theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_22
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_22

Mrs Elsie Blundell:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of subsidising the cost of IT courses for staff in small and medium enterprises. \p Gareth Thomas: Use of digital technology is a key driver for productivity, helping businesses become more efficient. However, many businesses in the UK are slow to adopt new software, and we know smaller businesses in particular may not have access to information, resources and skills to do so.

Government already supports digital skills through initiatives like digital apprenticeships, digital skills bootcamps and the Digital Inclusion Action Plan. We are exploring ways to help businesses become more digital through the SME Digital Adoption Taskforce, Technology Adoption Review, and AI Opportunities Action Plan.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_23
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_23

Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to place further restrictions on trade with Russia. \p Mr Douglas Alexander: The Government does not speculate on specific future sanctions measures as to do so could reduce their impact. Most recently, plans for new trade sanctions were set out by the Foreign Secretary on 24 February.

Together with our international partners, we have put in place the largest and most severe package of sanctions ever imposed on a major economy. Over the past three years, the UK has sanctioned over £20 billion (97%) worth of goods trade with Russia, and £375 million worth of services.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_24
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_24

Josh Fenton-Glynn:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many social media accounts their Department operates; and how much their Department spent on social media (a) subscriptions and (b) advertisements on each social media platform in each of the last three years. \p Justin Madders: The Government communicates across a range of media channels in order to reach its target audience effectively. Channels are selected based on whether they will reach the intended audience on a specific issue to have the most impact. Social media is an essential part of government communications and is used to inform the public directly about matters which may affect their lives or interests.

DBT's spend for the last three calendar years on social media subscriptions was as follows (table):

2022

2023

2024

X/Twitter Premium annual subscription

£0

£0

£99

DBT's spend for the last three calendar years on social media advertising by platform was as follows (table):

2022

2023

2024

LINKEDIN IRELAND LIMITED

£2,655,074

£2,066,426

£1,979,092

META PLATFORMS IRELAND LIMITED

£432,192

£318,433

£247,498

TWITTER UK LTD

£165,370

£32,554

NEXTDOOR EUROPE UK LIMITED

£12,500

£9,727

SNAP GROUP LIMITED

£8,500

£11,364

TOTAL

£3,252,636

£2,438,413

£2,247,681
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_25
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_25

Grahame Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many incidents of (a) attrition, (b) sickness absence and (c) work-related stress there were for probation officers in each region in the most recent period for which data is available. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: Number of leavers, sickness absences and stress-related sickness absences for probation officers in the 12 months to end of December 2024 by region:

Leavers

Sickness absences

Of which, Stress sickness absences1

Approved Premises

0

7

~

East Midlands Probation Service

24

424

50

East of England Probation Service

41

469

45

Greater Manchester Probation Service

17

276

39

Kent, Surrey and Sussex Probation Service

17

265

36

London Probation Service

78

569

86

North East Probation Service

16

239

30

North West Probation Service

33

442

61

South Central Probation Service

20

343

47

South West Probation Service

30

351

50

Wales Probation Service

30

322

68

West Midlands Probation Service

47

460

76

Yorkshire & the Humber Probation Service

47

517

77

Other parts of HMPPS2

1

10

~

Probation officers total

401

4,694

669

1) There is a sickness reason in the MoJ HR system called 'Stress' but this does not show whether it is work-related or not.

2) Includes probation officers working outside of the Probation Service but still within HMPPS.

3) ~ Denotes suppressed values of 2 or fewer or other values which would allow values of 2 or fewer to be derived by subtraction. Low numbers are suppressed to prevent disclosure in accordance with the Data Protection Act, 2018.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_26
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_26

Grahame Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate she has made of the amount of time off in lieu that was accrued by probation officers in each year since 2021; and how much and what proportion of this time was (a) taken and (b) rolled over. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_27
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_27

Grahame Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an estimate of the cumulative number of years of experience held by probation officers in each year since 2021. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: The cumulative length of service, in years, held by all band 4 probation officers is given in the following table. Years’ figures are given as of 31 December each year from 2021 to 2024.

The service of Probation Service staff in Probation Trusts prior to the creation of the Probation Service on 1 June 2014 is not included and thus the figures presented here are an underestimate, and do not represent the full cumulative experience of Probation Officers.

