theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Ian Sollom:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of reducing funding for International Baccalaureate qualifications on the range of (a) subjects and (b) educational choices available to state school pupils. \p Georgia Gould: I refer the hon. Member for St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire to the answer of 24 October 2025 to Question 83028.
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Steve Darling:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the funding of the International Baccalaureate on (a) staffing levels and (b) curriculum breadth in state schools. \p Georgia Gould: The department has made significant investments into 16 to 19 education funding. The base rate of funding per student has increased to £5,105 in 2025/26, up over 5% in comparison to last year. But we must make this funding work hard, tilting it towards key priorities. That is why the department has announced that we will focus large programme uplift funding, which is on top of the base funding, on those large programmes which include mathematics, further mathematics and other high value A levels. 16 to 19 funded institutions have the freedom to decide how they use their funding for the provision they offer, including whether they offer the International Baccalaureate. The impact of the scenarios referred to in the questions will depend on choices made by institutions.
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Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) pupil and (b) parent survey data is used effectively to assess the inclusivity of (i) schools and (ii) early years settings. \p Georgia Gould: This government is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools to break down barriers to education, alongside ensuring that special schools are able to support children with the most complex needs. The Expert Advisory Group for Inclusion, chaired by Tom Rees, will play a key role in engaging the sector, including leaders, practitioners, children and families.

What maintained schools and academies must publish is set out in the department’s guidance. This does not include survey data collected by schools relating to inclusion. From November 2025, Ofsted inspections will assess inclusion as part of their renewed inspection framework.

To help support schools understand pupil experience and improve pupil engagement, the department has committed to work with partners to draw up a framework, due to be published next year. A key part of this will be supporting schools to measure pupil experience in an evidence-based way to understand, and take action on, the in-school factors which influence whether their pupils attend, achieve and thrive. We have also committed to amplifying the voices of children and young people at a national level, by publishing annual data on pupils’ sense of school belonging, safety and enjoyment.
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Mr Peter Bedford:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions her Department has had with Capita on resolutions for people impacted by (a) delayed or incorrect pension payments under the Teachers’ Pension Scheme and (b) delayed or incorrect pension valuations under the Teachers’ Pensions Scheme. \p Georgia Gould: The department monitors Capita very closely to ensure that Teachers’ Pension Scheme members that are impacted by delayed or incorrect valuations and payments are resolved as quickly as possible.

This includes payments relating to the McCloud remedy, which affects members who choose final salary or career average benefits for the remedy period (April 2015–March 2022). This also includes focus on the resolution of any unresolved cash equivalent transfer value (CETV) cases. To improve processing times of delayed CETV payments, the department is funding IT upgrades and continually working with Capita to identify other opportunities, including additional staffing resources, to ensure the Teachers’ Pension Scheme is delivered to the highest possible standard.
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Steff Aquarone:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to consult (a) disabled children and their (i) parents and (ii) carers and (b) organisations representing those people before the publication of the Government’s (A) interim and (B) final response to the Law Commission’s report entitled Disabled children’s social care, published on 16 September 2025. \p Josh MacAlister: The Law Commission’s review of disabled children’s social care law included a full public consultation on their proposals between 8 October 2024 and 31 January 2025, inviting written responses. In addition, both before and during the consultation, they met with around 1,000 stakeholders, including disabled children and young people, parents and carers, at approximately 150 meetings and events.

The department is now considering the 40 recommendations made in the Law Commission’s final report. In line with the protocol agreed between the Lord Chancellor and the Law Commission, we will provide an initial response to these recommendations within six months of publication and a full response within one year. We will have regard to the views outlined in the report and we will engage relevant stakeholders at appropriate points as we consider our response.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department issues to academy trusts on executive pay. \p Georgia Gould: The primary responsibility for the financial oversight of academy trusts, including setting executive pay, rests with the trustees themselves. Academy trusts are delivering a high standard of financial management and governance. The latest published data shows that, in the 2022/23 academic year, 97.7% of trusts had a cumulative surplus or a zero balance, with an aggregate surplus of £4.6 billion. In terms of pay trends, the latest published workforce data shows that the mean average salary for headteachers in the sector was:

The data can be read in full here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england/2024.

