theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to ensure businesses are aware of National Insurance contributions relief for employers with apprentices under 25. \p James Murray: HMRC maintains comprehensive Gov.uk guidance to help employers understand the Class 1 NICs relief for apprentices under the age of 25, which has been in place since 2016. It can be found here: Paying employer National Insurance contributions for apprentices under 25 - GOV.UK.

Beyond the NICs relief, the Government is committed to supporting apprenticeships as a key component of its growth mission to achieve growth. The Autumn Budget provided £40 million to help to deliver new foundation and shorter apprenticeships in key sectors.
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Josh Newbury:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of vehicles rented by her Department are electric vehicles. \p James Murray: Carbon emission details, including vehicles rented, will be published later this year within in the Sustainability Report section of HM Treasury 2024-25 Annual Report and Accounts. This will be published at the following link.

HMT annual report and accounts - GOV.UK
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Michelle Welsh:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has considered the potential merits of using income from tax obtained by the sale of (a) tobacco, (b) alcohol and (c) gambling on prevention education. \p James Murray: The allocations of all revenues received by the Government are decided in the round alongside broader fiscal and economic objectives. Widespread hypothecation of tax revenues can undermine the Government’s ability to flexibly manage the public finances.
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Saqib Bhatti:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to ensure that Gift Aid claimed by online fundraising platforms goes to charities. \p James Murray: Charities have the flexibility to decide on their own strategy for fundraising and are free to partner with other organisations to process their Gift Aid claims. It will ultimately be a commercial decision on the part of a charity to work with a fundraising platform and whether it is appropriate to pay a fee for any services provided.

Many of the fundraising platforms are voluntarily registered with the Fundraising Regulator which can act if it believes standards have been breached.
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Pippa Heylings:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has considered changing the withdrawal percentage for Lifetime ISAs. \p Emma Reynolds: The Lifetime ISA (LISA) is designed to support people to achieve the aspiration of homeownership, or to build up savings for their later life. LISA funds, including any Government bonus, can be withdrawn for the purchase of a first home under £450,000, in the case of terminal illness or from the age of 60.

Any unauthorised withdrawals are subject to a 25% withdrawal charge. This recoups the Government bonus, any interest or growth arising from it, and a proportion of the individual’s initial savings. Reducing the withdrawal charge would encourage the use of LISAs in ways for which they were not intended.

The Government keeps all aspects of savings tax policy under review.
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Tristan Osborne:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make it her policy to review the level of the Video Games Expenditure Credit for projects with a budget of £10m or less. \p James Murray: The Government recognises the importance of the UK’s video games sector and the key role it plays in driving economic growth. As part of our modern Industrial Strategy, we are developing a creative industries sector plan with business, local leaders, and sector experts.

The Government supports the video games sector through the tax system and through funding. Video games companies already benefit from the Video Games Expenditure Credit (VGEC), which provides a generous tax credit of 34 per cent on UK video games development costs.

In addition, companies may benefit from the £5.5 million UK Games Fund for 2025/26, which helps high-potential start-ups scale-up.

When considering new tax reliefs, the Government has to balance a wide range of factors, including the fiscal position and complexity of the tax system.
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Dan Aldridge:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department plans to reduce the rate of VAT for the hospitality and tourism sector. \p James Murray: The Government recognises the significant contribution made by hospitality businesses to economic growth and social life in the UK.

Tax breaks reduce the revenue available for vital public services and must represent value for money for the taxpayer. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations. The exceptional VAT relief for tourism and hospitality during the Covid-19 pandemic cost over £8 billion. The Government has no current plans to change the VAT rate for the hospitality and tourism sector.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of reducing VAT on US firms exporting to the UK. \p James Murray: In line with international guidelines, VAT is charged equally on goods and services consumed in the UK whether they are produced domestically or imported. VAT is ultimately paid by the final consumer, similar to US sales taxes. Businesses in the supply chain can typically reclaim the VAT they pay, including import VAT.
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Victoria Collins:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department plans to increase taxes on global tech companies. \p James Murray: The UK remains committed to reaching a global solution on the taxation of the digital economy through Pillar 1 of the G20-OECD Inclusive Framework project. The UK has fully implemented Pillar 2 of the project which ensures all multinationals are subject to a minimum rate.

