theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Mike Wood:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the grades were of the staff that supported the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards with his review into the hon. Member for Hampstead and Highgate; and which divisions those staff work in. \p Georgia Gould: I refer the hon Member to the answer provided on 17 September 2024 (UIN 4672). The secretariat team supporting the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards, Sir Laurie Magnus, continues to be part of the Propriety & Ethics directorate and is led by a Senior Civil Servant.

As set out in his advice to the Prime Minister, published on 14 January 2025, Sir Laurie undertook an exercise to establish the facts in line with his terms of reference as the Prime Minister’s Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards.
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Mike Wood:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many domestic airmiles the Prime Minister has travelled on official business since 5 July 2024. \p Georgia Gould: The Government publishes details of the cost of overseas Ministerial travel on gov.uk, including costs of travel, and on other costs (visas, accommodation, meals). As has been the case under successive administrations, the Government does not publish granular detail on Ministers’ travel at home or abroad.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many (a) people and (b) organisations were sent a hard copy official Christmas card delivered by Royal Mail from (i) the Prime Minister, (ii) the Cabinet Secretary, (iii) the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, (iv) him, (v) the Permanent Secretary of his Department and (vi) the National Security Adviser in 2024. \p Georgia Gould: As was the case with previous Prime Ministers, Christmas cards are sent by the Prime Minister in an official capacity.

Christmas cards sent by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and the Minister for the Cabinet Office were sent in their capacity as Members of Parliament and did not make any use of Government resources.

Neither the Cabinet Secretary, National Security Adviser, nor the Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Office sent any Christmas Cards in an official capacity.
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Mike Wood:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's press release entitled New Permanent Under-Secretary Appointed at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, published on 8 January 2025, whether the new Permanent Under-Secretary has made a declaration of political activity; and if he will publish the Permanent Under-Secretary’s declared financial interests. \p Georgia Gould: As per the normal appointment process to the Senior Civil Service, the Permanent under-Secretary at FCDO was asked to complete a standard SCS declaration of interest form. As set out in the guidance on SCS declaration of interests (here), departments must ensure relevant interests of their Permanent Secretary and other SCS on their Board are declared in their Annual Reports and Accounts.
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Paul Davies:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to help ensure that frontline public sector workers are sufficiently resourced to support the (a) implementation of suicide prevention training and (b) effective provision of support to people at risk of suicide. \p Georgia Gould: I refer the Hon Member to the answer given by the Department of Health and Social Care on 16 January 2025, Official Report, PQ 24604
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Laura Trott:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will extend the Opening School Facilities Fund beyond March 2025. \p Catherine McKinnell: I refer the hon. Member for Sevenoaks to the answer of 14 January 2025 to Question 22724.
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Ian Lavery:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many exclusions there were in each school in Blyth and Ashington constituency in the academic year (a) 2022-23 and (b) 2023-24. \p Stephen Morgan: The department publishes figures from the school census on suspensions and permanent exclusions from state-funded schools in England. The most recent release, covering the 2023/24 autumn term, can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/suspensions-and-permanent-exclusions-in-england.

School level data is available in this release in the data catalogue section, in the file ‘Suspensions and permanent exclusions – full year school level’. This file includes the school URN number, local authority establishment (laestab) number, school name and local authority. Parliamentary constituency can be identified by using the Get Information About Schools website, available here: https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/.

This website gives many details of schools, including the school URN number, laestab number and Parliamentary constituency. Suspension and permanent exclusion data is not yet available for the 2023/24 academic year, this is expected to be published in July 2025.
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Mrs Sharon Hodgson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to expand free school meal eligibility as part of the work of the child poverty strategy. \p Stephen Morgan: 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 free school meals under review.
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Charlotte Cane:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the number of (a) suspensions and (b) exclusions of pupils with SEND. \p Stephen Morgan: Schools can use sanctions as a measure to improve behaviour and, in the most serious cases, exclusion may be necessary to protect other pupils and staff from disruption and restore a safe, calm learning environment. The government supports headteachers in taking these difficult decisions.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision (AP) receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department is committed to taking a community-wide approach, improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs. We want to reduce numbers of preventable exclusions, including by using the expertise of AP schools.

The statutory ‘Suspension and permanent exclusion’ guidance is clear that, in all cases, school leaders should consider early intervention strategies to address the underlying causes or contributing factors of a pupil’s disruptive behaviour before issuing an exclusion. This includes situations where a pupil has SEND. Schools should also consider using a multi-agency assessment for pupils who display persistent disruptive behaviour, which could include those with unidentified SEND. Schools should arrange such assessments when concerns arise, rather than waiting for a specific trigger.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will review school food standards to ensure they adequately address the nutritional content of meals provided in breakfast clubs. \p Stephen Morgan: This government is committed to delivering on our pledge to provide free breakfast clubs in every state-funded school with primary aged children. We have made fast progress with up to 750 schools starting to deliver from this April. Free, universal breakfast clubs will mean that every primary school child, no matter their circumstances, is well prepared to learn, including through the provision of a healthy, nutritious breakfast, giving children the energy they need to start the school day.

The school food standards, which regulate the food and drink provided at school, already apply to breakfasts. The standards restrict foods high in fat, salt and sugar, as well as low quality reformed or reconstituted foods, and ensures that pupils always have healthy options.

Alongside the existing ‘School food standards’ statutory guidance, earlier this month we published guidance for the early adopter schools, which provides additional helpful guidance on which foods should be served at breakfast clubs to ensure that the school food standards are met.

More broadly, the department’s aim is to deliver better life chances for all through a system which works for all. As part of this, as with all government programmes, we will keep our approach to the school food standards under continued review.
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Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to encourage reading in schools. \p Catherine McKinnell: ​​High and rising school standards, with excellent foundations in reading, writing and mathematics, are at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life.

​We know that reading for pleasure is hugely important and brings a range of benefits. There are a number of strong links with attainment. For example, the 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study report found a 34 point difference in reading performance between pupils in England who “very much” liked reading and pupils who “do not” like reading. Additionally, the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment study found that enjoyment of reading links to pupils’ reading engagement, and that reading engagement was strongly positively correlated with reading performance. There is also a strong evidence base linking reading for pleasure with other positive effects, such as expanding pupils’ knowledge about the world and about language, as well as their understanding of subject-specific academic and technical vocabulary.

​​Further, pupils who read regularly report heightened levels of social and emotional wellbeing. For many, reading is a form of relaxation, a place to escape everyday challenges, or a source of entertainment. Reading allows readers to adopt new perspectives, develop empathy and become more socially conscious.

​​In recognition of this, the department has implemented a range of measures to support reading for pleasure. The English Hubs programme supports the teaching of phonics, early language development and reading for pleasure with a further £23 million committed for the 2024/25 academic year to support this work. Further, the government’s reading framework provides guidance on improving the teaching of reading, to ensure that every child is not only able to read proficiently, but also develops a genuine love of reading.

​​The current national curriculum states that teachers are expected to encourage pupils to develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information.

​​The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, which will look closely at the key challenges to attainment for young people, in line with the government’s ambition for a curriculum that delivers excellent foundations in reading, writing and mathematics.
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Neil O'Brien:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2025 to Question 21364 on Further Education and Schools: Employers' Contributions, in which month her Department plans to pay the grant for the cost of national insurance. \p Catherine McKinnell: Payment dates will be confirmed in due course.
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Adam Jogee:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the number of (a) physics, (b) chemistry and (c) biology teachers in (i) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency and (ii) Staffordshire. \p Catherine McKinnell: As of the department’s latest census data covering the 2023/24 academic year, for the five out of seven secondary schools that returned curriculum data in Newcastle-under-Lyme, there are seven, five and eight teachers of physics, chemistry and biology respectively. For the 47 out of 71 secondary schools that returned curriculum data in the Staffordshire local area, there are 69, 92 and 107 teachers of physics, chemistry and biology respectively. For further key details regarding this data, please see the attached table.

25052_table (xlsx, 26.8KB)
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Olly Glover:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to include (a) schools and (b) educational agencies in local arrangements for safeguarding. \p Stephen Morgan: The involvement of education and childcare agencies is fundamental at all levels of safeguarding arrangements. The department knows that teachers and educators are often the first to spot warning signs of abuse and neglect and are the largest referrer of cases into children’s social care after the police.

That is why the department is introducing measures through the landmark Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to strengthen the role of education in multi-agency safeguarding arrangements. We will make it a legal obligation for safeguarding partners to automatically include all education and childcare agencies at both operational and strategic levels of their safeguarding arrangements.

These measures include all education settings, covering early years and childcare settings through to schools, colleges and alternative provision, so that opportunities to keep children safe are not missed.
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Luke Akehurst:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will extend funding for the holiday activities and food programme beyond 21 March 2025. \p Stephen Morgan: I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for North Durham to the answer of 17 January 2025 to Question 24633.
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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of primary school library provision in (a) schools in deprived areas and (b) schools in affluent areas. \p Catherine McKinnell: School libraries complement public libraries by giving pupils access to a range of books and other kinds of texts, both in and out of school. The national curriculum states that teachers are expected to encourage pupils to develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information. There are a number of strong links between reading for pleasure and attainment. For example, the 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study report found a 34 point difference in reading performance between pupils in England who “very much” liked reading and pupils who “do not” like reading. Additionally, the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment study found that enjoyment of reading links to pupils’ reading engagement, and that reading engagement was strongly positively correlated with reading performance. There is also a strong evidence base linking reading for pleasure to other positive effects, such as improved text comprehension and grammar, increased general knowledge and character development.

It is for individual schools to decide how best to provide and maintain a library service for their pupils, including whether to employ a qualified librarian. Headteachers have autonomy to decide how best to spend the core schools funding that is allocated to them by the department. The Autumn Budget 2024 announced an additional £2.3 billion for schools for the 2025/26 financial year, compared to 2024/25, bringing the total core schools budget to almost £63.9 billion in 2025/26.

Given this autonomy, the department does not collect information on the number of school libraries or school librarians. ​​There are currently no plans to make it a statutory requirement for primary schools to have a library, although we will continue to keep this matter under review.

​The government’s reading framework offers non-statutory guidance for teachers and school leaders, including helpful guidance for schools on how to organise their school library, book corner or book stock to make reading accessible and attractive to readers.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 17 January 2025 to Question 22771 on Schools: Admissions, what proportion of the associated revenue costs of pupils entering the state sector from the independent sector relates to Cambridgeshire. \p Stephen Morgan: The government does not have plans to produce an estimate of revenue costs of pupils entering the state sector from the private sector by local authority.

As set out previously, the department will monitor demand for school places and capacity using our normal processes and continue to work with local authorities to meet any pressures that may arise.

School funding levels are set annually using the national funding formula, and schools are funded on the basis of their pupil numbers in the previous October census.

The government expects to raise around £1.8 billion per annum from these policies by the 2029/30 financial year. Additionally, for the 2025/26 financial year, the government announced a £2.3 billion increase to the core schools budget at the Autumn Budget 2024, increasing per pupil funding in real terms.
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Wera Hobhouse:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to funding for Level 7 apprenticeships from the Growth and Skills Levy on the availability of Clinical Associates in Psychology in the NHS. \p Janet Daby: The government is committed to spreading opportunities and economic growth with the support of a strong skills system.

This government has made tough choices to fix the foundations of our economy in order to generate opportunities for young people that enable them to make a start in good, fulfilling careers. The department will therefore be asking more employers to step forward and fund Level 7 apprenticeships, outside of the levy-funded growth and skills offer.

The department will take advice from Skills England, who have been engaging with employers on this, and expects to make a final decision on affected apprenticeships soon.

Learners who have started these apprenticeships will be funded through to completion.
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Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) internal policy reviews, (b) independent reviews, (c) external reviews, (d) taskforces, (e) public consultations, (f) investigations and (g) other reviews their Department launched between 5 July 2024 and 5 January 2025; what the titles were of those reviews; and how many of those reviews have been (i) completed and (ii) published. \p Janet Daby: This government has outlined its ambitions through the Plan for Change, which sets out an ambitious set of milestones, across the Missions, for this Parliament. As the House would expect, the government continually reviews its work to ensure that it is delivering the best outcomes for the people of the United Kingdom, and that its policies continue to represent the best value for the taxpayer. Public reviews will be available on GOV.UK as they are published.
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Laura Trott:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many new teachers have been recruited since 5 July 2024. \p Catherine McKinnell: Information on the school workforce is published in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical publication, which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.

Figures for the 2024/25 academic year will be published in June 2025.
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James Wild:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Oral Statement of 4 November 2024 on Higher Education Reform, Official Report, column 46, what progress she has made on the leak inquiry; and if she will make a statement. \p Janet Daby: The investigation remains ongoing and all reasonable lines of inquiry will be pursued.
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Ben Goldsborough:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to (a) support children in foster care and (b) the work of foster carers (i) in South Norfolk constituency and (ii) nationally. \p Janet Daby: The government is committed to ensuring that every child in care grows up with the love, care and support they need to achieve and thrive. All foster carers receive the National Minimum Allowance (NMA) to cover the costs of looking after the children in their care. In the 2025/26 financial year, the NMA is being uplifted by 3.55%.

The government is supporting children in care by expanding the Mockingbird Family Model, which is an innovative evidence-based approach. Relationships are central to the design of the programme which involves six to ten satellite families grouped into a constellation around a hub home carer.

In South Norfolk, this is being delivered as part of the Foster East Recruitment Hub, which launched in 2024 and comprises 12 neighbouring local authorities, including Bedford, Central Bedfordshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Luton, Thurrock, Southend, Peterborough and Cambridgeshire.

Across England, ten fostering regional programmes are live, working with 64% of all local authorities to collaboratively recruit and retain foster carers who will provide loving homes, local to the children who need them. An additional £15 million was announced to support this programme in the budget and the department intends to move towards full national roll out in the next financial year. The department welcomes discussions with other local authorities about our national expansion plans.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her oral statement on 15 January 2025 on Higher Education Regulatory Approach, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of encouraging higher education institutions to adopt The Chicago Principles on freedom of speech and academic freedom. \p Janet Daby: As my right hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Security said in the House of Lords on 16 December, the Home Office plans to lay the regulations that underpin the scheme in early 2025, ahead of the scheme going live in the summer. The department is keeping implementation of the overseas transparency measures under review whilst we work with the sector to assess their approaches to managing these risks, and to ensure that any new reporting requirements are proportionate and add value to existing and upcoming protections. We expect a decision on the overseas measures to be made before the implementation of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has not conducted an assessment of the potential merits of encouraging higher education (HE) institutions to adopt The Chicago Principles. HE providers are independent institutions and adopting the principles would be a matter for them individually.

However, the implementation of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023, in the manner set out by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education in her oral statement on 15 January 2025, will seek to achieve many of the same underlying values, including commitment to free and open enquiry in all matters, ensuring the broadest possible latitude to speak, write, listen, challenge and learn, and a solemn responsibility to debate and protect freedom of expression when others attempt to restrict it.
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Alicia Kearns:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding her Department plans to provide for T-Level qualifications in each of the next three financial years. \p Janet Daby: This government is committed to driving economic growth and supporting opportunity for all. To help achieve these missions, we announced an additional £300 million of funding in the 2025/26 financial year for further education at the Autumn Budget 2024.

T Level study programmes are funded as part of the wider funding for 16 to 19 education. The department is preparing the operational detail of the 16 to 19 funding rates and formula and the allocations timeline for the 2025/26 academic year. We aim to publish more information as soon as we can and will provide a further update in due course.