Date

Number of probation officers in post

Cumulative length of service of all probation officers (Years)

(Full Time Equivalent)

31/12/2021

4,613

37,105

31/12/2022

4,648

38,332

31/12/2023

4,948

41,088

31/12/2024

5,283

45,667

The length of service in HMPPS is calculated from most recent hire date. Where staff have transferred in from another Government Department or have transferred in through HMPPS taking over a function, length of service is calculated from entry to HMPPS.

The dates reflect the Full Time Equivalent and cumulative years of service at that particular point of the year.

Data may not match previous releases as we are now excluding all staff who were not an active member of the workforce and receiving pay on the relevant date from our staff in post counts.

Data are extracted from large administrative data systems and are based on HR records.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_28
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_28

John McDonnell:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent discussions her Department has had with private prison operators on the right of prison officers to take industrial action. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: We have no plans to amend section 127 of the Criminal Justice Act 1994.

There have been no recent discussions with private prison contractors on this matter.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_29
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_29

Stuart Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she is taking to increase capacity within the prison system. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: This Government inherited a criminal justice system in crisis, with prisons operating at over 99% capacity and on the brink of collapse.

The 10-year Prison Capacity Strategy was published on 11 December 2024, alongside the Annual Statement on Prison Capacity. The former set out our aims to: deliver 14,000 prison places by 2031, invest in maintenance to refurbish the prison estate and improve safety, buy new land for prison development, and introduce planning legislation to build prisons faster.

The previous Government promised to deliver 20,000 places, but ended up only adding around 500 to the prison estate. This Government will build where the previous administration failed to do so. Of the 14,000 prison places, we will deliver around 6,500 places in new prisons (of which HMP Millsike is the first and is due to open in Spring 2025). 6,400 prison places will be delivered through houseblocks at existing sites and around 1,000 through Rapid Deployment Cells, and we are also refurbishing residential units, facilities and ancillaries across the estate.

As well as the 10-year capacity strategy, in October we launched an Independent Review of Sentencing with the aim to ensure we are never again left in a position where we have more prisoners than prison places.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_30
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_30

Kirith Entwistle:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when she plans to respond to (a) Question 34399 on Legal Costs: Low Incomes and (b) Question 34403 on Sentencing: Legal Costs, tabled on 27 February 2025. \p Alex Davies-Jones: I refer the Honourable Member to the answers given to PQs 34399 and 34403 on 7 March 2025 by the Minister for Courts and Legal Services.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_31
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_31

James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the average wait time for an Employment tribunal application to reach a tribunal hearing. \p Alex Davies-Jones: Following recruitment, in 2024 we had 21 more salaried and 34 more fee-paid judges than in 2023, with further fee paid judge appointments to follow; and recruitment for up to 36 salaried Employment Judges commencing on 13 March 2025. HMCTS continues to invest in improving tribunal productivity through the recruitment of additional judges, deployment of Legal Officers to actively manage cases, the development of modern case management systems, and the use of remote hearing technology. A ‘Virtual Region’ of judges has delivered over 1,500 extra sitting days, which has allowed judicial capacity in certain regions of the country to be made available to hold remote hearings in other parts where capacity is stretched. The demand and pressures on London and the South East are particularly acute, and this initiative has allowed sitting capacity in other regions, such as Scotland, Wales etc to be deployed to ease them.

The Lord Chancellor was able to announce on 5 March a sitting day allocation for the Employment Tribunals of 33,900 in 2025/26, the maximum allocation they are able to sit.

We recognise that there remain significant challenges for the performance of the Employment Tribunals. We are therefore continuing to monitor demand on Employment Tribunals and will work with the judiciary and HMCTS on any further actions needed to improve efficiency and reduce waiting times.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_32
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_32

David Chadwick:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to ensure there is adequate enforcement of unfulfilled court compensation orders. \p Alex Davies-Jones: Courts may impose a compensation order on an offender requiring them to make financial reparation to the victim for any personal injury, loss or damage resulting from the offence. Compensation may be ordered for such amount as the court considers appropriate having regard to any evidence including any representations made by the offender or prosecutor. There is no limit on the value of a single compensation order handed down to an adult offender. For young offenders, the maximum limit is £5,000.

Financial penalties imposed by the courts will often consist of multiple elements including, amongst others, compensation, victim surcharge, prosecutor’s costs and a fine. The imposition is enforced as a whole, and any receipts received are applied to the offender’s account in accordance with a strict legal hierarchy. This ensures that compensation is paid first to ensure that victims receive any monies they are due first, with the victim surcharge being the second element to be collected and the fine element being the last to be collected.

