theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Rachael Maskell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his EU counterparts on the potential merits of introducing a special envoy on the freedom of religion or belief. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK is committed to championing freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all. No one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in.

The appointment of David Smith MP as the UK Special Envoy for FoRB in December 2024 is a clear signal of the UK's ongoing commitment to the promotion of this right around the world. Many of our European partners, including the EU itself, have also appointed envoys focusing on FoRB. The UK Envoy works closely with his international counterparts, including through the Article 18 Alliance, to promote FoRB for all.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure stable long-term funding for international nutrition programmes. \p Stephen Doughty: The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review based on various factors including impact assessments.

The UK worked in close partnership with France to make the recent Nutrition for Growth (N4G) summit in Paris a success. The Minister for Development was pleased to lead the UK delegation, and alongside the Scaling-Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement and other partners, to launch the Global Compact on Nutrition Integration.

Partners have welcomed the Compact as a new initiative to drive change and a positive signal of the UK's continued leadership on the global stage. Over 80 countries and organisations have already expressed support for the Compact, signalling their commitment to embed nutrition objectives into investments across other sectors, such as economic growth, climate and health, to boost impact and leverage existing financing for nutrition.
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James Naish:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department plans to support steps to help tackle malnutrition at the Nutrition for Growth Summit in Paris in March 2025; and whether he plans to maintain funding for such programmes in the official development assistance budget from 2027. \p Stephen Doughty: The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review based on various factors including impact assessments.

The UK worked in close partnership with France to make the recent Nutrition for Growth (N4G) summit in Paris a success. The Minister for International Development led the UK delegation. Alongside the Scaling-Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement and other partners, the Minister launched the Global Compact on Nutrition Integration.

Partners have welcomed the Compact as a new initiative to drive change, and a positive signal of the UK's continued leadership on development. We will continue to support new approaches like this as we modernise our approach to international development.
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Robert Jenrick:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what meetings (a) he and (b) his Ministers have had with the (i) Albanian, (ii) Polish, (iii) Romanian, (iv) Irish and (v) Jamaican Government to discuss increasing the number of foreign national offenders returned from UK prisons in the last six months. \p Stephen Doughty: Increasing the numbers of foreign national offender returns from our prisons is a priority for this government. We are working with international partners to achieve this.

In the last six months, the Foreign Secretary discussed criminal justice cooperation with Poland when he met Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski in December 2024 and with Albania when he met Albanian Foreign Minister Igli Hasani on 19 March.
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Steve Witherden:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of working with co-operative movements (a) in the UK and (b) globally. \p Stephen Doughty: The Government recognises the important contribution cooperatives have made in serving local communities around the world. Cooperatives are a tried-and-tested model in international development, that can enable citizens and producers to access services or markets and strengthen their voice in local processes. Cooperatives can enable sustainable and inclusive development centred on self-help, democratic ownership, and concern for the community. The UK has supported cooperatives and producer organisations in developing countries, including, for example in agriculture through funding to the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP), which supports producer organisations, and the Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness Programme (CASA), which partners with cooperatives and small agribusinesses in low-income countries to improve smallholder farmers' access to markets.
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James Naish:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to his counterpart in Nicaragua on the suppression of (a) human rights and (b) religious freedoms in that country. \p Catherine West: We share widespread international concern about the relentless suppression of democratic, religious, and other freedoms in Nicaragua. We continue to urge the Nicaraguan authorities to re-establish democratic freedoms in our engagements with the Nicaraguan Embassy and in Managua, as well as through our public statements in international fora. Most recently, on 28 February at the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council, we raised our grave human rights concerns, including relating to freedom of religion and belief, and arbitrary detentions. Nicaragua's declaration on 27 February that it is leaving the UN Human Rights Council does not change the need to hold the authorities accountable for the suppression of human rights in Nicaragua.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer 2 April 2025 to Question 41781 on Sovereignty: Greenland, what steps he is taking to support the the (a) Government of Greenland and (b) the Kingdom of Denmark. \p Stephen Doughty: The Foreign Secretary and I have been clear that Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and the future of their constitutional arrangements is a matter for the people and Government of Greenland, and the Kingdom of Denmark.