The department engages with trusts on levels of executive pay where there is insufficient demonstration of value for money, where there is no direct link to improving pupil outcomes, or if the trust is in financial difficulty.

The department sets out its expectations on pay for academies and academy trusts in the academy trust handbook, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/academy-trust-handbook/academy-trust-handbook-2025-effective-from-1-september-2025. Executive pay must be justifiable and should reflect the individual responsibility alongside local retention and recruitment needs.

The handbook requires that:

Academy trusts must be transparent on pay and publish the number of employees whose benefits exceed £100,000 on their websites in £10,000 bandings. Where employees are also trustees, this information must be disclosed in £5,000 bandings.

To further support academy trusts, the department has also published ‘setting executive salaries’ guidance on GOV.UK which outlines the key contextual factors that trusts should be considering when setting or reviewing executive salaries, and can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/setting-executive-salaries-guidance-for-academy-trusts/setting-executive-salaries-guidance-for-academy-trusts.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to improve transparency in the (a) governance, (b) financial decision-making and (c) scrutiny of leadership in academy trusts. \p Georgia Gould: High and rising standards are at the heart of this government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and ensure every child has the best life chances. Accountability is non-negotiable. This is why the government has committed to bring multi-academy trusts into the inspection system, to make the system fairer and more transparent, and enable direct intervention when schools and trusts are not performing to the required standards.

The primary responsibility for the financial oversight of academy trusts rests with the trustees themselves, supported by the financial management and governance requirements set by the department in academy trusts’ Funding Agreements, the Academy Trust Handbook, the Academies Accounts Direction and the department’s Financial Support and Oversight Guidance for Academy Trusts. The department expects academy trustees to deliver strong governance, monitor the financial health of their trust or school and ensure it remains a going concern.

All academy trusts must publish an annual report and accounts (their financial statements), which are audited by a registered statutory auditor. As part of their annual reports and accounts, academy trusts must also publish details of their objectives, achievements, and future plans, including what they have done to promote value for money in support of these projects. The department publishes data on academy finances on GOV.UK, as part of the Academies Sector Annual Report and Accounts and as part of the Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool.

Where non-compliance or governance concerns are identified, the department will intervene in a way that is proportionate to the risk and preserves education provision. This can include issuing a trust with a Notice to Improve (NtI). Less than 1% of academy trusts are subject to an active NtI. In cases of financial or financial governance failure, NtIs issued to academy trusts and Investigation Reports are published on GOV.UK.
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Cameron Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of taking steps to help ensure that all local authorities employ multi-sensory impairment teachers. \p Georgia Gould: It is the responsibility of local authorities, schools, and further education (FE) settings to commission appropriately qualified staff to support the education of children and young people in their area.

To teach a class of pupils with sensory impairments, a teacher is required to hold the relevant mandatory qualification in sensory impairment (MQSI). This is in addition to qualified teacher status (QTS) and must be achieved within three years. Teachers working in an advisory role to support these pupils should also hold the appropriate qualification. To offer MQSIs, providers must be approved by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. There are currently seven providers of the MQSI.

An apprenticeship in sensory impairment has been available since September 2025 and will open up a paid, work-based route into teaching children and young people with sensory impairments. This will improve the supply of those qualified to teach this important cohort and further help to improve their outcomes.

Trainee teachers intending to work as special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) specialists in the FE sector are eligible for a training bursary worth £15,000, tax free. The bursary will again be offered in the 2026/27 academic year. SEND specialist teachers working with learners with sensory impairments are eligible to apply for the bursary.
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Mr Lee Dillon:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department provides (a) training and (b) support to teachers working with children experiencing alienation from a (i) parent and (ii) grandparent. \p Georgia Gould: The Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework sets out the core content that defines great teaching and must be used by all providers of initial and early career teacher training to create their curricula. The framework sets out that trainees and early career teachers should learn how to develop an understanding of each pupil's individual needs by engaging with parents and carers to better understand these individual needs, and building trusting relationships with parents and carers to better understand each pupil's circumstances. Beyond the mandatory framework, decisions relating to teachers’ professional development rests with schools, headteachers, and teachers themselves, as they are in the best position to judge the development and training that teachers in their schools need to support their pupils.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps to increase business coaching in schools; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a named business coach in secondary schools. \p Georgia Gould: Businesses are already strongly encouraged to support careers education in schools and colleges throughout England. The national network of 44 careers hubs supports 96% of secondary schools and colleges and engages with over 400 leading employers, working together to improve careers guidance and inspire young people.