The courts will do everything within their powers to trace those who do not pay and use a variety of means to ensure the recovery of criminal fines and financial penalties. This includes deducting money from an offender’s earnings, or benefits if they are unemployed, or, if appropriate, issuing warrants instructing approved enforcement agents to seize and sell goods belonging to the offender. Offenders can also be imprisoned for up to 12 months for non-payment of compensation orders.

HM Courts & Tribunals Service is already investing over £14 million in technology to increase the collection of financial penalties imposed in the criminal courts, including compensation orders, with a replacement IT system currently under development.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_33
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_33

Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her polices of recent trends in the number of bailiffs. \p Alex Davies-Jones: The Government is committed to ensuring that there are effective and sustainable enforcement processes available to judgment creditors for the enforcement of judgment debts and fines. We also want to ensure that those facing enforcement action, particularly the most vulnerable in society, are treated fairly. We continue to monitor trends in the number of bailiffs as part of our overall consideration of policies in this area.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_34
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_34

Grahame Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the capacity of accredited probation programmes is in each region. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: A regional breakdown of staff in post vs target staffing has been provided below.

Probation Region

Target Staffing (FTE)

Staff in Post (FTE)

Staffing Level (%)

PS East Midlands

82.1

52.9

64%

PS East of England

161.9

122.4

76%

PS Greater Manchester

68.9

66.5

97%

PS Kent, Surrey & Sussex

78.6

49.4

63%

PS London

134.4

106

79%

PS North East

64

54.4

85%

PS North West

104.1

92.8

89%

PS South Central

82.8

62.5

75%

PS South West

136.6

110.3

81%

PS Wales

107.2

103.1

96%

PS West Midlands

113.5

73.1

64%

PS Yorkshire & the Humber

96

79.2

83%

Overall

79%

Notes

Staff in Post data have been taken from Workforce Planning Tool returns for December 2024.

Workforce Planning Tools are subject to inaccuracy as a result of the manual nature with which returns are completed.

Targets have been taken from the December 2024 Target Staffing figures as reflected in the Workforce Planning Tools.

Data shows the average position across the month, adjusted for joiners and leavers within month.

Data includes Internal functions, 'PS Accredited Programmes', 'PS Sexual Offending Programmes' and 'PS Structured Interventions'.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_35
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_35

Grahame Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an estimate of the cumulative number of years of experience held by prison officers in each year since 2010. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: The cumulative length of service, in years, held by band 3-5 prison officers in public sector prisons is given in the following table. Figures are given as of 31 December each year.

Although national staffing levels have improved, we are focusing on retaining the new intakes of staff. As of December 2024, 39.2% of Band 3-5 prison officers have less than 3 years of experience.

As the figures show, over the last 14 years of Conservative Government, experience of prison officers was allowed to decline. The loss of experienced staff has left the Service with a relatively inexperienced workforce, and we are improving our learning and development offer to upskill these newer colleagues.

We launched The Enable Programme, which is a dedicated HMPPS workforce transformation programme. It aims to transform prisons over the medium term, through a series of workforce and regime changes that will transform how HMPPS trains, develops, leads, and supports prison staff. This includes new training foundation training and upskilling packages for prison officers at the beginning of their service, and a strengthened succession planning and talent pipeline for prison Governors. We have already began rolling this programme out focusing on the most inexperienced staff, first.

Table 1 – Cumulative length of service(1) of band 3-5 prison officers(2) in public sector prisons in England and Wales, as at 31 December each year from 2010 to 2024(3)

Date

Number of prison officers in post

Cumulative length of service of all prison officers (Years)

(Full Time Equivalent)

31/12/2010

24,501

329,353

31/12/2011

23,054

326,563

31/12/2012

21,841

326,660

31/12/2013

18,731

287,921

31/12/2014

17,795

278,254

31/12/2015

18,235

272,086

31/12/2016

17,887

261,607

31/12/2017

19,901

253,415

31/12/2018

22,681

247,741

31/12/2019

22,116

246,083

31/12/2020

21,501

242,473

31/12/2021

22,072

239,970

31/12/2022

21,562

226,620

31/12/2023

23,198

220,227

31/12/2024

23,062

215,994

Notes

1. The length of service in HMPPS is calculated from most recent hire date. Where staff have transferred in from another Government Department or have transferred in through HMPPS taking over a function, length of service is calculated from entry to HMPPS. 2. Band 3-5 Officers includes Band 3-4 / Prison Officers (incl. specialists), Band 4 / Supervising Officers, and Band 5 / Custodial Managers.