We look forward to working with Greenland's new government and will continue to maintain strong ties with all parts of the Kingdom of Denmark. I have met Greenland's Foreign Minister twice since taking office and have also discussed bilateral cooperation with the Faroese Foreign Minister. The Prime Minister hosted Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen in London on 4 February for bilateral discussions.
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Blair McDougall:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what long term support the Government plans to provide the International Commission on Missing Persons to support their work in identifying those still missing from (a) the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina and (b) the Genocide at Srebrenica. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK supports post-conflict reconciliation in the Western Balkans, through diplomatic and programmatic efforts. This has included funding for the International Commission on Missing Persons for work in the Western Balkans, including for Regional Co-operation through the Missing Persons Group. The UK allocated £150,000 to the International Commission on Missing Persons for the period 1 July 2024 to 1 July 2025. The UK does not currently have plans for funding beyond this period.
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Adam Thompson:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help support British journalists who face arbitrary detention overseas. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK is committed to Media Freedom, and to championing democracy and human rights around the world. The Government takes allegations concerning the arbitrary detention of British nationals - including journalists - very seriously. We examine the circumstances of each case individually and develop tailored strategies based on careful judgements on what is likely to be most effective. Where appropriate, we seek to raise concerns with the local authorities and press for specific violations to be remedied or investigated. We expect all states to comply with their human rights obligations.
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Manuela Perteghella:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential role of (a) co-operatives and (b) co-operation in his Department's approach to international development. \p Stephen Doughty: The Government recognises the important contribution cooperatives have made in serving local communities around the world. Cooperatives are a tried-and-tested model in international development, that can enable citizens and producers to access services or markets and strengthen their voice in local processes. Cooperatives can enable sustainable and inclusive development centred on self-help, democratic ownership, and concern for the community. The UK has supported cooperatives and producer organisations in developing countries, including, for example in agriculture through funding to the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP), which supports producer organisations, and the Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness Programme (CASA), which partners with cooperatives and small agribusinesses in low-income countries to improve smallholder farmers' access to markets.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how the terms of the agreement to lease the Chagos Islands differs from the deal that the Permanent Representative of Mauritius to the UN offered to the United States in July 2020. \p Stephen Doughty: Once an agreement is reached and the Treaty is signed, the Treaty will be put before both Houses for scrutiny under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act (CRaG) process in the usual way.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will publish the minutes of meetings that she has had with each trade union since 5 July 2025. \p Catherine McKinnell: The department assumes that there is an error in the question, and the right hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay means 5 July 2024. The details of all my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education’s external meetings are routinely published on GOV.UK.
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Sarah Coombes:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps to ensure that all schools in Sandwell are listing teaching jobs with a (a) main and (b) upper pay scale. \p Catherine McKinnell: For maintained schools, the school teachers’ pay and conditions document (STPCD) sets out which pay range would be appropriate for any teaching role advertised in England, including Sandwell, and includes the main and upper pay ranges. The document is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-teachers-pay-and-conditions.

Non-maintained schools, including academies and free schools, are responsible for determining the pay and conditions of their staff. Such schools are therefore not currently obliged to follow the statutory arrangements set out in the STPCD, although they may still choose to do so if they wish.

However, through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, the department will require academies to have regard to the STPCD, ensuring an established starting point for all state schools while giving confidence that existing or future changes which benefit teachers and pupils, will be able to continue.

Taken together, the Bill measures and the changes we make through secondary legislation following this Bill will create a pay floor with no ceiling, ensuring all state school teachers can rely on a core pay offer and all schools can innovate to attract and retain the best teachers.