There are a number of ways that businesses and stakeholders can support careers education through engagement with The Careers & Enterprise Company, such as through the Enterprise Adviser programme, a network of approximately 3,700 business volunteers from various employment sectors and backgrounds who offer support to schools and colleges.

The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review is evaluating the existing national curriculum and statutory assessment system in England to ensure they are fit for purpose. It is considering whether there is sufficient coverage of knowledge and skills that are essential to sufficiently prepare children and young people for future life and to thrive in a fast-changing world. The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published this autumn, at which point the government will respond.
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Suella Braverman:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions the UK has had with NATO allies on the sustainability of air defence ammunition stocks in the event of prolonged drone-based conflict. \p Luke Pollard: The UK has regular and ongoing discussions with NATO allies on the sustainability of air defence ammunition stocks. This includes through the NATO Conference National Armament Directors (CNAD), which held an extraordinary meeting on air and missile defence on 23 January 2025, and the NATO Defence Industrial Production Board, which is currently addressing how we increase industrial capacity in Surface-Based Air and Missile Defence. The UK is also encouraging allies to consolidate future buys of air defence ammunition and support increased production capacity through our NATO Multinational Procurement Initiatives and NATO’s Reoccurring Process for Aggregating Demand Signal (REPEAD). The UK remains committed to working closely with NATO allies to ensure the sustainability of air defence ammunition stocks and to address the challenges posed by evolving threats, including drone-based warfare. The Government will continue to prioritise this issue and work with Allies to ensure that NATO remains prepared to respond to current and future security challenges.
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Suella Braverman:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers have been consulted on the potential to manufacture mobile anti-drone platforms for domestic defence. \p Al Carns: The Ministry of Defence continually monitors the threat posed to the UK. Integrated Air and Missile Defence, including the countering of the threat posed by Uncrewed Air Systems, will be prioritised appropriately as part of the future Integrated Force. Delivery of the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including investment in homeland Integrated Air and Missile Defence, will be laid out in the Defence Investment Plan due to be published later this year. The Department is reviewing all options for the manufacture and deployment of anti-drone systems.
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Susan Murray:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what logistical or operational support RAF aircraft (a) are providing to Israel and (b) has provided over the last year. \p Al Carns: The RAF is not providing logistical or operational support to Israel.

Over the last year, the RAF has not provided logistical support to Israel, however, following the terrorist attacks against Israel on 7 October 2023, the UK government has been working with partners across the region to secure the release of hostages, including British nationals, who were kidnapped. In support of these efforts, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) conducted surveillance flights over the Eastern Mediterranean, including operating in air space over Israel and Gaza from December 2023.

Following the agreement of the Gaza peace plan between Israel and Hamas, and the release of all remaining live hostages, the MOD ceased surveillance flights over Gaza. The last flight took place on 10 October 2025.

You will understand that we will not comment further on detail relating to intelligence matters to protect operational security and preserve the MOD’s ability to respond to any future hostage incidents around the world.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the scope is of the UK's commitment to the NATO Eastern Sentry programme. \p Al Carns: The UK committed early to Eastern Sentry, deploying RAF Typhoon fighter jets and Voyager air-to-air refuelling aircraft to conduct air defence missions over Poland. This deployment involves hundreds of UK personnel.

In a demonstration of the UK’s ongoing and steadfast support for NATO’s collective defence, the Defence Secretary has confirmed that the UK’s contribution to Eastern Sentry will continue until at least the end of 2025, ensuring the security of NATO territory and deterring further aggression.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that immigration (a) caseworkers and (b) interpreters meet English language standards. \p Mike Tapp: The Home Office recruit using standard Civil Service recruitment processes and all our immigration caseworkers must meet minimum Civil Service recruitment standards. The appropriate level of English is assured through the comprehensive recruitment and onboarding process.

Interpreters are not Home Office employees and undertake freelance work commissioned by the Home Office through contracts for services.

Standards required to apply for an interpreter role are set out in our published ‘Guidance for UKVI freelance interpreters’. This includes a list of accredited qualifications.