The Digital Services Tax (DST) is an interim tax measure to ensure that digital services providers pay UK tax on digital services that reflects the value they derive from UK users. It is UK’s intention to repeal our Digital Services Tax (DST) when Pillar 1 of the OECD project is in place.
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Vikki Slade:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to review the thresholds for Small Business Rate Relief to reflect changes in rateable values ahead of the 2026 revaluation. \p James Murray: Currently, Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) is available to businesses with a single property below a set rateable value. Eligible properties under £12,000 will receive 100 per cent relief, which means over a third of businesses in England (more than 700,000) pay no business rates at all. There is also tapered support available to properties valued between £12,000 and £15,000, which an additional c.60,000 businesses benefit from.

The Government is committed to retaining SBRR, which is a permanent relief set down in legislation. As highlighted in the Transforming Business Rates Discussion Paper published at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government is interested in hearing stakeholders’ views on the extent to which the current system acts as a barrier to investment and specifically, whether the current eligibility criteria for SBRR impacts businesses' incentives to invest and expand into a second property.
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Vikki Slade:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of excluding CCTV systems used for security purposes from business rates valuations. \p James Murray: At the Autumn Budget, the government published the Transforming Business Rates Discussion Paper, which sets out priority areas for reform. This paper invites industry to help co-design a fairer business rates system that supports investment and is fit for the 21st century.

In summer, the Government will publish an interim report that sets out a clear direction of travel for the business rates system, with further policy detail to follow at Autumn Budget 2025.

Improvement Relief was introduced in April 2024 and provides 12 months of relief for qualifying improvements to a property, including installation of CCTV where this increases a property’s RV.
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Callum Anderson:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many taxpayers in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes she estimates will be affected by changes to the Income Tax Self Assessment criteria. \p James Murray: The information is not available. HMRC does not hold unitary authority-level estimates of taxpayers who could be affected by changes to the Income Tax Self-Assessment following the criteria review.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Supreme Court judgement in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025, whether her Department plans to amend its policy on the use of women-only spaces in its buildings by transgender women. \p James Murray: HM Treasury is working with Government People Group in the Cabinet Office to understand the revised model policies and will implement required changes accordingly.
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Euan Stainbank:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the funding provided to Grangemouth through the National Wealth Fund must be spent on recommendations made through Project Willow. \p James Murray: The National Wealth Fund has made financing available for new investment projects in Grangemouth, subject to viable proposals that satisfy its investment principles coming forward. Project Willow identified numerous credible long-term industrial options for the Grangemouth site. The National Wealth Fund will consider providing financing to any projects being developed in the Grangemouth area that align with their strategic priorities. This includes but is not limited to those identified by Project Willow.
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Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will require early years providers to demonstrate how they (a) assess and (b) manage risks associated with infant sleep practices. \p Stephen Morgan: The early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework which all early years providers are required to follow includes a requirement for babies to be placed down to sleep in line with the latest government safety guidance. This guidance can be accessed here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sudden-infant-death-syndrome-sids/.

Ofsted inspects early years settings against the EYFS requirements. Early years providers failing to follow safer sleep practice in line with this guidance would be in breach of the requirements and subject to enforcement action.

The early years qualification requirements and standards document sets out the minimum qualification requirements, including the qualifications criteria at levels 2 and 3, that staff must meet to be recognised as level 2, level 3 or level 6 members of staff for the purpose of working within the EYFS staff:child ratios. This document can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-qualification-requirements-and-standards.

Both the level 2 and level 3 criteria include knowledge of rest and sleep provision, with level 3 also including use of equipment, furniture and materials safely with regard for sleep safety.

In September 2024, the department worked in collaboration with The Lullaby Trust to produce guidance which is available on the Foundation Years platform at: https://www.foundationyears.org.uk/2024/09/safer-sleeping-practices-for-early-years-educators/. This covers a variety of areas including sleeping products which are not suitable for babies, suitable sleeping surfaces for babies and safe use of blankets.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many new school based nurseries will be located in the (a) Plymouth Unitary Authority, (b) Torbay Unitary Authority and (c) Devon County Council area. \p Stephen Morgan: Under the School-Based Nurseries Capital Grant 2024 to 2025 schools could apply to create or expand school-based nursery provision. Three schools received funding in Plymouth Unitary Authority, two in Torbay Unitary Authority and five in Devon County Council.
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Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the (a) capacity and (b) preparedness of early years providers to safely care for babies under 12 months in the context of the expansion of funded childcare. \p Stephen Morgan: The department’s priority is to grow high-quality education and care for children, whilst ensuring their safety, in order to give every child the best start in life. We continually monitor and review safeguarding requirements for early years settings to make sure children are kept as safe as possible.

In September 2025, subject to parliamentary procedure the department will be introducing changes to the safeguarding requirements of the early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework which all early years settings must follow. The framework can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2.

This includes requirements which will help keep babies under 12 months as safe as possible, such as a new safer eating section, which includes a requirement to have ongoing discussions with parents and/or carers in regard to introducing solid foods.

Last year, in collaboration with The Lullaby Trust the department produced safer sleep guidance which is available on the Foundation Years, which can be accessed here: https://www.foundationyears.org.uk/2024/09/safer-sleeping-practices-for-early-years-educators/. This covers a variety of areas including sleeping products which are not suitable for babies, suitable sleeping surfaces for babies and safe use of blankets.

The department also produced guidance with the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children on supporting distressed babies, available at: https://www.foundationyears.org.uk/2025/01/responding-to-babies-cries-a-guide-for-early-years-educators/, and the importance of positive interactions on baby brain development, available at: https://www.foundationyears.org.uk/2025/01/the-importance-of-positive-interactions-on-baby-brain-development/. These support providers with developing enriching relationships with the babies in their settings, by recognising their social cues and responding appropriately.

The department has already seen a strong response from the early years sector following the introduction of the new entitlement, the latest stage of which was the expansion to 15 hours for eligible children under two in September 2024. 2023 to 2024 saw nearly three times the growth in places (44,000 compared to 15,000) and more than 1.5 times the growth in staff (20,000 compared to 13,000) working in early years compared to 2022 to 2023, showing the early years market is responding positively to the demand. Continuing this growth ahead of September 2025 will allow more families to benefit from the expansion.
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Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will require Ofsted inspectors to undertake specialist training in safe sleep practices for infants during qualifications to inspect early years settings. \p Stephen Morgan: The department’s priority is to grow high-quality, affordable and flexible education and care for children, whilst ensuring their safety, giving every child the best start of life and delivering on our Plan for Change. We continually monitor and review safeguarding requirements for early years settings to make sure children are kept as safe as possible.

The department sets the standards which early years settings such as nurseries must follow, these are set out in the early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework and can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2. The department also sets policy on inspection and registration, but how it is implemented is for Ofsted to decide whilst remaining accountable to Parliament.

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

Ofsted can carry out any early years inspection without notice and these usually take place due to previous inadequate judgements or as a result of risk assessments after concerns have been raised.

In September 2025, subject to Parliamentary procedure we will be introducing changes to the EYFS safeguarding requirements. This includes new requirements around whistleblowing, to help ensure that all early years educators understand when and how to escalate any safeguarding concerns. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/early-years-foundation-stage-eyfs-safeguarding.

Ofsted’s early years inspectors are early years professionals with relevant knowledge of safer sleep practice and can assess a provider’s adherence to the relevant suitability and safer sleeping requirements in the EYFS.
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Harpreet Uppal:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department plans to take with (a) colleges, (b) universities and (c) employers to increase the number of (i) apprenticeships and (ii) skills-based training places for young people from Huddersfield. \p Janet Daby: As part of our plan to Get Britain Working, the government will launch a new Youth Guarantee for young people aged 18 to 21 in England to ensure that they are supported to access high quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or help to find work.

This is alongside the launch of Skills England, which will support skills training opportunities for young people, and local skills improvement plans which bring employers, providers and local leaders together to collaboratively identify and address skills needs of local areas.

The government supports colleges to provide skills training, including through over £7.5 billion of 16 to 19 programme funding which will be invested during the 2024/25 academic year to ensure young people are developing the skills they need to succeed in work and in life.

The government is working with universities on access and participation and we will support the aspiration of every person who meets the requirements and wants to go to university, regardless of their background, where they live and their personal circumstances.

We are also widening the apprenticeships offer into a growth and skills offer which will include new foundation apprenticeships, giving more young people a foot in the door at the start of their working lives.
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Neil O'Brien:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Answer of 28 June 2019 to Question 267249 on Schools: Closures, what the (a) postcode, (b) local authority area and (c) rural and urban classification is of each school that has closed with no direct replacement provision in each year since 21 June 2019. \p Catherine McKinnell: Information on closures of state-funded schools, including the urban/rural classification for each school, is available on the Get Information about Schools (GIAS) website, which can be found here: https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Search?SelectedTab=Establishments.

GIAS records a number of different reasons for closure, including closure as a result of amalgamation, “closure” where a school has been replaced by a successor institution (including academy conversions), as well as outright closure of provision.
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Phil Brickell:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the National Literacy Trust's findings that one in seven state primary schools do not have a (a) library or (b) dedicated library space. \p Catherine McKinnell: I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Bolton West to the answer of 5 February 2025 to Question 27959.
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Lisa Smart:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps their Department is taking to help ensure that schools are held accountable for the provision of financial education in accordance with the national secondary curriculum. \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 Hazel Grove and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
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Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to increase access to assessments for Special Educational Needs in (a) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency and (b) England. \p Catherine McKinnell: The department wants to drive a consistent and inclusive approach to supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to achieve and thrive in mainstream settings through early identification, effective support, high quality teaching and effective allocation of resources.

Through a graduated approach, teachers are responsible for monitoring the progress of all pupils and putting support in place where needed. Where a child who has SEND needs more support than their school can usually provide, schools, parents or carers can ask the local authority to carry out an education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment.

The department recognises the critical role of educational psychologists within the SEND system, including their statutory contribution to EHC assessments. The department is investing over £21 million to train 400 more educational psychologists from 2024, building on the £10 million currently being invested in a cohort of over 200 trainees who began their training in 2023. Trainees will join the workforce to support the capacity of local authority educational psychology services, including in delivering assessments.

The department provides support and challenge to the Hertfordshire local area partnership by monitoring progress against its priority action plan and improvement plan and by providing advice and guidance via a SEND expert advisor. The partnership has also established a SEND Improvement Board, independently chaired by Dame Christine Lenehan, to oversee progress and provide appropriate challenge.

The department expects all local authorities to meet their statutory duties and we will continue to monitor and challenge Hertfordshire County Council’s EHC plan 20 week timeliness.
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Zöe Franklin:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help ensure that primary schools provide adequate (a) swimming and (b) water safety lessons. \p Catherine McKinnell: Swimming and water safety is a compulsory element of the primary physical education (PE) national curriculum. The department works closely with sector organisations like Swim England and the Royal Life Saving Society, supporting schools to provide swimming and water safety lessons through teacher training and resources. This includes support for pupils with special education needs and disabilities, hosted on Swim England’s online Inclusion Hub. The PE and Sport Premium can be used by primary schools for top-up lessons for those pupils not able to meet the national curriculum outcomes after core lessons. Following public consultation, we are currently reviewing the statutory relationships, sex and health education curriculum, including looking at whether additional content on water safety should be added.
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Mr Lee Dillon:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that all schools within a local authority accept children with Education, Health and Care Plans. \p Catherine McKinnell: The Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on schools named by a local authority on an education, health and care plan to admit a child. The local authority must have consulted with the school and carefully considered any views expressed before naming it on a plan. This duty to admit applies to maintained schools, academies, non-maintained special schools and independent schools approved for these purposes by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, under section 41 of the Act.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. We are committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, and ensuring special schools cater to children and young people with the most complex needs, restoring parents’ trust that their child will get the support they need.

The department is working closely with experts on reforms, recently appointing a Strategic Advisor for SEND, who will play a key role in convening and engaging with the sector, including leaders, practitioners, children and families as we consider the next steps for the future of SEND reform.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 29 April 2025 to Question 46274 on Schools: Uniforms, if she will take steps to provide further support for low income households to assist in the purchase of school uniforms. \p Catherine McKinnell: This government recognises that parents are struggling with the cost of uniform and that in England some local authorities provide discretionary grants to help with buying school uniforms in cases of financial hardship.

Rather than subsidising expensive uniforms through providing additional financial support, this government has chosen to reduce the cost of uniforms for all parents by legislating to limit the number of expensive branded items schools can require.

Departmental research shows that the average cost of uniform is significantly lower when parents are allowed to buy items from a range of outlets. Based on previous department surveys of parents, we estimate that the aggregate savings of the new limit on compulsory branded items to parents with children in primary school is around £21 million per year, and for those with children in secondary school is around £52 million per year. We estimate that some families will save over £50 on the back-to-school shop.

Therefore, a legislative limit is the most effective way to make schools remove unnecessary and expensive branded items and bring down costs for parents.
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Rebecca Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to hold discussions with religious education organisations on developing a national standard for religious education as part of her Department's curriculum and assessment review. \p Catherine McKinnell: Religious education (RE) remains a statutory subject in all state-funded schools in England. While it is not part of the national curriculum, it continues to play an important role in preparing pupils for life in modern Britain.

The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, led by Professor Becky Francis, is considering how to ensure a rich, broad, inclusive and innovative curriculum. The Review is engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, including subject experts and education organisations. As part of the Review’s engagement, panel members have met representatives from a range of RE organisations.

The Review Group published its interim report on 18 March and the final report with recommendations will be published in autumn.
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Ayoub Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans her Department has to improve media literacy education in schools by (a) providing additional (i) resources and (ii) funding, (b) delivering teacher training and (c) improving curriculum support. \p Catherine McKinnell: I refer the hon. Member for Birmingham Perry Barr to the answer of 1 May 2025 to Question 47185.
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Zöe Franklin:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure that (a) schools and (b) educational systems provide inclusive (i) physical environments and (ii) social education for trans students. \p Catherine McKinnell: Schools make decisions relating to the management and operation of their buildings. This includes ensuring that they comply with the School Premises (England) Regulations 2012 or the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, for local authority maintained schools and academies respectively. The department’s published advice can be accessed at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/410294/Advice_on_standards_for_school_premises.pdf.

Other educational providers are also expected to fulfil their legal obligations, when drafting their policies concerning the provision of, and access to, single-sex facilities.

Regarding social education, relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) seeks to equip all pupils with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive and have happy and healthy personal and social lives. The statutory guidance is clear that RSHE should be taught sensitively and inclusively.

The department is currently reviewing the RSHE statutory guidance and the draft non-statutory guidance on gender questioning children. We are looking carefully at the consultation responses, discussing with stakeholders and considering the relevant evidence before setting out next steps.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of school transport available to parents of SEND children in Lincolnshire. \p Catherine McKinnell: I refer the hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings to the answer of 30 December 2024 to Question 20796.
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Lisa Smart:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy to include digital financial literacy in the national curriculum. \p Catherine McKinnell: I refer the hon. Member for Hazel Grove to the answer of 9 April 2025 to Question 43513.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing measures in connection with the Growth and Skills Levy to protect funding for (a) SMEs and (b) young people. \p Janet Daby: This government has committed to widening the apprenticeships offer into a growth and skills offer, which will offer greater flexibility to employers and learners and align with the industrial strategy.

As a first step, this will include shorter duration apprenticeships and new foundation apprenticeships for young people. These will help more people learn high-quality skills at work, give more young people a foot in the door at the start of their working lives, and support the pipeline of new talent that employers will need to drive economic growth.

Construction will be one of the key sectors that will benefit from foundation apprenticeships from August 2025, backed by an additional £40 million, and shorter duration apprenticeships will also be possible from August 2025.

The government recognises the importance of ensuring the growth and skills offer supports small and medium-sized employers (SMEs) to access apprenticeships. Development of the offer will be informed by the results of Skills England’s analysis and engagement, including on where flexibilities will be most helpful for employers, including SMEs.
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Pippa Heylings:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of removing Apprenticeship Levy funding for Level 7 apprenticeships on the number of people using the apprenticeship route to obtain higher-level qualifications; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of this change on young people. \p Janet Daby: I refer the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire to the answer of 9 April 2025 to Question 43275.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding has been made available for apprenticeships for local authority planning staff since 4 July 2024; and whether her Department has made changes to the eligibility for that funding since that date. \p Janet Daby: The department does not allocate apprenticeship funding to specific apprenticeship standards or industry sectors.

Employers, including local authorities, decide which apprenticeships they offer and when, and can then access funding for apprenticeships training and assessment costs.

The department has not made changes to how employers access funding for apprenticeships since July 2024.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-12)

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Vikki Slade:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Office for Students will be required to provide a third category for registration; and whether this will take into account the specialised environments of small specialist providers. \p Janet Daby: I refer the hon. Member for Mid Dorset and North Poole to the answer of 18 March 2025 to Question 36617.
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James Wild:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2025 to Question 23863 on Department for Education: Disclosure of Information, what recent progress her Department has made on the inquiry; and whether special advisers have been interviewed as part of the inquiry. \p Janet Daby: The investigation remains ongoing and the department is unable to comment further on the progress or specifics of an ongoing investigation.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-12)

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Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce regional differences in social care provision for disabled children. \p Janet Daby: On Thursday 20 March I announced the launch of the national Families First Partnership programme, backed by over £500 million in grant funding to support rollout. This includes the publication of the Families First Programme guide, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/families-first-partnership-programme.

The department’s goal for this programme is to improve access to support for families, including families with disabled children, right across the country. The aim is to rebalance the system of support away from crisis intervention and towards earlier help, delivering on the government’s mission to provide children with the best start in life, keep children safe and break down barriers to opportunity.

The department recognises there is geographical variation for a range of reasons. Through the rollout of this programme, local areas will co-design services with partners and families to better understand local need and services, to inform future delivery. We will work to support local authorities throughout the transformation period.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-12)

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Damian Hinds:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the policy paper entitled Generative artificial intelligence (AI) in education, updated 22 January 2025, what steps her Department is taking with the education sector to develop effective and safe use cases for the use of generative AI by school pupils. \p Stephen Morgan: In August 2024 the government announced the content store, which is a £3 million data library funded by the Department for Science and Technology. It will be used to provide large language artificial intelligence (AI) models with high-quality educational information, like curriculums and mark schemes. This means AI products will be even more effective at producing resources to help teachers.

The department also announced the AI Tools for Education Funding, £1 million of funding through Innovate UK’s contracts for innovation programme, to help build AI tools that will help with teacher workload across all the key stages.

In January 2025, to ensure the safety of children the department announced that leading global tech firms had jointly committed to making AI tools for education safer by design. Google, Microsoft, Adobe and Amazon Web Services are amongst the firms who have helped develop a set of expectations AI tools should meet to be considered safe for classroom use. The resulting Generative AI product safety expectations framework was announced on 22 January 2025.