For either maintained or academy schools, it would be for the individual school to determine for themselves, when advertising vacant posts, whether the requirements of the post are more suited to the main or upper pay range, depending on the school’s budget and the range of experience and skills that applying candidates demonstrate.
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Amanda Martin:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with Skills England on the decision to exclude level 7 apprenticeships from the Apprenticeship Levy; and whether she is exploring alternative support for firms to provide these qualifications. \p Janet Daby: The government is committed to spreading opportunities and economic growth supported by a strong skills system.

This government has an extremely challenging fiscal inheritance. There are tough choices that need to be taken on how funding should be prioritised in order to generate opportunities for young people that enable them to make a start in good, fulfilling careers, and the department will therefore be asking more employers to step forward and fund a significant number of level 7 apprenticeships themselves outside of the levy-funded growth and skills offer.

The department has received a wide range of representations on level 7 apprenticeships which it is currently considering. These have been received directly and via Skills England, which has engaged with a wide range of stakeholders on this matter and has shared its findings with the department.

The department recognises the importance of providing clarity as soon as possible on future funding for level 7 apprenticeships and will communicate next steps in due course.
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Manuela Perteghella:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing targeted support to universities at risk of closing their music departments. \p Janet Daby: The government is committed to supporting higher education arts courses. We recognise the vital role these institutions play in nurturing talent and contributing to the UK's cultural and economic landscape.

For the 2024/25 academic year, the department has allocated around £12.9 million to creative and performing arts courses. Additionally, we have allocated £58 million in Strategic Priorities Grant funding to world-leading small and specialist providers, including 12 creative and performing arts institutions. This funding supports the provision of these courses and promotes opportunities for students.
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Andrew Ranger:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help improve access to (a) higher education opportunities and (b) apprenticeships to students from disadvantaged backgrounds. \p Janet Daby: Too many people across our country do not get the chance to succeed. This government is committed to supporting the aspiration of every person who meets the requirements and wants to go to university or pursue an apprenticeship, regardless of their background, where they live and their personal circumstances.

All English higher education (HE) providers registered with the Office for Students (OfS) that intend to charge higher level tuition fees are required to have an Access and Participation Plan approved by the OfS. These plans articulate how providers will improve equality of opportunity for underrepresented groups. In creating their plans, providers should consider the Equality of Opportunity Risk Register which details 12 key sector risks across the student lifecycle and the student groups most likely to experience these, including students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Whilst many HE providers have demonstrated positive examples of widening access, including targeted outreach and bursaries, we want to see the sector go further.

In the summer the department will set out our plan for HE reform and we expect providers to play an even stronger role in improving access and outcomes for all disadvantaged students.

The department also wants to ensure that more young people can undertake apprenticeships. We are introducing foundation apprenticeships for young people, a work-based offer providing high-quality progression pathways into further work-based training and employment, including occupationally specific apprenticeships. The department is continuing to provide employers and providers with additional funding to support more apprenticeship opportunities for young people, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds. We provide £1,000 to both employers and training providers when they take on apprentices aged 16 to 18, and up to age 24 for apprentices with an education, health and care plan or who have been in local authority care. These payments can be used to support costs such as work equipment, uniforms or travel.
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Manuela Perteghella:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department plans to take to increase the number of apprenticeships in the creative sector. \p Janet Daby: The government is reforming the apprenticeships offer into a growth and skills offer, which will provide greater flexibility to employers and learners across England. This will create routes into skilled jobs in growing industries, such as the creative industries, for people of all ages and backgrounds.

This will include introducing new foundation apprenticeships for young people, as well as shorter-duration apprenticeships in targeted sectors. The department is reducing the minimum duration of an apprenticeship to eight months, so employers have the flexibility to train people up more quickly where that makes sense, for example, because an apprentice has high a level of prior experience, or that sector does not work in 12-month training cycles. Apprentices in Film/TV production will be some of the many who are set to benefit from this approach.