Quality is maintained through our comprehensive review strategy. Interviewing officers are issued with Interpreter Management Team monitoring forms, which they are asked to complete if they have any comments on the interpreter used in an assignment (because the interpreter performed particularly well or badly, for example). Interviews may also be monitored for training and security purposes.

Applications for immigration caseworker roles and interpreter roles include a written application and, if appropriate, an interview. The written application and interview are conducted and assessed in English.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of using data-sharing agreements between (a) the NHS, (b) HMRC and (c) Immigration Enforcement to help identify people living in the UK illegally. \p Alex Norris: Data sharing agreements are already in place between Immigration Enforcement and HMRC to increase immigration compliance, including the identification of illegal working. Migrants in the UK without lawful immigration status, are subject to NHS charges for secondary healthcare, with data sharing agreements in place to support the NHS in tackling NHS debtors.

All data sharing arrangements are subject to ongoing review.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing (a) a national online reporting portal for members of the public to submit intelligence on suspected irregular migrants and (b) an associated reward system. \p Alex Norris: The Home Office has several routes for members of the public to use when reporting information regarding immigration related crime and/or abuse. These routes include digital, telephone and paper options to ensure that reporting routes are easily accessible to everyone. Over the past three years we have seen an increase in information received from members of the public – we publish this information on a quarterly basis and it can be found here Migration transparency data - GOV.UK
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Kim Johnson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to make changes to the eligibility criteria for indefinite leave to remain for people who have had continuous residence in the UK for 10 years. \p Alex Norris: We will be consulting on the new settlement rules later this year. Following that, we will provide details of how this initiative will work, including on any transitional arrangements for people already in the UK.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of people who resided temporarily at immigration removal centres in (a) 2022, (b) 2023 and (c) 2024 were male adults. \p Alex Norris: The Home Office publish quarterly data on immigration detention statistics. This can be found on the gov.uk website at: Immigration Enforcement data: Q2 2025 - GOV.UK. Data on the number of adult males entering immigration removal centres (IRC) by year is provided in table ‘Det_D01’ and the number of people in detention (at end of period) is provided in ‘Det_D02’.

A weekly allowance of £5 for individuals detained in IRCs was introduced prior to 2006 to enable purchases of additional food and other items from the IRC shop.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether people temporarily residing at immigration removal centres are entitled to receive free (a) English language and (b) other classes. \p Alex Norris: As set out in the Detention Centre Rules 2001 immigration removal centres (IRCs) provide secure but humane accommodation for detained persons in a relaxed regime with as much freedom of movement and association as possible, consistent with maintaining a safe and secure environment.

Rule 17 sets out that activities have to meet recreational and intellectual needs of detained individuals and relief of boredom, this includes arrangements for taking part in educational activities. The published Detention Centre Operating Standards sets out a requirement for educational classes in English language and contractually our IRC suppliers are required to deliver this provision.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the (a) financial arrangements, (b) lease durations and (c) landlord incentives offered by (i) Serco and (ii) other contractors under the Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts since 2020; and whether her Department has undertaken any risk assessments of the use of private rented accommodation for asylum seekers. \p Alex Norris: Since 2022, the Home Office has implemented a Full Dispersal model, which aims to distribute asylum accommodation more fairly and equitably across the UK. The Home Office, via our accommodation providers, has worked within the Private Rented Sector for many years to source accommodation that offers better value for money for the taxpayer. Accommodation providers are responsible for sourcing and securing suitable properties, as well as consulting with local authorities on every dispersed bedspace before it is procured to ensure the impacts on local areas are considered. The details of the contracts are commercially sensitive.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's news story entitled First illegal migrants returned under new UK-France agreement, published on 18 September, what was the cost of each flight. \p Alex Norris: The Home Office has made returns under the new UK-France agreement utilising both charter flights and regular scheduled flights. This approach allows the Home Office to maximise value for money and best satisfy operational requirements.

We do not comment on individual charter flight costs as these are commercially sensitive arrangements that can provide an insight into pricing structure. To do otherwise could deter the private sector from entering into contracts with the Home Office.
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Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the (a) time, (b) money and (c) other resources spent on policing (i) fox hunting and (ii) related crimes in each of the last five years. \p Sarah Jones: The enforcement of the Hunting Act is an operational matter for the police. This is in line with their duties to keep the peace, protect communities and prevent the commission of offences, working within the provisions of the legal framework set by Parliament.