3. The dates reflect the Full Time Equivalent and cumulative years of service at that particular point of the year.

4. Data may not match previous releases as we are now excluding all staff who were not an active member of the workforce and receiving pay on the relevant date from our staff in post counts.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_36
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_36

Lewis Cocking:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the delay in confirming funding for the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund for the financial year 2025-26 on families and children who receive support. \p Janet Daby: Announcements on funding for the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) will be made as soon as possible. We will, of course, always consider the impact of decisions on vulnerable children.   ASGSF applications are generally permitted to extend up to 12 months, allowing children and families to receive continuing therapy across financial years. Where applications are agreed, therapy which starts before March 2025 may therefore continue into the next financial year, under previously agreed transitional funding arrangements.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_37
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_37

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 11 February 2025, to Question 29606, on Asylum: Housing, how many unaccompanied asylum seeking children are supported by local authorities broken down by per council. \p Janet Daby: Information on the number and proportion of looked after children, including unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, is submitted to the department on an annual basis and was last published on 14 November 2024 at local authority level in our statistical release. The statistical release is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoptions.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_38
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_38

Abtisam Mohamed:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the School Attendance Order process in the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill on local authority staff time. \p Stephen Morgan: The department is legislating through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to make School Attendance Orders a more efficient remedy to ensure that children are in receipt of suitable education. This includes making it an offence for parents to withdraw a child subject to a School Attendance Order from school without following the proper procedure. This means that parents convicted of breaching a School Attendance Order can be prosecuted again if they continue to breach it without local authorities having to restart the process from the beginning, which will save resources.

Other measures which will impact on local authority staff time include additional statutory timelines on parts of the process, a new requirement for local authorities to consider the home and other learning environments, and a new power for local authorities to request to see the child in their home(s).

Where additional local authority resources will be required to undertake new duties created by these School Attendance Order changes, the department is considering these additional requirements and will conduct a full new burdens assessment as is required.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_39
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_39

Dr Roz Savage:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her Department holds on the proportion of (a) healthy and (b) unhealthy food provided to (i) schools and (ii) school caterers. \p Stephen Morgan: The department does not hold data on the proportion of healthy and unhealthy food provided to schools and school caterers.

The standards for school food are set out in the Requirements for School Food Regulations 2014, known as school food standards. Schools are responsible for their school meals service and governing boards have a responsibility to ensure compliance with the standards. The standards can be found here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/1603/contents/made.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_41
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_41

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help ensure the safety of teachers and pupils in schools in Fylde constituency. \p Stephen Morgan: Violent incidents in schools are rare, but all schools should be places of safety and learning. Education settings are designed to be secure environments with robust safeguarding frameworks. They should have policies on security measures, supported by clear guidance to develop plans for deterring attacks, keeping learners safe and implementing lockdowns when necessary.

The department has a tested incident response mechanism that allows us to support the education sector if impacted directly or indirectly by a major incident. Our primary goal is to safeguard the health and safety of children, young people and staff while minimising disruptions to education. In addition, the department has published comprehensive guidance and high-quality resources to help teachers and learners prepare for and respond to counter terrorism incidents and attacks. These resources can be found here: https://www.protectuk.police.uk/catalogue/EducationLearningandGuidance.

We also currently provide specialist pupil support in serious violence hotspots in England. Support, attend, fulfil, exceed taskforces are school-led partnerships that develop a targeted, local response to serious violence in ten areas. Interventions delivered include mentoring, social skills training and cognitive behavioural approaches. In alternative provision (AP) settings, alternative provision specialist taskforces are joined up, multi-disciplinary teams, which include youth workers, family workers and careers workers, embedded within the largest AP schools in 22 areas.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_42
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_42

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the use of mobile phones in schools on recent trends in the levels of pupil attainment in Fylde constituency. \p Stephen Morgan: Schools should prohibit the use of mobile phones and other smart technology with similar functionality to mobile phones throughout the school day, including during lessons, the time between lessons, breaktimes and lunchtime, as set out in the ‘Mobile phones in schools’ guidance 2024.

