadvantaged areas, can recruit trainee teachers on salaried routes including the Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-23 conversation_133

Afzal Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of teacher shortages on the availability of Computer Science A level in schools in the most disadvantaged areas. \p Catherine McKinnell: Recruiting and retaining more qualified, expert teachers is critical to the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and boost the life chances for every young person, including those most disadvantaged.

Whilst it is ultimately for individual schools to decide which courses to offer, the best way of supporting schools to offer A level computer science is to ensure high-quality computing teaching by helping schools to recruit and retain good teachers.

For the 2024/25 and 2025/26 academic years, the department is offering a targeted retention incentive worth up to £6,000 after tax for computing teachers in the first five years of their careers who choose to work in disadvantaged schools. This will support the recruitment and retention of specialist computing teachers in the schools and areas that need them most. In Rusholme Constituency, seven out of a maximum seven schools are eligible for these retention payments. There are also tax-free bursaries worth £29,000 and tax-free scholarships worth £31,000, to encourage talented trainees to teach computing.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were 496 new postgraduate entrants to computing initial teacher training (ITT), a 21% increase on the number of entrants in the 2023/24 academic year (411). The number of postgraduate entrants in 2024/25 was broadly in line with the average across the last ten years.

As of April 2025, the department is seeing positive recruitment trends regarding postgraduate ITT recruitment in computing. So far, there have been more candidate submissions (+10%), offers (+42%) and acceptances (+47%) compared to the same point in the previous recruitment cycle.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-23 conversation_134

Adam Jogee:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the article by The University of Manchester entitled Making headlines: Young people’s social media use and navigating media narratives, published on 9 June 2025. \p Catherine McKinnell: The department notes the article published by the University of Manchester, and officials have recently discussed its content with the authors. Media literacy skills are embedded across the curriculum, including citizenship, computing, English and relationships, sex and health education, which together develop critical thinking, research skills, an understanding of the media in shaping opinion and how to be a discerning consumer of information online, including through social media.

The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review’s interim report noted the rise of artificial intelligence and trends in digital information and that it is necessary that the curriculum keep pace with these changes, including a renewed focus on digital and media literacy and critical thinking skills. The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in autumn with the government’s response.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-23 conversation_135

Damian Hinds:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had discussions with (a) OfQual (b) examination boards on the potential impact of moving most GCSEs for most pupils to a digital format. \p Catherine McKinnell: The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18. The Review is evaluating the existing national curriculum and assessment system in England, to ensure they are fit for purpose. The Review panel published an interim report in March 2025 which highlighted that further work is ongoing to consider the issue of onscreen assessment. The interim report is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6821d69eced319d02c9060e3/Curriculum_and_Assessment_Review_interim_report.pdf.

The department and Ofqual are considering the potential risks and benefits of onscreen assessment, including the implications for schools and colleges, students and other stakeholders.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-23 conversation_136

Adam Dance:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to reduce provision of support for children with SEND in Yeovil constituency in the next four years. \p Catherine McKinnell: The department is determined to restore confidence in the system of support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), so that all children and young people get the chance to achieve and thrive in their education. Our aim is to improve educational outcomes.

The department is working with and listening to parents, local authorities, SEND organisations, education settings and others on how best we can strengthen the SEND system. We want to deliver better support for these vulnerable children and young people and their parents, and we are committed to getting this right. We will continue with this engagement over the summer, in preparation for consultation on a Schools White Paper in the autumn.

We have made no decisions yet on the future of education, health and care plans. There will, however, always be a legal right to additional support for children and young people with SEND.