Employers in the creative sector have developed 74 apprenticeships, including the level 3 Creative Industries Production Technician, to help them develop their workforce.

To support employers to access apprenticeships the government pays £1,000 to employers when they take on apprentices aged 16 to 18, and for apprentices aged 19 to 24 who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan or have been in local authority care. Non-levy paying employers can also benefit from the government paying the full training costs for young apprentices aged 16 to 21, and for apprentices aged 22 to 24 who have an EHC plan or have been in local authority care.

The department continues to promote apprenticeships to young people, adults and employers through the ‘Skills for Life’ campaign.
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Andrew Ranger:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to increase access to careers education in (a) schools and (b) further education. \p Janet Daby: High-quality careers provision is an essential part of the government’s missions to break down barriers to opportunity and to drive economic growth. The department is creating more opportunities for young people to develop skills and improve work readiness through our commitments to improve careers advice in schools and colleges and to guarantee two weeks’ worth of work experience for every young person.

The department will publish updated careers statutory guidance this spring that sets out our expectations of what schools, colleges and independent training providers should do to raise the quality of careers provision and work experience for young people. The Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance, a standard for world-class careers guidance for young people, are a cornerstone of our approach. Building on the widespread adoption and impact of the benchmarks in recent years, the framework has been updated following extensive research and consultation, for implementation from September 2025.

Inclusion and impact for each and every young person is a prominent theme that emerged from evidence to the benchmark review. Updates to the benchmarks emphasise the importance of tailoring programmes to the needs of each young person. Particular attention is given to any additional or different support that may be needed by vulnerable or disadvantaged young people and those with special educational needs and disabilities.

The department is continuing to fund The Careers and Enterprise Company to support schools and colleges to deliver careers programmes in line with the Gatsby Benchmarks and to plan towards the delivery of two weeks’ worth of work experience for every young person. 95% of secondary schools and colleges are part of a local Careers Hub, connecting careers provision to the needs of local economies through strategic partnerships with mayoral combined authorities, local authorities and employers. A network of 400 leading employers and over 3,700 business volunteers inspire young people about a range of exciting career opportunities, including in priority growth sectors.

The National Careers Service helps young people, aged 13 to 18, to discover their careers options. The website includes around 800 job profiles and young people can access information and advice via webchat and a telephone helpline which is supported by local community-based career advisers. The website can be found here: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/.

In addition, the Skills for Life campaign, ‘It all starts with skills’, promotes a range of priority skills programmes to young people, including apprenticeships, T Levels and Higher Technical Qualifications.
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Kanishka Narayan:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of embedding financial literacy more systematically across the national curriculum to support long-term household financial resilience and informed retail investment. \p Catherine McKinnell: Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

Financial education currently forms a compulsory part of the national curriculum for mathematics, at key stages 1 to 4, and citizenship, at key stages 3 and 4, which together cover personal budgeting, saving for the future, managing credit and debt and calculating interest. Primary schools are free to teach financial education within citizenship. The non-statutory primary citizenship programme of study at key stages 1 and 2 equip pupils to look after their money and realise that future wants and needs may be met through saving.

The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The Review seeks to deliver a rich, broad, inclusive and innovative curriculum that equips young people with the knowledge, skills and attributes needed to thrive in life and work.
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Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the Office for Students registered theological colleges’ compliance with academic freedom and freedom of speech obligations. \p Janet Daby: I refer the hon. Member for Poole to the answer of 9 April 2025 to Question HL6374.
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Chris Coghlan:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the accuracy of the education, health and care plan issuance process. \p Catherine McKinnell: An education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment ensures that a child or young person’s needs are assessed in a co-ordinated manner across education, health and social care services.

Under this assessment process the local authority must seek information and advice from a range of partners, including the child or young person and their parents, their school or college, where applicable, relevant health and social care partners, an educational psychologist and any other relevant professionals.

The EHC needs assessment must identify the child or young person’s special educational needs together with any relevant health or social care needs.