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

The department does not centrally collect behaviour data from schools or individual constituencies. The latest results of the annual National Behaviour Survey is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6628dd9bdb4b9f0448a7e584/National_behaviour_survey_academic_year_2022_to_2023.pdf.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_43
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_43

Josh Fenton-Glynn:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many social media accounts her Department operates; and how much her Department spent on social media (a) subscriptions and (b) advertisements on each social media platform in each of the last three years. \p Janet Daby: The department uses social media to connect directly and speak with the public on the issues and areas of interest they care most deeply about.

It operates 25 live social media accounts incorporating campaigns and supporting agencies.

The department spends no money on social media platform subscriptions.

The department undertook communications activity across its remit in line with the government’s published communications plans for each year. All spend complies with Cabinet Office spending controls to ensure that, where taxpayer money is being spent on government communications, it is cost-effective, coordinated and reflects functional standards and professional best practices. Activity included delivering joined up, national campaigns to increase supply and demand for technical qualifications, including apprenticeships and T Levels, and skills offers; inspiring more people to teach in schools and colleges; encouraging take up of government-funded childcare; and inspiring more people to become childcare professionals. As part of these campaigns, the department spent the following on paid-for advertising on each social media platform in each complete financial year:

Platform

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

Meta

£ 1,513,264.00

£ 2,170,187.00

£ 3,202,273.00

LinkedIn

£ 223,926.00

£ 476,815.00

£ 486,835.00

Pinterest

£ 95,280.00

£ 99,799.00

£ 175,733.00

Snapchat

£ 598,276.00

£ 821,765.00

£ 1,449,496.00

Twitter

£ 276,397.00

£ 391,616.00

-

Reddit

-

£ 47,644.00

£ 28,145.00
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_44
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_44

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of continually accrued student loan interest on students when they pause their studies due to unforeseen circumstances. \p Janet Daby: UK higher education creates opportunity, is an engine for growth in the economy, and supports local communities. The department is committed to supporting the aspiration of every person who meets the requirements and wants to go to university.

Student loans are subject to interest to ensure that those who can afford to do so contribute to the full cost of their degree.

Interest is charged from the first payment of the student loan is made until the loan has been repaid in full or cancelled, with interest added to the principal balance each month. Interest will continue to accrue even if a student suspends or withdraws from their course, including for students pausing their studies due to unforeseen circumstances. Borrowers will be liable to repay after leaving study only when earning over the relevant student loan repayment threshold.

After study, unlike commercial loans, student loans carry significant protections for borrowers. Regular student loan repayments are based on a borrower’s monthly or weekly income, not the interest rate or amount borrowed, and no repayments are made for earnings below the relevant student loan repayment threshold. Any outstanding debt, including interest built up, is written off at the end of the loan term with no detriment to the borrower.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_45
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_45

Damian Hinds:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Low Emission Zones on the cost of school trips made by coach by schools in (a) Greater London and (b) other parts of the country. \p Catherine McKinnell: Schools typically offer a range of enriching opportunities, including trips, for pupils but it is for schools to decide what to offer in line with their curriculum and what works for the children and families they serve.

The department has not made an assessment of the impact of Low Emission Zones on the cost of school trips made by coach.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_46
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_46

Dame Caroline Dinenage:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies on apprenticeship of the British Hair Consortium’s report entitled Securing the future of UK hairdressing and beauty: The economic, fiscal & societal case for VAT reform, published in February 2025. \p Janet Daby: The hair and beauty sector have developed several high-quality apprenticeships, including the level 2 hairdressing professional standard, and the department continues to encourage employers in the sector to use apprenticeships to develop the skilled workforces they need.

To support smaller employers to access apprenticeships, the government pays the full training costs for young apprentices aged 16 to 21, and for apprentices aged 22 to 24 who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan or have been in local authority care. Employers can also benefit from £1000 payments when they take on apprentices aged 16 to 18, or apprentices aged 19 to 24 who have an EHC plan or have been in local authority care. Employers can choose how they spend these payments.

As the report highlights, we recognise that the increase to employer National Insurance contributions will have a varying impact across all sectors. Employers are not required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to age 25, where they earn less than £50,270 a year.

This government also remains committed to ensuring that apprentice wages support the attraction of talented individuals into apprenticeships and remain fair for employers.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_47
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_47

Marie Goldman:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to increase recruitment of specialist occupational therapists supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities; and what steps she is taking to reduce waiting times for children's occupational therapy services. \p Catherine McKinnell: The government is committed to ensuring that every child has the best start in life. This includes all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). We are committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools.