To support a clear ask from teachers and leaders, the department is developing online resources and guidance materials to help teachers and leaders use AI safely in their setting. We expect the resources to be published in summer 2025. The online resources and guidance materials for teachers will outline the basic information that everyone working with young people should know about using AI safely and some potential applications or basic training in how to use generative AI tools.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-12)

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Damian Hinds:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the policy paper entitled Generative artificial intelligence (AI) in education, updated 22 January 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the use of generative AI by school pupils on those school pupils. \p Stephen Morgan: The department is working to develop the evidence base for the safe and effective use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in education, including interventions to ensure teachers are equipped and supported to promote safe and appropriate use of AI.

The department’s policy position on generative AI in education sets out advice on legal responsibilities related to data protection, keeping children safe in education and intellectual property law when considering the use of pupil-facing generative AI.

A new departmental group will advise on digital, AI and technology to increase the future pipeline of talent and prepare children and young people for an AI and tech-enabled world, as well as promoting the use of AI and education technology for better teaching and learning. Expert and evidence-informed recommendations will be produced.

The department is also developing online training resources and guidance materials for teachers and leaders, to be launched in the summer. The resources will help with the risks and opportunities of AI across settings as part of a wider digital strategy.

In January 2025, the department announced that leading global tech firms had jointly committed to making AI tools for education safer by design. Google, Microsoft, Adobe and Amazon Web Services are amongst the firms who have helped develop a set of expectations AI tools should meet to be considered safe for classroom use. The Generative AI product safety expectations framework was published in January 2025.
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Alex Ballinger:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of permitting people to undertake government-funded childcare to children they are related to, but are not the parents of. \p Stephen Morgan: It is the department’s ambition that all families have access to high-quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life and delivering on our Plan for Change.

Funding made available in the dedicated schools grant for the early education childcare entitlements for children aged from 9 months up to school age, cannot be claimed by, or spent on, any type of childcare providers who provide childcare for related children.

This restriction for local authorities funding relatives is set out in the Childcare Act 2006. Section 18(4)(c) the 2006 Act specifically excludes care provided for a child by a parent or other relative and section 18(8)(c) of the 2006 Act states that a relative, in relation to a child, means “a grandparent, aunt, uncle, brother or sister, whether of the full blood or half blood or by marriage or civil partnership”.

Successive governments have taken the view that people should not receive funding for looking after related children that they may already look after on an informal basis for free. This is on the basis that it would not be an effective use of public money. For this reason, the department has no plans to change this long-standing position at this time.
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Andrew Bowie:To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether (a) bacon, (b) ham, (c) other cured meats and (d) other processed meats procured by the House and served on the parliamentary estate contain added nitrites; and whether the House has policies on the procurement of meat products processed with nitrites. \p Nick Smith: The House has no policies on the procurement of meat products processed with nitrites.

Nitrites are present in the following meat products served on the estate: Bacon, Chorizo, Salami, Pancetta, Prosciutto, Salted Beef Brisket.
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Dame Harriett Baldwin:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the Migration Advisory Committee will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Double Contribution Convention with India on net migration levels. \p Seema Malhotra: A DCC is an international treaty between countries which ensures that workers and their employers are only liable to pay social security contributions in one country at a time on the same earnings. A DCC only covers social security contributions, whereas a wider Social Security Agreement (SSA) can include provisions on pensions, healthcare and other contributory benefits. International standards for SSAs are set by the International Labour Organisation.

We have social security agreements covering over 50 countries including EU countries, the US, Canada, South Korea and Japan, where this exemption is extended to 2-5 years. We've agreed to negotiate a similar agreement with India as part of this trade deal.

A detached worker is an employee who is sent by their employer to carry out a period of temporary working in another country. It is standard practice internationally for SSAs to provide for detached workers to continue paying social security contributions in their home country to minimise administration burdens on workers and their employers and to prevent fragmentation of an individual’s social security record.

Detached workers who will be subject to the DCC are able to use several temporary economic migration routes and will remain subject to the requirements of those routes, including those around salary thresholds.