If an EHC needs assessment determines that it is necessary for special educational provision to be made for the child or young person, the local authority must prepare an EHC plan.

Following the assessment, if the local authority decides not to issue an EHC plan, or if the child’s parent or, from the age of 16, the young person themselves disagrees with the description of needs, such as the educational provision set out in the plan or the educational institution named in it, they are able to appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability).

Latest data from the department shows that 5.1% of children and young people who underwent an EHC needs assessment during the 2023 calendar year were not issued a plan. In addition, 1,048 appeals were heard by the First-tier Tribunal in the 2023 calendar year regarding a decision on whether to issue a plan.
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Manuela Perteghella:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether music education will be one of the metrics assessed in the Ofsted report card announced for schools in England. \p Catherine McKinnell: Ofsted is currently consulting on a revised education inspection framework and inspection report card. This is therefore a matter for His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon directly and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
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Neil O'Brien:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much was spent in (a) cash and (b) real terms on Ofsted in each year since 1995. \p Catherine McKinnell: This is a matter for His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston directly and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
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Manuela Perteghella:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to deliver a Music and Arts Pupil Premium to schools. \p Catherine McKinnell: Schools are expected to fund the delivery of music and arts teaching from their core budget. The government has committed to putting education back at the forefront of national life, with a further £3.2 billion going into schools’ budgets, with £1 billion for children and young people with high needs. Overall core revenue funding for schools totalled almost £61.6 billion in the 2024/25 financial year.

Over and above core school funding, the government is investing £79 million per year for the Music Hubs programme, which includes the 2024/25 academic year. The 43 Music Hubs partnerships across England offer a range of services, including musical instrument tuition, instrument loaning and whole-class ensemble teaching. To widen access to musical instruments, the government is investing £25 million in capital funding for musical instruments, equipment and technology from the 2024/25 academic year.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education announced last month our intention to launch a National Centre for Arts and Music Education to promote opportunities for children and young people to pursue their artistic and creative interests in school, including through the government’s network of Music Hubs. Our intention is to launch in September 2026, with a delivery lead appointed through an open procurement. One of the responsibilities of the National Centre will be to lead the Music Hubs programme.

Future funding for music and arts education is subject to the ongoing spending review and more details will be published in due course.
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Munira Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 15145 on Teachers: Workplace Pensions, what recent progress she has made on reducing the backlog of people waiting for cash equivalent transfer value details from teachers' pensions. \p Catherine McKinnell: The scheme administrator has made significant progress to reduce the backlog of cash equivalent transfer value (CETV) figures that had built up whilst the necessary guidance was developed following the transitional protection legislation taking effect.

CETVs that could be automated have been prioritised, alongside the most sensitive cases, to reduce the backlog from 3,062 at the end of October 2024 to 499 as of 4 April. The current outstanding figure includes recent applications.

The scheme administrator is now working through the more complex cases for members who have not retired and have scheme flexibilities to take account of, which must be processed clerically as a result.

Guidance to provide CETV calculations for members who have retired has recently been received and is being assessed by the scheme administrator. Where possible, the scheme administrator has issued Remediable Service Statements (RSS) to retired members, as once their RSS choice has been implemented, no further guidance is required.

Addressing the remainder of the backlog remains a key priority for both the department and the scheme administrator, and all available resource continues to be used, including the use of ongoing overtime.
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Munira Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding her Department has provided through the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund in each years since 2015; and how many individual children have accessed support through the Fund in each year since 2015. \p Janet Daby: The information requested is available in the following table:

Financial year

Numbers of individual children who have accessed support through the Fund

Overall funding (£ million)

2015/16

2876

19

2016/17

5712

23.93

2017/18

8797

29

2018/19

11531

37

2019/20

11823

42

2020/21

11261

45*

2021/22

13663

46

2022/23

14862

47

2023/24

16333

48

End of year data is not yet available for 2024/25

*In 2020/21, £8 million was repurposed for the adoption support fund COVID-19 scheme.
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Manuela Perteghella:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to increase recruitment of music teachers. \p Catherine McKinnell: High-quality teaching is the most important in-school factor in determining a child’s educational outcomes. Recruiting and retaining additional numbers of qualified, expert teachers is therefore critical to the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and boost the life chances of every child. This is why the department will recruit 6,500 new, expert teachers.