The department regularly consults with various experts, stakeholders and stakeholder groups, including the Royal College of Occupational Therapists. We will continue to work with the sector as essential and valued partners to deliver our shared mission.

The department is working closely with NHS England to improve access to community health services, including occupational therapy, for children and young people with SEND. NHS England continues to monitor community services waiting lists to assess the number of people on them and the length of time they wait for services, and continues to look at actions to reduce waiting times for these services.

The Department of Health and Social Care have launched a 10 Year Health Plan to reform the NHS. A central part of this will be workforce and how they ensure they train and provide the staff the NHS needs to care for patients across our communities.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_48
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_48

Laura Trott:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding was allocated to the Opening School Facilities Fund for (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25. \p Catherine McKinnell: In line with the contract agreed by the previous government, the department has allocated £19 million in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years to the Opening School Facilities fund. The contract is ending in March 2025, as agreed at the outset of the programme.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_51
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_51

Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children were refused an education, health and care plan assessment by their local authority in the last financial year. \p Catherine McKinnell: The department collects information on the number of requests for an education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment, the number of EHC needs assessments, and the outcome of these requests and assessments.

This information can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/3216aeea-b67c-4fc7-e256-08dd5a6d191a.

These figures and are the most up to date we hold and refer to the 2023 calendar year. We do not hold information on a financial year basis.

Information on EHC plans maintained by local authorities, including requests for needs assessments, decisions made to assess and the number of plans issued is included in the statistical release, ‘Education, health and care plans’. The full publication can be read here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_52
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_52

Leigh Ingham:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what comparative assessment she has made of the level of attainment of (a) girls and (b) boys under 11 in (i) maths and (ii) sciences in Stafford constituency. \p Catherine McKinnell: A breakdown of attainment is not available for the Stafford constituency, however a breakdown for Staffordshire local authority is as follows. Data for Stafford Constituency is available at key stage 2, however this is not split by sex.

In the 2023/24 academic year, 74% of boys in Staffordshire met the expected standard in mathematics and 79% of boys in Staffordshire met the expected standard in science at the end of key stage 2. In the same year, 74% of girls in Staffordshire met the expected standard in maths and 86% of girls in Staffordshire met the expected standard in science at the end of key stage 2. At the end of key stage 2, children are 10 or 11-years-old.

The multiplication tables check is taken by pupils, aged 8 or 9 years old, at the end of year 4. In the 2023/24 academic year, the average attainment score for boys in Staffordshire was 21.2 and 20.8 for girls.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_53
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_53

Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps to promote cooperation within the tertiary education sector with the Republic of San Marino. \p Janet Daby: This government is resetting the relationship with our European friends to strengthen ties, secure a broad-based security pact and tackle barriers to trade.

We are working with the higher education (HE) sector to ensure our world leading universities continue to attract the best and brightest and support the UK’s economy.

The UK is outward looking and welcomes international students, including those from San Marino, who make a positive impact on the UK’s HE sector, our economy and society as a whole.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_54
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_54

Juliet Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many people living in Nottinghamshire are employed by universities in the latest period for which  data is available. \p Janet Daby: The Higher Education Statistics Agency is responsible for collecting and publishing data on the UK higher education (HE) sector. These data are shared with the department and include a wide range of information on staff working at UK HE providers.

However, information on the home addresses of HE staff is not collected, therefore those living in Nottinghamshire and employed by UK HE providers, cannot be identified by the department.

The following table presents staff numbers by HE provider for each academic year from 2014/15 to 2023/24: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/staff/table-24.

This table can be used to determine the number of staff working for HE providers that are based in Nottinghamshire, although we are not able to determine whether these staff also reside in Nottinghamshire.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_55
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_55

Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 13 February 2025 to Question 29255 on Immigration: Overseas Students, if she will take steps to promote UK universities to international students. \p Janet Daby: This government has made clear that we welcome international students, who make a positive impact on the UK’s higher education (HE) sector and our economy and society as a whole.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education is leading our efforts to promote our great universities to international students. In her first speech, in July 2024, and in subsequent video messages, she has set out that the UK is an attractive overseas study destination with high quality education institutions that will support international students throughout their studies.

The UK has a world-class HE sector with four universities in the world university rankings top 10, and 15 in the top 100, alongside a wide array of leading institutions which can offer a fulfilling and enjoyable experience to international students from around the world.

International students enrich our university campuses, forge lifelong friendships with our domestic students and become global ambassadors for the UK. That is why we offer them the opportunity to work or remain in the UK, and contribute to the society and economy, for two or three years after their studies.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_56
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_56

Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number of children that have moved from independent to state schools as a result of applying VAT to independent schools in (a) Lincolnshire and (b) the East Midlands. \p Stephen Morgan: The department has made no separate estimate of the number of pupils in individual local authority areas who have left the independent school system as a result of VAT on school fees.

​The government predicts that, in the long-term steady state, there will be 37,000 fewer pupils in the private sector in the UK as a result of the removal of the VAT exemption applied to school fees. This represents around 6% of the current private school population.

Of the expected 37,000 pupil reduction in the private sector, the government estimates an increase of 35,000 pupils in the state sector in the steady state following the VAT policy taking effect, with the other 2,000 consisting of international pupils who do not move into the UK state system and domestic pupils moving into homeschooling. This state sector increase represents less than 0.5% of total UK state school pupils, of which there are over 9 million. This movement is expected to take place over several years.

The impact on individual local authorities will interact with other pressures and vary between authorities. Every year, many pupils move between schools, including between the private and state-funded sectors.

Local authorities routinely support parents who need a state-funded school place, including where private schools have closed. Where local authorities are experiencing difficulties in ensuring there are enough school places for children that need them, the department will offer support and advice.

​The department provides capital funding through the Basic Need grant to support local authorities to provide school places, based on their own pupil forecasts and school capacity data. They can use this funding to provide places in new schools or through expansions of existing schools.​

Local authorities in the East Midlands region have been allocated a total of £177.1 million, including £23.2 million for Lincolnshire, to support the provision of new mainstream school places needed over the current and next two academic years, up to and including the academic year starting in September 2026.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_57
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_57

Rachael Maskell:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment has she made of the contribution of the Holidays and Activities Fund (a) nationally and (b) in York. \p Stephen Morgan: Since 2022, the department has invested over £200 million each year in free holiday club places for children from low-income families, through the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme, with all 153 local authorities in England delivering during the Easter, summer and Christmas holidays.

The HAF programme supports disadvantaged children and their families with enriching activities, providing them with healthy food, helping them to learn new things and improving socialisation.

Since 2022, the HAF programme has provided 15.6 million HAF days to children and young people in this country. Across the 2023/24 academic year, almost five million HAF days were provided during winter, Easter, and summer delivery.

Over summer 2024, local authorities reported that over 628,000 children and young people attended the HAF programme. Of these participating children, over 511,000 were funded directly by the HAF programme and over 433,000 were receiving benefits-related free school meals (FSM). The reports showed that over 9,700 clubs, events or organised activities operated across the country over the summer.

Over Easter 2024, local authorities reported that over 377,000 children attended the programme, of which over 324,000 were funded directly by the HAF programme and over 276,000 were receiving benefits-related FSM.

Based on reporting data published on York local authority’s website, over 4,700 children attended the programme during HAF delivery periods in 2023. New data that will include numbers for Easter, summer and Christmas 2024 should be published by the local authority later this year.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_58
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_58

Mrs Elsie Blundell:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department issues on timings schools will be expected to run free breakfast clubs to and from on a given day. \p Stephen Morgan: From the start of the summer term, early adopter schools will be expected to deliver a free, universal breakfast club providing childcare and food for at least 30 minutes, immediately before the start of the compulsory school day. This will also be a requirement for all schools with primary aged children under the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. More information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/breakfast-clubs-early-adopter-guidance-for-schools-and-trusts-in-england/breakfast-clubs-early-adopter-guidance-for-schools-and-trusts-in-england.
wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_59
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-12 conversation_59

Charlotte Cane:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of expanding the eligibility criteria for free school meals. \p Stephen Morgan: Under current programmes, 2.1 million disadvantaged pupils are registered to receive benefits-based free school meals (FSM). An additional 1.3 million are eligible for a free meal under universal infant free school meals.

The government is committed to delivering an ambitious strategy to reduce child poverty by tackling the root causes and giving every child the best start in life. To support this, a new Ministerial taskforce has been set up to develop a Child Poverty Strategy. The taskforce will consider a range of policies, assessing what will have the greatest impact in driving down rates of child poverty. As with all policies, the government keeps the approach to FSM under review.