It is for individual Chief Constables to determine how their resources are deployed, and it is for locally elected PCCs to hold their forces to account. This includes consideration of how the police tackle the crimes that matter most to residents and businesses in rural and urban areas alike. The investigation and prosecution of all criminal offences, including consideration of whether an actual offence has been committed, is a matter for the police and Crown Prosecution Service who have comprehensive powers to take action under criminal law.
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James Wild:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help tackle the theft of farm machinery in rural areas. \p Sarah Jones: We will be implementing the Equipment Theft Act, which is aimed at preventing equipment being stolen, making it harder for criminals to sell on stolen vehicles and equipment and assisting the police with identifying the owner.

We published the Government Response to the Call for Evidence on 17 October which sets out the scope for the necessary secondary legislation to be introduced.

The Act’s secondary legislation will require forensic marking to be applied to new All-Terrain Vehicles and for the details to be registered on a property database, for forensic marking to be applied to all new GPS units for use in agricultural and commercial settings, and for the details to be registered on a property database

Additionally, the Crime and Policing Bill introduces a new power for the police to enter and search premises to which items have been electronically tracked by GPS or other means, which will help the police in tackling stolen equipment and machinery.

This financial year we are providing the first Home Office funding since 2023 for the National Rural Crime Unit. This funding will enable the Unit to continue to increase collaboration across police forces, harnessing the latest technology and data to target the serious organised crime groups involved in crimes like equipment theft from farms.
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David Chadwick:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to extend eligibility for the National and International Capital City Grant to more cities. \p Sarah Jones: The National and International Capital City (NICC) grant is paid to the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police to reflect the unique demands of policing in London, a major international capital city.

Decisions on the allocation of NICC funding are taken at the time of the Police Settlement. The NICC is partially funded from a reallocation of the core funding for all police forces and as such, decisions on the level of the funding must consider its impact on wider policing.
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Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with police forces on the potential impact of the Malicious Communications Act 1988 on the right to peaceful protest. \p Sarah Jones: The right to protest is a fundamental part of our democratic society, and people are free to express their views peacefully within the law.

The Home Office continues to engage regularly with policing partners on the application of legislation in the context of public order and freedom of expression.
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Jessica Toale:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with victims’ groups on the potential impact of convicted offenders remaining unidentified in the public domain due to the absence of custody photographs. \p Sarah Jones: Voluntary interviews are used to question a person who is not under arrest about their suspected involvement in a criminal offence, particularly in cases where the legal threshold for arrest is not met. The decision to voluntarily interview a suspect rests with the police and there are a number of factors which must be considered when making this decision including the needs of the investigation, the necessity to arrest, potential vulnerability of the suspect, and any relevant risk factors. Where the statutory conditions for arrest are met, police should always consider whether voluntary interview or arrest would be the most appropriate approach.

The Home Office is aware of concerns raised about the use of voluntary attendance and the impact of this on the taking and retention of custody photographs and biometrics. Work is underway to ensure voluntary attendance is used appropriately by the police, especially in relation to sexual offences and options are being considered to increase capture of custody images and biometrics in future.

It is important to note that nothing in law or in the relevant statutory codes of practice prevents police from photographing suspects who attend for a voluntary interview, although force may not be used to achieve this while the suspect is not under arrest. The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) provides guidance to forces on voluntary interviews which makes clear that it is good practice to photograph suspects attending voluntarily, not least because the photograph may be required for further confirmation of identity if the suspect is subsequently required to return to the police station for biometric samples (fingerprints and DNA), to be recorded after charge or conviction.

The Home Office collects and publishes data on police custody and voluntary interviews as part of the ‘Police Powers and Procedures’ statistical series, available here: Police powers and procedures England and Wales statistics - GOV.UK However this data set does not include statistics on the number of suspects whose photographs are taken in custody.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether (a) Ministers and (b) special advisers in her Department have met with abortion providers since July 2024. \p Jess Phillips: Details of Ministers’ meetings with external organisations and individuals are published by departments quarterly in arrears on their departmental pages on gov.uk. The most recent data - for the period April 2025 to June 2025 - was published on 25 September.

