theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-16)

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Sir Gavin Williamson:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her Department has made of the number of businesses that will no longer be eligible for Small Business Rate Relief as a result of inflationary and revaluation-driven increases in rateable values at the 2026 revaluation. \p James Murray: Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) is available to businesses with a single property with a rateable value (RV) below the threshold of £15,000. If a business expands to a second property, it retains SBRR on the first property for 12 months. Following that, the business is not eligible for SBRR unless additional properties have an RV below £2,899 and their total property portfolio has an RV below £20,000 (£28,000 in London).

Currently, over a third of properties (more than 700,000) pay no business rates as they receive 100 per cent SBRR, with an additional c.60,000 benefiting from reduced bills as this relief tapers.

Every three years, all commercial properties are revalued by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA). The 2026 revaluation, which will take effect from April 2026, will update RVs and may, therefore, affect businesses’ eligibility for SBRR. The revaluation process is ongoing and the VOA are required to publish a draft of all properties’ new RVs this year.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-16)

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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has provided additional funding to government departments to compensate public bodies for the increase in employer National Insurance contributions for each year of the Spending Review 2025. \p James Murray: At Autumn Budget 2024 the Government set aside funding to support the public sector with the additional cost of employer National Insurance Contributions. The Government then updated Parliament on allocations by department for 2025-26 (published alongside Main Estimates 2025-26).

Spending Review 2025 departmental settlements fully reflect these changes for 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29, with the Barnett formula applying in the usual way.
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Steve Darling:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment the Government has made of the merits of introducing National Insurance Contributions exemptions for employers who hire individuals transitioning off working benefits. \p James Murray: The Government is committed to providing people who are out of work with the personalised support they need to find work, aiding the long-term ambition of an 80% employment rate. At the Spending Review, the Government increased funding for employment support to over £3.5 billion by 2028-29, helping people to access the skills they need to progress, tackling unemployment and inactivity and ensuring more people are in better jobs.

There are a wide range of factors to take into consideration when introducing a tax relief. These include how effective the relief would be at achieving the policy intent, how targeted support would be, whether it adds complexity to the tax system, and the cost.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-16)

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Nick Timothy:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to allocate revenues from carbon pricing to help increase levels of (a) industrial resilience and (b) innovation in high energy-consuming sectors. \p James Murray: The Government is committed to maintaining an ambitious carbon pricing scheme to ensure that polluters continue to pay for their emissions. The UK’s lead carbon pricing policy is the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).

The ETS raised c.£3.5 billion in the 2024-25 financial year, and the funds raised by the scheme are invested in the Government’s spending priorities, including public services and decarbonisation efforts. The Government is also providing support for industrial energy bills as set out in the Industrial Strategy.
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Sarah Edwards:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what provisions his Department has put in place to help ensure the professional competency of firms that install insulation with support from the Great British Insulation Scheme. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: We recognise the importance of facilitating a competent and robust supply chain. All installations under government energy efficiency schemes, including the Great British Insulation Scheme, must be carried out by a TrustMark registered business. This includes a requirement to meet independent industry standards and to provide a warranty to the householder, in case something goes wrong.

The government recognises the need to reform a fragmented system and will introduce plans to drive-up quality and protect consumers through the Warm Homes Plan.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an estimate of the change in average household energy bills in (a) England and (b) Fylde since July 2024. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: Ofgem publishes historical price cap amounts, including broken down by region: Energy price cap (default tariff) levels | Ofgem. The data is not available at constituency level.

The main reason for the increases to the price cap since 2022 is an increase in wholesale energy costs which are influenced by international fossil fuel markets which we cannot control. This is why our Clean Power 2030 Mission is so vital. The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers permanently. The creation of Great British Energy will help us to harness clean energy and have less reliance on volatile international energy markets and help in our commitment to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030.