To deliver this pledge we are resetting the relationship with the sector to ensure teaching is once again a valued and attractive profession and one that existing teachers want to remain in, former teachers want to return to and new graduates wish to join.

The 2024/25 initial teacher training census reported 331 trainees had begun courses in music, up from 216 trainees in the 2023/24 academic year. We reintroduced a £10,000 music bursary for the 2024/25 academic year and are continuing to offer this for courses starting in 2025/26.

A successful recruitment strategy starts with a strong retention strategy, and the department wants to ensure teachers of all subjects and phases stay and thrive in the profession. We agreed a 5.5% pay award for teachers this academic year, 2024/25, and have taken steps to improve teachers’ workloads and wellbeing and enable greater flexible working, to support retention and help re-establish teaching as an attractive profession.
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Pippa Heylings:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of making the adoption and special guardianship support fund permanent. \p Janet Daby: On 1 April, it was announced that the adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF) would continue into 2025/26, with a budget of £50 million.

All future decisions regarding the ASGSF will be considered as part of the next spending review.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-09)

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Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment has she made of the adequacy of the provision of British Sign Language teaching in schools. \p Catherine McKinnell: Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

Schools may choose to offer British Sign Language (BSL) as part of their school curriculum, or as an extra-curricular activity. The government does not hold data on the extent to which BSL is currently taught in schools.

The department is in the process of developing a BSL GCSE. The BSL GCSE is a key feature of our commitment to enhancing the status of BSL in education and society. This landmark GCSE is an important step towards greater recognition of BSL as a language and will foster better communication between deaf and hearing communities.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-09)

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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve mental health support for children with special educational needs in South Holland and the Deepings constituency. \p Catherine McKinnell: Schools are required to identify and address the special educational needs (SEN) of the pupils they support and, in the case of mainstream settings, to use their best endeavours to make sure that a child or young person who has SEN gets the support they need. All schools should apply the ‘graduated approach’ that is outlined in the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) code of practice, which means identifying a child’s needs, planning appropriate support, implementing that support and reviewing it regularly to ensure it continues to meet the identified needs. Through this, schools should develop personalised approaches to supporting the unique needs of individual pupils.

We will provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school, so every young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate. Further information on the support, as at 31 March 2024, for pupil's provided by NHS-funded mental health support teams in Lincolnshire schools is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision.

The department will also recruit an additional 8,500 new mental health staff to treat children and adults, and open new Young Futures hubs with access to mental health support workers.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-09)

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Dr Allison Gardner:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children are covered by the transitional protections for eligibility for free school meals; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of ending those protections in March 2025 on the children currently protected. \p Stephen Morgan: As with all government programmes, including free school meals, we keep our approach under continued review. Support for children to access free school meals, has additionally been considered as part of the Child Poverty Taskforce’s consideration of how to:

1. Support households to increase their income including considering social security reforms that support people into work and alleviate poverty.

2. Help to bring down essential household costs, build savings and tackle problem debt.

3. Alleviate the negative experience of living in poverty, including through supporting families and the role of public services.