Future budgets are subject to the outcomes of the multi-year spending review which will take place later this year.
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Bobby Dean:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of providing financial support to specialist education colleges to help mitigate the increase in employer National Insurance contributions. \p Janet Daby: The department is receiving compensation in recognition of the increase in National Insurance contributions (NICs) paid by institutions it funds, including colleges, schools and other state-funded special education needs and disabilities provision. Work is in progress to determine how that funding will be distributed, and more information will be provided as soon as is practicable. This NICs funding will be in addition to the £300 million and £1 billion funding increases announced at the Autumn Budget 2024 for further education and young people with high needs respectively, in 2025/26.
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Damian Hinds:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how Technical Excellence colleges will differ from the Institutes of Technologies programme. \p Janet Daby: Technical Excellence Colleges will support a focus on higher technical skills and link to local growth plans. These colleges will work with businesses, trade unions and local government to provide young people and adults with better job opportunities and the highly trained workforce that local economies need.

The department will be setting out further details on Technical Excellence Colleges in due course.
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Patrick Hurley:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take legislative steps to make it a statutory requirement for Local Authorities to provide wraparound childcare provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities. \p Stephen Morgan: This government is determined to break down barriers to opportunity for all children and young people, ensuring they have access to the brilliant education and care they need to achieve and thrive. This includes ensuring that wraparound care is available and accessible. The government is improving access to before and after school care through the National Wraparound Childcare Programme.

The programme is being delivered through local authorities, given their existing sufficiency duty. The Childcare Act 2006 places a legal duty on local authorities to make sure that there are enough childcare places within its locality for working parents or parents who are studying or training for employment, for children aged 0 to 14, or up to 18 for disabled children. All local authorities should be able to demonstrate how they have discharged this duty and should include specific reference to how they are ensuring there is sufficient childcare to meet the needs of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), as per the statutory guidance. This should be available from the local authority.

The department has also taken decisive action by announcing in the King’s Speech that, under the Children’s Wellbeing Bill, every state-funded school in England with primary aged pupils will offer a breakfast club. Departmental officials are working closely with schools and sector experts to develop a breakfast club programme that meets the needs of all children, including those with SEND.

On 23 September 2024, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced that up to 750 state-funded schools with primary aged pupils will begin delivering free breakfast clubs from April 2025. The funding will allow these schools to run free breakfast clubs for their pupils starting in the summer term as part of a ‘test and learn’ phase to inform delivery of a national rollout, this will include testing approaches to supporting children with SEND.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with SEND or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs, restoring parents’ trust that their child will get the support they need.
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Munira Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2025 to Question 21873 on Teachers: Pay, when she plans to publish the allocation of the £300 million revenue funding for Further Education in the 2025/26 financial year. \p Janet Daby: The Autumn Budget 2024 provided an additional £300 million revenue funding for further education (FE) for the 2025/26 financial year to ensure young people are developing the skills this country needs.

On 15 January the department notified education institutions via the Education and Skills Funding Agency update that approximately £50 million of this funding will be made available to general FE colleges and sixth form colleges for the period April to July 2025. This one-off grant will enable colleges to respond to current priorities and challenges, including workforce recruitment and retention. Schools and academies will also continue to get grant funding for their 16 to 19 provision over this period.

The remaining funding will be made available in 16 to 19 funding rates for the 2025/26 academic year, with the aim of ensuring that all 16 to 19 providers are funded on an equitable basis from 2025 to 2026. We are preparing the operational detail of the 16 to 19 funding rates and formula and the allocations timeline for the 2025/26 academic year. We aim to publish more information as soon as we can and will provide a further update in due course.

The full update can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esfa-update-15-january-2025.
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Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will bring forward proposals to finalise the care placements for children in care to align with applications to post-16 education. \p Janet Daby: The department recognises the critical importance of continuity and stability throughout a looked after child’s life. Under the ‘Care planning, placement and case review’ guidance and regulations, the child’s allocated social worker should do everything possible to minimise disruption to their education. School changes should be minimised, and any necessary transitions well planned and supported.

All looked after children must have a Personal Education Plan (PEP), which is an ongoing record of their education and training which should describe what needs to happen to enable them to reach their full potential. The PEP should set out arrangements in place to minimise disruption to the child’s education and training where a change in their educational arrangements is unavoidable.

Local authorities have a number of duties to accommodate eligible care leavers and to support them to pursue education or training. This includes contributing to expenses incurred by the young person in living near the place where they will receive that education or training.

Further education (FE) and higher education (HE) play important roles in giving care leavers the skills they need to succeed in life. To ensure care experienced students are supported to gain the qualifications needed to access these destinations, we have rolled out post-16 funding which can be used for raising attainment through interventions such as additional tutoring or mentoring. The department is also making the virtual school head role for children with a social worker statutory, enabling earlier intervention to address the educational barriers these children can face.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-28 conversation_83

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support the uptake of apprenticeships and technical education. \p Janet Daby: The department wants apprenticeships and technical education to be part of career conversations in every school so that young people can access the opportunities they deserve.

We have set clear requirements through strengthened legislation and statutory guidance, backed by over £30 million of investment in 2024/25 to support schools and colleges to improve careers provision for young people.

Since January 2023, schools have been required to offer at least six opportunities for pupils to meet providers of technical education or apprenticeships, during years 8 to 13.

We promote apprenticeships in schools and colleges through our Apprenticeships Support and Knowledge Programme (ASK). During the 2023/24 academic year, ASK engaged with 2,366 schools and colleges. The ASK sessions, spanning awareness assemblies, mock assessment centres and interview workshops, reached over 575,000 students, as well as almost 37,000 parents and carers.

Young people aged 13 to 18 can discover their career options via the National Careers Service website, which can be accessed at https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/ and includes around 800 job profiles. Young people can access information and advice via webchat and a telephone helpline which is supported by local community-based career advisers. This is supported by the Skills for Life campaign, ‘It all starts with skills’, which promotes a range of priority skills programmes to young people, including apprenticeships, T Levels and Higher Technical Qualifications. We have collaborated with UCAS so that pupils can now explore apprenticeship vacancies alongside university courses on the service. We are confident this is responding to demand, with the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) reporting that nearly three in five young people in years 9-12 are considering apprenticeships.

These interventions are part of a national careers system that is driving improvements in careers advice and work experience for young people. 93% of secondary schools and colleges are in a Careers Hub, linking with networks of employers and apprenticeship providers.

Through Careers Hubs, we are using data and front-line insight to support conversations about what is preventing the take-up of technical and vocational pathways at the local level, enabling solutions to be devised by local partners.

Ofsted’s review of careers, published in 2023, found that most providers are making good progress towards improving students’ access to options such as apprenticeships and technical qualifications. In addition, the latest data from a survey of the career readiness of 230,000 students shows that they are more than twice as likely to understand apprenticeships by the time they take their GCSEs, compared to students in year 7. Awareness of year 11 students is 80% and almost on a par with A Levels at 84%.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-28 conversation_84

Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2024 to Question 20338 on Nuclear Power Stations: Migrant Workers, what his Department's definition is of critical systems for nuclear power plants. \p Michael Shanks: DESNZ defines critical systems as any function (an aggregation of operational technology, information and specific areas within a civil nuclear installation) that is critical to preventing the theft or sabotage of nuclear material.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-28 conversation_85

Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential threat of hostile interference with offshore energy infrastructure since July 2024. \p Michael Shanks: The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero is working both across Whitehall and with energy owners, operators and regulators to ensure that offshore energy infrastructure is protected against hazards and malicious threats. This includes working with the Joint Maritime Security Centre (JMSC) since the Nord Stream incidents of 2022. The JMSC provide Government with real-time monitoring capabilities around offshore infrastructure in UK waters. By increasing our maritime domain awareness, we have a more comprehensive understanding of threats to this type of infrastructure and can take the necessary measures to enhance its security.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-28 conversation_86

Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the safety of interconnectors from (a) disruption and (b) sabotage. \p Michael Shanks: The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero works closely with owners and operators of energy interconnectors to ensure their infrastructure is proportionately protected against a range of threats, including accidental damage or intentional sabotage. This includes working with industry to enhance the design of newbuild infrastructure and maintain the resilience of old infrastructure. We are also working to enhance the UK’s monitoring and detection capabilities, including by working with the Joint Maritime Security Centre to monitor activity around interconnectors, and strengthening information-sharing with our international partners.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-28 conversation_87

Kanishka Narayan:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will release £2.3 billion in reserves from the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme to former scheme members; and what his planned timeline is for reducing the financial disparity between that scheme and the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme. \p Michael Shanks: The Government is receptive to representations regarding the BCSSS. I recently met with the Trustees of the Scheme to discuss their proposals, and will be discussing the matter with the Treasury in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-28 conversation_88

Claire Coutinho:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of UK Emissions Trading Scheme 's allowance allocation policy on (a) carbon leakage and (b) the offshoring of emissions. \p Michael Shanks: The provision of Free Allocation under the UK ETS mitigates the risk of carbon leakage and associated offshoring of emissions by reducing industrial sectors’ exposure to the carbon price. The UK ETS Authority is reviewing Free Allocation policy to ensure it targets sectors most at risk of carbon leakage and is currently consulting on this topic, including alignment with the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.

The Authority will assess how Free Allocation interacts with other policies to ensure a holistic approach to carbon leakage mitigation. An Impact Assessment will be published alongside the Government Response to the Free Allocation Review
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-28 conversation_89

Claire Coutinho:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January to Question 24699 on Electricity: Artificial Intelligence, if he will publish the terms of reference for European Economic Research Limited's analysis of the future net energy demand of artificial intelligence. \p Michael Shanks: This project was awarded through an open tender process, which concluded in November. As part of this process, the terms of reference for the project were publicly disclosed. Once the tender closed and had been awarded to the European Economic Research Limited, we published a Contract Award Notice, (CAN) on the government Contracts Finder website.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-28 conversation_90

Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure that UK renewable energy infrastructure is not widely owned by companies owned by foreign governments. \p Michael Shanks: As an open economy, we welcome foreign trade and investment where it supports growth and jobs in the UK and meets our legal and regulatory requirements. We work closely with industry to build secure supply chains and back UK businesses. The government has also established Great British Energy to drive forward greater investment in clean, home-grown energy production and to build supply chains across the UK. Great British Energy will work with DESNZ, The Crown Estate and the National Wealth Fund to support domestic clean energy supply chains.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-28 conversation_91

Claire Coutinho:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2025 to Question 24699 on Electricity: Artificial Intelligence, what the value is of the contract awarded to European Economic Research Limited to analyse the future net energy demand of artificial intelligence. \p Michael Shanks: This information will be made publicly available the usual way through the Department's annual report and accounts.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-28 conversation_92

Claire Coutinho:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2025 to Question 24699 on Electricity: Artificial Intelligence, if he will publish the report by European Economic Research Limited on the future net energy demand of artificial intelligence when it has been received by his Department. \p Michael Shanks: It is DESNZ policy to publish contracted technical work once it has been independently internally peer reviewed. We intend to similarly publish the report by European Economic Research Limited once it is completed in April.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-28 conversation_93

Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much grade (a) one and (b) two farm land has been replaced by ground mounted solar in England in the last five years. \p Michael Shanks: Data on the land occupied by solar projects is contained in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (REPD). The Government does not currently categorise the data based on land type. However, work is underway to expand the REPD to include this feature.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-28 conversation_94

Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make it her policy to introduce Government-backed loans for (a) domestic, (b) community and (c) commercial rooftop solar panels. \p Michael Shanks: As part of the Warm Homes Plan, the Government is considering the role that finance may play in supporting homeowners with the upfront costs of energy efficiency improvements, solar panels, and installing low carbon heating.

Permitted development rights afford flexibilities and planning freedoms to new solar installations, whether residential, community or commercial. The Government also provides fiscal incentives to encourage businesses to install rooftop solar, through tax relief and business rate exemptions.