Special Advisers are required to comply with the Special Adviser Code of Conduct at all times and are required to make declarations on meetings with senior media figures in line with published transparency guidance.
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Sir Alec Shelbrooke:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what mechanisms exist to ensure public safeguarding of victims when police investigations into child sexual exploitation are paused due to the mental health needs of those victims. \p Jess Phillips: It is crucial police and law enforcement have the capabilities and skills to effectively tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation and take robust action to better safeguard children, ensuring victims and survivors receive appropriate care and support throughout the process.

The Government is investing in a range of significant measures to ensure that the police can respond to victims of child sexual abuse and exploitation with empathy, compassion and professionalism, investigating thoroughly and working with other services to reach the best possible outcome in every case. This includes investing in the Child Sexual Exploitation Police Taskforce which is working with forces to improve how they investigate child sexual abuse and exploitation, providing practical, expert, on the ground support, including on how to embed trauma-informed approaches to their investigations and engagement with victims and survivors.

We are also investing in the National Centre for Violence Against Women and Girls and Public Protection (NCVPP) which launched in April 2025 to improve the policing response to VAWG and child sexual abuse and exploitation. Centralising policing expertise to tackle these crimes will drive national coordination, with the development of strengthened specialist training for officers ensuring they offer consistent protection for victims and survivors.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-24)

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Dame Chi Onwurah:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the Government plans to publish an updated strategy on violence against women and girls; and whether she plans to included policies on (a) improving access to sexual violence services and (b) support for child sexual abuse victims within that strategy. \p Jess Phillips: This Government has been clear that the level of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in our country is intolerable, and we are treating it as the national emergency that it is.

The new VAWG Strategy will set the direction for the next decade, driving forward the Government’s bold ambition to halve VAWG within ten years. This is a landmark commitment that demands a truly transformational approach. It’s vital we get it right. We’re working towards publication of the Strategy as soon as possible and I will continue to keep the House updated on its development and forthcoming publication.

Support for victims of VAWG crimes will be a core part of the new Strategy. This includes victims of sexual violence and child sexual abuse and exploitation. Tackling child sexual abuse and exploitation will be covered in the VAWG Strategy, as well as being the subject of its own distinctive and transformative workstream specific to those horrendous crimes. That includes acting on the recommendations of both the IICSA and Baroness Casey Audit into the evil of grooming gangs and child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Additionally, the Ministry of Justice has committed funding to the Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) Centre in 2025/26 to develop and deliver evidence-based training and resources for those working with victims and survivors of child sexual abuse and continues to invest in specialist sexual violence support services via the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund and ringfenced grants to Police and Crime Commissioners who allocate funds locally.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-24 conversation_107

Luke Taylor:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help ensure that women have confidence that they will be believed when reporting (a) assault, (b) abuse and (c) rape to the Metropolitan Police. \p Jess Phillips: We are committed to playing a more active role in policing to ensure officers have the right support, to significantly improve standards across the board and to ensure justice is delivered for victims. Victims must feel confident in the police’s ability to handle their case.

We know these crimes disproportionately affect women and girls and are underreported, and we will take action to ensure victims coming forward get the response they deserve. This is why we are carefully developing options to deliver key commitments including ensuring specialist rape and sexual offence teams in all police forces and fast-tracking rape cases.

We are providing £13.1 million in 2025/26 to the new National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection (NCVPP) which is supporting all police forces, including the Metropolitan Police Service, to ensure they relentlessly pursue perpetrators who pose the greatest risk to women and use all the tools at their disposal to protect victims and get dangerous offenders off the streets. This includes continuing to drive forward Operation Soteria, which is supporting officers to build the strongest possible, suspect-focused rape cases.

Tackling violence against women and girls is a top priority for this Government and we are going further than before to deliver a cross-government transformative approach to halve violence against women and girls, underpinned by a new VAWG strategy to be published as soon as possible.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-24 conversation_108

Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the two-child benefit cap on families in rural areas. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Taskforce recognises the importance of place, including differences between urban and rural locations, as a driver of child poverty. Children and families in rural areas have played an important role in the development of the Child Poverty Strategy, including through their participation in our research with parents and carers, and with children – which included an emphasis of the importance and role of place in shaping their experiences. Strengthening local support is also one of the pillars through which we are developing the Strategy.

No assessment has been made of the impact of removing the Two Child Limit policy in West Dorset or on families in rural areas. However, statistics on the number of households and children in receipt of Universal Credit affected by the Two Child Limit policy are available by local authority and parliamentary constituency on the GOV.UK website, the latest being for April 2025: Universal Credit claimants statistics on the two child limit policy, April 2025 - GOV.UK.

This government is committed to tackling child poverty and the Child Poverty Taskforce is developing an ambitious Child Poverty Strategy which we will publish in the autumn. We are considering all available levers, including social security reforms, to give every child the best start in life. The causes of child poverty are wide-ranging and deep-rooted, and so it is right that the Taskforce carefully considers and assesses the available levers as it develops this Strategy.

In the meantime, we are pressing ahead with action.

As a significant downpayment ahead of strategy publication, we have already taken substantive action across major drivers of child poverty through the Spending Review 2025. This includes an expansion of Free School Meals that will lift 100,000 children out of poverty by the end of the parliament, establishing a long-term Crisis and Resilience Fund supported by £1bn a year including Barnett impact, investing in local family support services, and extending the £3 bus fare cap.

In August, we confirmed funding of £600m for the Holiday Activities and Food programme for the next three years, ensuring that children and young people can continue to benefit from enriching experiences and nutritious meals during the school holidays.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-24 conversation_109

Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are claiming Universal Credit by their preferred language. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The information is not held. Universal Credit claims can only be made in English and Welsh.
wrans/answers2025-10-24 conversation_110
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-24 conversation_110

Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish a written response the Reverse Gear report published by the Adam Smith Institute on 11 September 2025. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Government has no plans to publish a response to the Reverse Gear report.
wrans/answers2025-10-24 conversation_111
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-24 conversation_111

Rachel Blake:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the implementation of the guidance entitled Access to Work: staff guide, published on 1 September 2025, on levels of support provided to successful applicants. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The externally published staff guide replicates the internal guidance with some redactions, eg fraud referrals and any internal business processes. This is updated incrementally to mirror any changes to the internal guidance. The guidance published on 1 September was merely updating/clarifying information and reflecting minor changes to procedures, so would be considered to have little or no overall impact on the scheme.
wrans/answers2025-10-24 conversation_112
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-24 conversation_112

Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average (a) waiting time for people calling and (b) time spent on hold to the Personal Independence Payment helpline was in the last year. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The table below shows the Average Time to Answer and the Average Hold Time, in an hours, minutes and seconds (hh:mm:ss) format, for all people calling Personal Independence Payment lines for each of the last twelve complete reporting months.

Month / Year

Product Line

Average Time to Answer (hh:mm:ss)

Average Hold Time (hh:mm:ss)

Oct-2024

Personal Independence Payment

00:10:19

00:00:34

Nov-2024

Personal Independence Payment

00:11:47

00:00:33

Dec-2024

Personal Independence Payment

00:09:55

00:00:36

Jan-2025

Personal Independence Payment

00:17:38

00:00:32

Feb-2025

Personal Independence Payment

00:12:41

00:00:31

Mar-2025

Personal Independence Payment

00:14:10

00:00:31

Apr-2025

Personal Independence Payment

00:09:07

00:00:34

May-2025

Personal Independence Payment

00:10:14

00:00:36

Jun-2025

Personal Independence Payment

00:09:37

00:00:35

Jul-2025

Personal Independence Payment

00:10:42

00:00:36

Aug-2025

Personal Independence Payment

00:11:59

00:00:35

Sep-2025

Personal Independence Payment

00:10:33

00:00:34

DISCLAIMER  Please note this information is derived from the Department’s management information, designed solely for the purpose of helping the Department to manage its business. As such, it has not been subjected to the rigorous quality assurance checks applied to our published official statistics. As DWP holds the information internally, we have released it. However, it is possible information held by DWP may change due to operational reasons and we recommend that caution be applied when using it.
wrans/answers2025-10-24 conversation_113
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-24 conversation_113

Helen Whately:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he will subject Motability to competitive tendering for the right to run the scheme. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Motability Foundation is independent of government and regulated by the Charity Commission so is responsible for the terms and the administration of the Scheme.

The department works closely with Motability and is responsible for the disability benefits that provide a passport to the Motability Scheme. We will continue to ensure the Scheme meets the transport needs of disabled people.