We recognise that we need to support households struggling with bills whilst we transition to clean power by 2030. On 19 June we announced that we are expanding the Warm Home Discount to around an additional 2.7 million households. This means that from next winter, around 6 million low-income households will receive the £150 support to help with their energy bill costs.
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Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will publish a risk register outlining potential system stability risks under Clean Power 2030 decarbonisation scenarios. \p Michael Shanks: There are no current plans to publish a risk register. Great Britain has a highly resilient energy network. The National Energy System Operator has all the tools it needs to operate the electricity system reliably and can call on a range of technologies to balance electricity supply and demand, including gas-fired generation and flexible technologies such as batteries and demand side response.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-16)

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Sarah Edwards:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, who is liable for the cost of repairing damage incurred from installing insulation under the Great British Insulation Scheme. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: All installations under government energy efficiency schemes, including the Great British Insulation Scheme, must be carried out by a TrustMark registered business. TrustMark registered installers are required to provide consumers with guarantees from a TrustMark approved guarantee provider. TrustMark have a 3-step dispute resolution process for when things go wrong which includes liaising with the original installer to carry out any required repairs in the first instance. Further information on the steps consumers can take and financial protection for installations can be found on TrustMark’s website here: https://www.trustmark.org.uk/
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Gregor Poynton:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of consumer flexibility on reducing energy costs; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure that clean energy produced in Scotland directly impacts households in Scotland. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: Consumer led flexibility reduces electricity system costs for all by minimising the amount of peaking generation and associated network infrastructure that needs to be built in the long term. Modelling shows that deploying short duration flexibility such as consumer led flexibility, battery storage and interconnectors, could reduce electricity system costs by up to £70bn by 2050.

Our reforms through the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements to the current national pricing model deliver better incentives for industrial investment in Scotland in the coming years by encouraging market stability and investment. This will support the timely delivery of new generation in the right places – which is designed to lower consumer bills in GB, including Scotland.

Scotland is at the forefront of the drive towards clean energy, with Great British Energy headquartered in Aberdeen and Cromarty Firth recently being awarded £56 million to become the UK’s first floating offshore wind port capable of making turbines at scale.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much Ofgem has spent on equipment to enable staff to work from home in each of the last three years. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: Ofgem is a non-ministerial government department. It has its own policies regarding the procurement and provision of equipment.

The total spent on ‘working from home’ equipment reflects an increased headcount to deliver additional remit for key government priorities, and steps to reduce its London office footprint to save money. In each of the last three financial years Ofgem spend is:

Year

Total £

2022-2023

65,698.08

2023-2024

122,779.65

2024-2025

208,008.53

Totals

396,486.26
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Dan Norris:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the extension of the Warm Home Discount scheme on people living in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: The Warm Home Discount statistics for 2024-25 were published on 26th June 2025. These statistics cover receipt of the WHD for winter 2024/25. Estimates of future eligibility are not available at county or constituency level. Across Great Britain, we will be extending the WHD to an estimated additional 2.7 million households and bringing the overall number of households supported to around 6 million.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 30 May 2025 to Question 53535 on Arms Length Bodies, if he will list those delivery options. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: The options referred to in that response, including delivery options for decarbonisation, are being finalised. Further information will be announced in due course.
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Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of requiring private rental properties to have a C grade on their Energy Performance Certificate by 2030 on (a) landlords and (b) renters. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: Government recently consulted on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector. The consultation included proposals for rented homes to achieve Energy Performance Certificate C or equivalent by 2030, and was accompanied by the Department’s initial consultation-stage impact assessment.

The consultation has now closed, and we are currently analysing responses and reviewing evidence on the potential impact of these proposals. Following this, a government response and further impact assessment will be published.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to (a) support and (b) develop tidal power technology within the British Channel Islands. \p Michael Shanks: According to a study led by the University of Plymouth, the UK and the British Channel Islands has one of the world’s best tidal resources, estimated to be a potential capacity of around 11.5GW.

The Channel Islands, as Crown Dependencies, are self-governing jurisdictions that are not part of the UK, and so the UK Government is not responsible for energy policy there. DESNZ engages with the CDs on energy matters, including renewable energy policy, under the British-Irish Council Energy Work sector.
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Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of changes to Contracts for Difference liabilities if wholesale electricity prices remain elevated on levels of fiscal risk. \p Michael Shanks: Scaling up homegrown renewables reduces the UK’s exposure to volatile global fossil fuel prices, which protects consumer energy bills against future price shocks. The CfD two-way payment mechanism protects consumers when electricity prices are high, as if the reference price is above the strike price, the generator must pay back the difference.

During the energy bill crisis over Winter 22/23, when wholesale electricity prices were higher, the CfD scheme reduced the amount needed to deliver our energy bill support schemes by around £18 per typical household. [1]

[1] This estimate is based on DESNZ analysis of the 2022/23 Ofgem price cap and wholesale cost allowance methodology for Q4 2022 and Q1 2023.
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Josh MacAlister:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when his Department plans to publish its conclusions on the recommended (a) scales and (b) durations of Community Benefit Fund payments for (i) solar farms and (ii) associated Battery Energy Storage System developments. \p Michael Shanks: On 21 May, the government published a working paper on community benefits and shared ownership of low carbon energy infrastructure. The working paper intends to gather insight on proposals for mandatory community benefit scheme in Great Britain, including the types of energy infrastructure that could be captured, an appropriate level of benefit, and how best this could be calculated. The responses to the working paper will inform next steps on approach and policy design, and the government expects to publish a full response in due course.
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Gregor Poynton:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the report by the Association for Decentralised Energy entitled Consumer-Led Clean Power: How to Unlock Consumer-Led Flexibility for Clean Power 2030, published on 17 June 2025. \p Michael Shanks: This Government supports significant growth in consumer-led flexibility, as set out in the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan. We are grateful to the Association for Decentralised Energy for its work in this area. In our Action Plan, Government committed to publishing a Flexibility Roadmap in 2025. The Roadmap will set out further detail on how the benefits of clean flexibility will be unlocked for the consumer, following the assessment of relevant evidence.
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Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how he plans to improve the integration of (a) demand-side response and (b) distributed energy resources to help reduce risks of blackouts in the next five years. \p Michael Shanks: Great Britain has a highly resilient energy network. The National Energy System Operator has all the tools it needs to operate the electricity system reliably and can call on a range of technologies to balance electricity supply and demand, including gas-fired generation and flexible technologies such as batteries and demand side response.

The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan sets out measures to increase consumer led flexibility (also known as demand-side response). Further details will be set out in the Clean Flexibility Roadmap that Government committed in the Action Plan to publish this year.
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Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of using community benefit funds from renewable energy projects to provide fuel vouchers to low-income households on levels of energy affordability. \p Michael Shanks: On 21 May, the government published a working paper on community benefits and shared ownership of low carbon energy infrastructure. The government recognises that community benefit funding from renewable energy infrastructure creates opportunities for long term investment into host communities, and the government believes that funding packages will have the most impact if they can be tailored to the community’s preferences and priorities. The working paper intends to gather insight on how prescriptive the government should be on how funds can be used, and any other factors that should be considered in order to maximise their impact.
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Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the combined potential impact of multiple gas-fired plant retirements on (a) grid stability and (b) inertia levels. \p Michael Shanks: Great Britain has a highly stable and resilient energy system with diverse supplies.

The National Energy System Operator (NESO) continuously monitors the electricity system and ensures sufficient inertia and negative and positive reserves to manage large generation or demand losses, including through retirements of gas plant. In the transition to clean power, we are deploying the technologies needed to ensure the energy system remains resilient. In Great Britain, for example, NESO procure alternative technologies such as synchronous condensers and flywheels and use sub-second response services to manage frequency changes and maintain system stability.
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Imran Hussain:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans his Department has to for hydrogen-related funding in (a) Bradford East constituency and (b) West Yorkshire, in the context of his Department's Net Zero Strategy. \p Sarah Jones: The UK Government is committed to supporting the growth of the hydrogen economy through its Hydrogen Allocation Rounds (HARs). In the first hydrogen allocation round (HAR1), announced in December 2023, 11 projects were selected to receive over £2 billion in revenue support for green hydrogen production. Additionally, £90 million in capital grant funding was awarded, with the potential to create up to 760 new jobs.

This includes Bradford Low Carbon Hydrogen, located in Bradford city centre, which will produce hydrogen for diggers and buses. Published subsidy award details for this project include a Direct Grant of £13 million and £396 million under the Hydrogen Production Business Model. The exact amount of funding will depend on the hydrogen produced at the site over a 15 year period.
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Anneliese Dodds:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the reasons for the reduction in the number of children put on the child protection register for reasons including sexual abuse from (a) 2022-23 to (b) 2023-24 in England and Wales. \p Janet Daby: Baroness Casey’s national audit on group-based child sexual exploitation recommended the department interrogate the child protection data to identify the causes of the decline in child sexual abuse and exploitation representation.

The government has committed to urgently reviewing the child protection data. We must better understand the decline in child sexual abuse and exploitation representation in the assessment data and the reasons for variation across local authorities.

By the end of 2025, we will publish analysis that aims to better understand what has happened regarding the decline in child protection data on child sexual abuse and exploitation.

This will include analysis of child abuse victims’ demographics, outcomes, trends and local area variation over time. We will also work with the Child Sexual Abuse Centre to understand the specific issues outlined in this recommendation and will publish any related research once concluded.

Child sexual abuse is an abhorrent crime that no child should ever have to face, and it is of paramount importance that we do more to protect vulnerable children from the horrors of this crime.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure children have access to drama education in schools. \p Catherine McKinnell: Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

Drama is included in the current English national curriculum, compulsory up to age 16 (key stages 1 to 4). At key stage 4, all pupils in maintained schools have an entitlement to study an arts subject, including drama, if they wish.

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, including drama. The final report and government response will be published this autumn.

To help meet our ambitions for improved and more equitable arts education, we will be launching a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education, which will promote arts opportunities to children and young people, support excellent teacher training in the arts, and boost partnerships between schools and arts organisations.
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John Glen:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 18 June 2025 to Question 58204 on Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of top-up funding for therapeutic support over the Fair Access Limit from (a) local authorities and (b) adoption agencies in this financial year. \p Janet Daby: The department does not collect information from local authorities and regional adoption agencies on whether, and if so, to what extent, they are adding financial top-ups to the therapeutic support available through the fair access limit.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to provide training opportunities for people to upskill in the use of artificial intelligence. \p Janet Daby: ​Through our Industrial Strategy, published in June 2025, this government will ensure the skills system and employment support align with strategic economic priorities, including the needs of priority sectors and transformative opportunities like artificial intelligence (AI).

The government’s commitment to realising the benefits of AI was also illustrated in January, when we agreed to take forward all 50 recommendations from Matt Clifford’s AI Opportunities Action Plan.

New short courses in areas such as digital, AI, and engineering will be introduced in England, funded through the Growth and Skills Levy, to support Industrial Strategy sectors like Creative Industries and Advanced Manufacturing from April 2026.

From January 2027, the department will launch the Lifelong Learning Entitlement, enabling individuals to learn, upskill and retrain across their working lives. The first modular courses for approval will support progression into Industrial Strategy priority sectors.

The government recently announced a joint commitment with leading technology companies to provide 7.5 million workers with essential AI skills by 2030, around 20% of the UK workforce. Companies such as Google, Microsoft and Accenture have committed to making high quality training materials widely available to workers in businesses, large and small, across the country free of charge over the next five years.
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Josh Babarinde:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many employers in Eastbourne accessed apprenticeship levy funds in the last financial year. \p Janet Daby: 120 employers in Eastbourne accessed funding for apprenticeships in the 2024/25 financial year to support new apprenticeship starts or those continuing their apprenticeships from previous years. This figure includes levy-paying employers as well as non-levy paying employers, who are likely to be small and medium-sized employers.
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David Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) free breakfast clubs and (b) the free school meal expansion on poverty in North Northumberland constituency. \p Stephen Morgan: ​​This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and tackling child poverty, which is why the department is taking action to expand access to free breakfasts and lunches in schools.

Free breakfast club places are already being offered in six early adopter schools in North Northumberland.

Furthermore, Department for Work and Pensions data shows that 3,690 children in North Northumberland will be eligible to receive free school meals when provision is extended to all household in receipt of Universal Credit from September 2026. Overall, this measure will lift 100,000 children out of poverty.

​
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether a Best Start Family Hub will be located within the (a) Huntingdon constituency and (b) Huntingdonshire District Council local authority area. \p Janet Daby: Ensuring every child has the best start in life and the chance to achieve and thrive is the foundation of the government’s Opportunity Mission.

We will spend close to £1.5 billion over the next three years on improving family services and early years education. We will fund Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority to ensure that children and families who need support the most, especially those from low-income backgrounds or with additional vulnerabilities, can access it. These hubs will be open to all families but will be located in disadvantaged communities where support is most needed, ensuring services are both inclusive and targeted.
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Mr Will Forster:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support Surrey County Council to deliver more housing for care leavers to improve Education, Employment and Training opportunities. \p Janet Daby: The government is committed to improving support for care leavers. Through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, we are placing a new duty on local authorities to provide ‘Staying Close’ support to care leavers up to age 25 where their welfare requires it and requiring local authorities to publish their arrangements for supporting care leavers’ transition to adulthood. The Bill will also ensure care leavers cannot be found intentionally homeless and will introduce corporate parenting responsibilities for government departments and relevant public bodies so that they better take the needs of care leavers into account. We also fund local authorities to help care leavers stay with their foster families up to age 21, known as ‘Staying Put’.

Support is available for eligible care leavers to access bursaries to engage in education, employment and training, including £2,000 for university and £3,000 for apprenticeships.

Wider housing reforms will also benefit care leavers. On 2 July, we announced a ten-year plan to deliver the largest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation, alongside lasting improvements in safety and quality. Additionally, from 10 July, eligible care leavers under 25 will no longer need to meet a local connection or residency test to access social housing.
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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department holds data on the number of children leaving private schools since July 2024. \p Stephen Morgan: The department does not hold pupil-level data on private school pupils and so does not have information on how many pupils have left private schools.
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Grahame Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what is the eligibility criteria for local authorities to qualify to be a pilot area for a financial allowance for kinship carers. \p Janet Daby: All local authorities are eligible to apply for the Kinship Allowance Pilot, except for those which have received a section 114 notice and/or already offer a regular financial allowance that matches the National Minimum Allowance (NMA) to kinship carers with legal orders.

Local authorities remain eligible to apply if they pay a financial allowance that matches the NMA, but one of the following applies:

Local authorities will be ineligible to apply for the kinship allowance pilot if all the following conditions are met:

Further information can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-to-become-a-kinship-allowance-pilot-provider.
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Josh Babarinde:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help reduce the number of young people not in employment, education or training in Eastbourne constituency. \p Janet Daby: The government is determined to break down barriers to opportunity for all our young people and transform their life chances, including those in Eastbourne.

Young people are entitled to participate in education and training up to age 18. Local authorities have statutory duties to support young people into education and training, including identifying and helping those who are currently not in education, employment or training (NEET). The department has published guidance to help local authorities identify young people at an increased risk of becoming NEET, based on characteristics such as a learning difficulty or disability, or poor school attendance, so they can be given extra support.

The government will establish a Youth Guarantee of support to access training, an apprenticeship or help to find work for all 18 to 21-year-olds to prevent them becoming excluded from the world of work at a young age. £45 million has been allocated to eight Mayoral Strategic Authority Trailblazers to develop the Youth Guarantee. The department will work with local areas on future expansion.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Next generation of builders and carers set to rebuild Britain, published on 27 May 2025, whether Technical Excellence Colleges will be able to provide Level 7 apprenticeships. \p Janet Daby: The department is introducing technical excellence colleges (TECs) to specialise in training the skilled workforces which industry needs in priority sectors. This starts with the launch of 10 construction TECs from September 2025. TECs will provide the critical skills employers need across all qualification levels, including via apprenticeships. TECs will be able to deliver apprenticeships training at all levels where they are listed as an apprenticeships training provider on the department’s apprenticeship provider and assessment register.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-16)

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Dame Harriett Baldwin:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal on her Department. \p Janet Daby: In May, the UK concluded a landmark economic deal with the US. This deal protects jobs in the automotive, steel, aluminium, pharmaceutical and aerospace sectors - sectors that employ over 320,000 people across the UK. In addition, an estimated 260,000 jobs are supported by the auto industry in the wider economy.

The government remains focused on making sure British businesses can feel the benefits of the deal as soon as possible. The government is continuing discussions on the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal which will look at increasing digital trade, enhancing access for our world-leading services industries and improving supply chains.

The department will continue to support the ongoing negotiations with the US, led by the Department for Business and Trade.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-16 conversation_92

Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children resident in Ashfield constituency attend (a) private and (b) independent schools. \p Stephen Morgan: The department publishes data on the number of pupils that attend an independent school on school census day. This data is published in the annual 'Schools, pupils and their characteristics' accredited official statistics. Constituency level data can be found in the underlying school level data files, which can be accessed at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics/2024-25.
wrans/answers2025-07-16 conversation_93
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-16 conversation_93

Dr Simon Opher:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support (a) dyscalculic learners and(b) learners with maths learning difficulties. \p Catherine McKinnell: This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including dyscalculia, receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

The department funds the Maths Hubs programme, a school-led network aimed at improving the teaching of mathematics for all pupils in publicly funded schools. The programme covers primary, secondary and special schools and uses a mastery-based teaching approach, which aims to secure understanding of key concepts. This includes training for teachers on techniques such as avoiding cognitive overload by breaking the learning down into small manageable steps, using representations to expose mathematical structure, and ensuring that learning is sequenced in a coherent manner so it makes sense to pupils.

Professionals can access online training to develop their understanding how the curriculum support learners. This includes approaches to support learners who face barriers to understanding of maths, such as those with SEND or dyscalculia.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-16 conversation_94

Sonia Kumar:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support her Department is providing to schools that are experiencing an increase in pupils with an EHCP. \p Catherine McKinnell: This government wants all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to achieve and thrive. We will set out our plans for SEND and alternative provision (AP) reform in a Schools White Paper this autumn.

We are increasing high needs funding by £1 billion in 2025/26, raising the total to over £12 billion to help local authorities and schools with rising costs for pupils with complex SEND.

The department has published £740 million in high-needs capital allocations for 2025/26 to expand SEND and AP places. This funding can be used to improve classroom accessibility, establish specialist facilities within mainstream schools, and create special school places for pupils with complex needs.

We are committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in schools, drawing on learning from programmes such as Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS).
wrans/answers2025-07-16 conversation_95
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-16 conversation_95

Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much her Department spent on equipment for civil servants to work from home in each of the last three years. \p Janet Daby: The department does not hold a complete central record of all spending on equipment to support home working. Information is only centrally recorded where the individual costs exceed £500.

The department spent the following over the last three years on equipment which exceeded £500:

Financial year

Total spend on equipment exceeding £500

2022/23

£28,103.73

2023/24

£53,675.59

2024/25

£46,576

To obtain comprehensive data which included spend on equipment below £500 for each of the last three years, it would be necessary to contact individual teams across the department, which would not be possible within the timeframe for responding to a Written Parliamentary Question, and would incur a disproportionate cost.
wrans/answers2025-07-16 conversation_96
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-16 conversation_96

Sarah Olney:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the introduction of lifelong learning grants. \p Janet Daby: The government recognises that lifelong learning is a core part of a sustainable higher education system which provides opportunities for all and offers learners greater flexibility in an ever-evolving economy. We are committed to supporting lifelong learning as part of our wider commitment to skills.

The lifelong learning entitlement (LLE) will transform the post-18 student finance system to create a single post-18 student funding system. From September 2026, learners will be able to apply for LLE funding for the first time for courses and modules starting from January 2027 onwards.

The department has worked with Ministers and officials in other government departments to ensure that its approach to lifelong learning will be as effective as possible, enabling people to gain the skills they need to support their careers.

Further information on the LLE can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/lifelong-learning-entitlement-lle-overview.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-16 conversation_97

Andrew Cooper:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) support and (b) care workers who work with children and young people with SEN have access to adequate training before starting their roles. \p Janet Daby: The training that care and support workers receive before working with children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) will depend on who employs the worker, and the purpose for which they are employed. If workers are supporting children with specific medical conditions, the following guidance explains how staff should be supported and trained in line with this guidance: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5ce6a72e40f0b620a103bd53/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions.pdf

For social workers, Social Work England is the regulator for the social work profession in England. It sets the professional standards that all social workers must meet throughout their careers. These standards include promoting the rights, strengths, and wellbeing of individuals, families, and communities, including those with SEND.

The department has recently consulted on new Post Qualifying Standards, which give greater clarity on the knowledge and skills expected of child and family social workers, including in relation to children with SEND.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-16 conversation_98

Ms Polly Billington:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of art and design education on outcomes for students with SEND. \p Catherine McKinnell: The government established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review in July 2024, covering ages 5 to 18. The Review seeks to deliver a rich, broad, inclusive and innovative curriculum that readies young people for life and work, including in arts subjects.

The Review is currently looking closely at the key challenges to attainment for young people, and the barriers which hold children back from the opportunities and life chances they deserve, particularly in relation to those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged or have special educational needs or disabilities.

The Review is also looking at specific subjects, including art and design. Any subject-specific findings and recommendations will be included in the final report in the autumn.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-16 conversation_99

Mr Paul Foster:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve SEND provision in South Ribble constituency. \p Catherine McKinnell: The government’s ambition for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is that they will achieve and thrive, and lead happy, healthy and productive lives. The department is working closely with experts on SEND reforms.

The department and NHS England have been supporting local areas to improve their SEND service delivery for several years. This includes a monitoring, support and challenge relationship following an inspection by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Where a local authority does not meet its duties, we can take action that prioritises children’s needs and support local areas to bring about rapid improvement.

Ofsted and the CQC undertook a joint local area SEND inspection of Lancashire County Council in December 2024. The inspection found there are widespread and/or systemic failings leading to significant concerns about the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND, which the local area partnership must address urgently. We expect a monitoring inspection will be carried out within approximately 18 months. The next full reinspection will be within approximately three years from December 2024.

Where a council does not meet its duties, we can take action that prioritises children’s needs and supports local areas to bring about rapid improvement. We offer a range of universal, targeted and intensive support through programmes managed by the department, such as our Sector Led Improvement Partners which provide peer-to-peer tailored support.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-16 conversation_100

Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much their Department has spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation for languages other than (i) British Sign Language and (ii) languages native to the UK for people contacting (A) their Department and (B) its agencies in 2025. \p Janet Daby: The total cost incurred by the department in providing translation services, other than British Sign Language and languages native to the UK, is £180.

Language service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value for money for taxpayers while maintaining high standards of service delivery.