No pupil will see any change because of changes to traditional protections until after the summer and the department will communicate further with schools before that time.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-09)

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Olly Glover:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that teachers are adequately trained on identifying dyslexia in the early years of primary education. \p Catherine McKinnell: I refer the hon. Member for Didcot and Wantage to the answer of 31 March 2025 to Question 40829.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-09)

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Jess Brown-Fuller:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to confirm individual budgets for 2025-26 to providers within the Dance and Drama Awards scheme. \p Janet Daby: The department will shortly confirm final budgets for the 2025/26 academic year and is in touch with providers concerning this.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-09)

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Adam Thompson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that Hong Kong students do not experience Chinese (a) interference, (b) influence, (c) harassment and (d) repression whilst studying on UK campuses. \p Janet Daby: The UK welcomes international students, including from China, who make a very positive impact on the UK’s higher education (HE) sector, our economy and society as a whole. We will always protect our national security, human rights and values.

The first duty of the government is to keep the country safe, and we are committed to responding to foreign interference, including those actions which amount to transnational repression. Any attempt by any foreign power to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities in the UK, will not be tolerated. Anyone who thinks they might be a victim should report incidents or suspicious activity to the Police via 101, a local police station or 999 in emergencies. As autonomous institutions, the department also expects universities to have robust processes in place to prevent and tackle incidents of harassment and abuse on campus.

​The department is taking specific steps to ensure our world-leading universities remain free from foreign interference. This includes the implementation of the new complaints scheme in the Higher Education Freedom of Speech Act 2023, which will offer a focussed route for concerns, including relating to foreign interference in academic freedom and free speech, to be escalated.

​The department is continuing to work closely with the sector to increase their understanding of the risks and their ability to respond. We are conducting an internal review, informed by engagement with the regulator, sector, academics impacted by foreign interference and international partners, to assess existing approaches to managing the risk of foreign interference and what more support they might need.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-09)

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Adam Thompson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with (a) local authorities and (b) universities on ensuring universities are included in local growth plans. \p Janet Daby: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has announced five priorities to reform higher education (HE), with stronger contribution to economic growth as one of these priorities. As part of the work to develop a plan for HE reform, the department has been engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, including mayoral strategic authorities. We are also engaging with HE mission groups and representative bodies on local growth plans and HE reform more broadly.

The department sees HE playing a key role in the government’s emerging vision for the wider skills system. HE is critical to the delivery of the industrial strategy and the government’s missions on opportunity and growth. Local Growth Plans will be locally owned, long-term strategic plans for how mayors will use devolved levers and powers to support the national growth mission and help deliver the Industrial Strategy. As the local leaders who know their areas best, they will be engaging relevant stakeholders as they develop and deliver their plans.

HE will also play a critical role in the wider vision for national renewal training our future workforce, including doctors, nurses, and teachers and playing a stronger civic role in local communities.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-09)

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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to remove funding for level 6 apprenticeships. \p Janet Daby: Level 6 apprenticeships are a core part of the department’s apprenticeships offer and continue to be funded by government.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-09)

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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her plans for over £600 million of funding over four years to train up to 60,000 skilled construction workers, announced on 23 March 2025, how much of that funding she plans to allocate to (a) the East Midlands and (b) Leicestershire. \p Janet Daby: My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced an additional £625 million of funding to support construction skills training, with the detail set out in Spring Statement 2025. This is expected to deliver up to 60,000 additional skilled construction workers this Parliament.

The measures will support the expansion of existing skills programmes including Skills Bootcamps and apprenticeships, as well as helping deliver new initiatives such as establishing 10 technical excellence colleges specialising in construction across every region in England.

Additional information regarding allocations at regional and provider level will be shared in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-09)

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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of trends in the number of university applications in the last five years. \p Janet Daby: There has been a 5.9% increase in the number of main scheme UCAS applications between 2020 and 2024.

Main scheme applications for UK students are up 7.7% but down 0.7% for international students.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-09)

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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of fully funding apprenticeships for under-22s in SMEs on apprenticeship starts to date. \p Janet Daby: Since April 2024, the government pays 100% of apprentice training costs, up to the funding band maximum, for non-levy paying employers when they take on apprentices aged 16 to 21, and apprentices aged 22 to 24 who have an education, health and care plan or have been in local authority care.

Apprenticeship statistics, including starts by young people, can be found at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships.