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Olivia Bailey
LAB✓ Current MP
🏛️ Reading West and Mid Berkshire
📅 2024–2026
90 speeches on Hansard record
✅ Votes attended: 86.80% (#123 of 650 MPs)
🟢 Rebelled against party: 0.58%
📝 Topics: Dementia: Reading West and Mid Berkshire, Sterilisation, Sterilisation: Costs
🤝 Member of 4 All-Party Parliamentary Groups
Written Answers
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Department for Education
The total value of severance payments is set out in the department’s Annual Report and Accounts, which are available for the last three years.
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High-quality early years education is central to our mission to break down barriers to opportunity, give every child the best possible start in life, and is essential to our Plan for Change. This government is boosting availability and access through the school-based nurseries programme, supporting…
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The ‘Early years foundation stage’ statutory framework sets the standards and requirements early years providers must meet to ensure that children have the best start in life and are kept healthy and safe. Providers are required to have safeguarding policies addressing the use of mobile…
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I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Chelsea and Fulham to the answer of 7 April 2026 to Question 121632.
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The National School Breakfast Programme is an inherited scheme from the previous government and the contract will end in July 2026. The contract with the supplier, Family Action, stipulates that all food available for schools to purchase must meet the School Food Standards. The School Food…
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The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition has considered the impact of processed foods on health in 2023 and 2025, and recommends that on balance, most people are likely to benefit from reducing their consumption of processed foods high in energy, saturated fat, salt and free sugars and low in…
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The early years workforce is at the heart of our mission to give every child the best start in life and deliver the Plan for Change. That is why we are supporting the sector to attract talented staff and childminders by creating conditions for improved recruitment, alongside programmes to better…
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Safer recruitment is a core part of safeguarding in early years settings. The ‘Early Years Foundation Stage’ (EYFS) statutory framework requires providers to have clear and robust recruitment procedures in place to ensure that only suitable people work with children.Since September…
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The government expects to provide over £9.5 billion for the early years entitlements in 2026/27, more than doubling annual public investment in the early years sector compared to 2023/24, as a result of successfully rolling-out the expansion of government-funded childcare for working…
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The department conducts analysis of data received via its Parental Responsibility Measures for Attendance data collection, which provides information on the national use of legal interventions to improve school attendance, including prosecutions, by local authority. We will continue to use the…
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The department has not paid for followers on its social media platforms.
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Absence is one of the biggest barriers to success for children and the government is committed to improving attendance through a support first approach.The Working Together to Improve School Attendance statutory guidance sets out clear expectations for schools, trusts, local authorities to work…
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Through our Best Start in Life strategy, we are focused on reforming the childcare system, delivering on our plan for change. We will act to increase affordability and accessibility, improve quality and ensure our workforce is valued and respected. This government continues to prioritise and…
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The department uses the early years national funding formulae (EYNFF) to distribute the early years entitlements budget to local authorities. The EYNFF determine local authority hourly funding rates by taking into consideration the different costs of delivering early years provision in different…
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The department works closely with local authorities to strengthen safeguarding standards across early years settings, including nurseries and childcare centres.Through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, we are seeking to require the automatic involvement of education and childcare…
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Organograms for the department, including senior civil service posts, are published on GOV.UK here: https://www.data.gov.uk/dataset/5a1f3831-86d6-4979-9164-99e982361ca4/organogram-department-for-education. The data sets out director-level roles and responsibilities across the core department,…
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The ‘Early years foundation stage’ (EYFS) statutory framework sets the standards and requirements early years providers must meet to ensure children have the best start in life and are kept healthy and safe. Details about the framework are available here:…
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My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has regular discussions with officials, external experts and ministerial colleagues on a range of issues, including national security, defence and resilience.The Home Defence Programme was established in August 2024 to build the UK’s…
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All state-funded schools with primary aged pupils, including those with specialist units, special schools and alternative provision schools, are in scope for the free breakfast clubs programme.Through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, all state-funded schools with primary-aged pupils…
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Officials from the department regularly attend meetings to discuss matters of national security, defence and resilience as well as the associated public communications required to deliver these lines of efforts. The conversation on national defence was a recommendation in the 2025 Strategic Defence…
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A review of the harmonised standard for ethnicity data collection is underway by the Government Statistical Service Harmonisation team.A public consultation between October 2025 and February 2026 sought views from a wide range of users, including government departments and public bodies, to…
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A review of the harmonised standard for ethnicity data collection is underway by the Government Statistical Service Harmonisation team.A public consultation between October 2025 and February 2026 sought views from a wide range of users, including government departments and public bodies, to…
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Each year, the department must make tough decisions to ensure every pound of taxpayers’ money is driving high and rising standards for our children, ensuring every child has the best start in life.The department considers priorities across the department to determine how best to allocate its…
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The department supports 15 professions to which we encourage staff to align themselves, and we collect data monthly on the number of members of each. As part of the Government Skills Campus platform, which is currently in development, the department is exploring the most effective ways to capture…
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All education, childcare and children’s social care settings should have emergency plans in place. They must also comply with legal responsibilities, including under health and safety law.The department publishes non-statutory guidance to support settings plan for emergencies within their own…
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As part of the department’s People Strategy and in line with the government's commitment to a more productive, agile and efficient civil service, the department has developed a long-term locations strategy. This includes closing six of our smaller sites and moving towards a focused 8-site…
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The government recognises that the use of restrictive interventions, such as physical restraint and seclusion, can have a significant and long-lasting effect on the pupils, staff members and parents involved, as well as other class members.For this reason, we have recently updated the restrictive…
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The government is committed to tackling child poverty and delivering meaningful action to support children and families. We recognise the importance of a healthy breakfast at the start of the day for pupils and the impact this can have on attendance and readiness to learn. This is why we are…
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It is our 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.The small business rate relief scheme provides up to 100% relief for eligible businesses occupying one…
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The department and the Department of Health and Social Care are jointly working to produce and publish new practical, evidence-informed guidance on screen time for early years. An early years screen time advisory group of child health and development specialists has been convened to shape the…
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The department continually monitors the sufficiency of childcare in Essex.Under Section 6 of the Childcare Act 2006, local authorities are responsible for ensuring that the provision of childcare is sufficient to meet the requirements of parents in their area. Part B of the ‘Early education…
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The early years workforce is at the heart of our mission to give every child the best start in life and deliver the Plan for Change. The department has seen strong growth in the workforce so far, with early years provision delivered by an estimated 353,700 paid staff in 2025, compared to 353,100 in…
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The department appreciates the publication of the report and look forward to giving it our full consideration. This government is committed to tackling child poverty and delivering meaningful action to support children and families. The removal of the two child limit on Universal Credit will lift…
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The department continually monitors the sufficiency of childcare in Essex. The number of places on Ofsted’s Early Years Register in Essex rose by 4% (or 1,500) from 37,400 as at 31 December 2024 to 38,900 as at 31 December…
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I refer the hon. Member for Newbury to the answer of 9 March 2026 to Question 114997.
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There were 129 private school closures between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2025. In 2024, there were 58 closures and in 2025 there were 71 closures.The government does not collect pupil-level data from private schools.
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I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Warrington South to the answer of 9 March 2026 to Question 115995.
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The School Food Standards regulate the food and drink provided at both lunchtime and at other times of the school day. They allow schools the freedom to provide plant-based drinks as needed, including plain soya, rice or oat drinks enriched with calcium, and combination and flavoured variations of…
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Civil Service recruitment must follow the rules set out in legislation within the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act (CRaGA) 2010, which outlines the requirements to ensure that civil servants are recruited on merit, via fair and open competition.Compliance with CRaGA is overseen by the…
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Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.Absence is a key barrier to opportunity. For children to achieve and thrive, they need to be in school. In the Schools White Paper, the department set a national commitment to improve the attendance rate to…
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Information regarding applications for approval to make a material change is recorded and retained on the Independent Education and School Safeguarding Division's customer relationship management system, against the school’s individual record. Once a material change application is approved,…
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The department appreciates the publication of the report and look forward to giving it our full consideration. We agree that a healthy breakfast at the start of the school day sets children up ready to learn. This is why the department is committed to delivering on the pledge to provide free…
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The government is committed to expanding access to high-quality, evidence‑based parenting and home learning support as part of the Best Start in Life Strategy, delivered through the national rollout of Best Start Family Hubs.Local authorities are expected to commission from departmental menus…
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The department recognises the value of the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset in supporting high‑quality research and evidence‑based policymaking. LEO already underpins a wide range of official statistics and analytical publications, and independent researchers can access the…
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It is for private schools, as private businesses, to manage their operations and take decisions on closure. All children of compulsory school age are entitled to a state-funded school place, should they need one. The department continues to support local authorities to ensure sufficient places for…
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The department recognises that while technology can support learning and development, we are aware of concerns regarding its impact on wellbeing and the potential for this to affect attendance. In response to these concerns, the government has recently launched a consultation, inviting views from…
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Whilst many schools are taking action to reduce costs, too many families still tell us that the cost of school uniform remains a financial burden. This is why we have introduced legislation to limit the number of branded items of uniform and PE kit that schools can require.When determining…
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Children Missing Education data was first collected on a voluntary basis in Autumn 2022. Lancashire reported 4,690 Children Missing Education at any point in the 2024/25 academic year. This is a decrease from 4,820 in 2023/24, and an increase from 2,280 when collection began in 2021/22.The…
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The department is clear that local authorities should commission parenting programmes with a strong and credible evidence base, ensuring families receive support that improves outcomes and increases the proportion of children achieving a good level of development nationally. To support this, the…
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Parents are free to choose the childcare that is right for them and their children, and childminders are not prevented from caring for related children.However, the restriction on funding relatives is set out in the Childcare Act 2006. Section 18(4) of this Act specifically excludes care provided…
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My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education does not plan to publish the business case, workforce plan, equality impact assessment or redundancy mitigation measures for the department’s plans to close six offices. This is an internal business decision and does not impact the…
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Technology plays an important role in broad, rich learning experiences in classrooms across the country, and it is essential that children learn to use technology confidently and safely, so they are prepared for a rapidly evolving world of work.Equally, we understand concerns about excessive screen…
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Mobile phones have no place in schools. Research from the Children’s Commissioner, published in April 2025, shows that the overwhelming majority of schools, 99.8% of primary schools and 90% of secondary schools, already have policies in place that limit or restrict the use of mobile phones…
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The government will provide access to NHS-funded Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) in every school by 2029.As of April 2025, 47% of pupils in primary schools and 70% in secondary schools were covered by an MHST. Further data for 2024/25 can be found here:…
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This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and tackling child poverty. We want to make sure that every family that needs support can access it.Local authorities are responsible for managing their own processes for identifying children eligible for free school meals. We…
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I cannot comment on the Judicial Review of Oak National Academy, which is ongoing.
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All duty bearers, including departments and arm’s-length bodies, are expected to follow the law as clarified by the Supreme Court ruling. My right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, has underlined this recently.The Equality and Human Rights Commission has submitted a draft Code of Practice on…
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The department is monitoring policies put in place in other countries, including Australia, and we are working with counterparts there to share learnings and best practice. Ministers at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology will also be visiting Australia to understand the approach…
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The safety of our youngest children is our utmost priority, and the department continually monitors and strengthens safeguarding requirements across early years settings, including nurseries and childcare centres.In September 2025, we implemented changes to the early years foundation stage…
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I refer the hon. Member for Maidenhead to the answer of 09 March 2025 to Question 114997.
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HM Treasury published a Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) on applying VAT to private school fees. This is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-on-private-school-fees/applying-vat-to-private-school-fees. The department continues to engage with private school providers,…
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Assessments made in relation to the limit on branded school uniform and physical education kit contained in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill (CWSB) have been published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childrens-wellbeing-and-schools-bill-impact-assessments.The…
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The assessments made in relation to the limit on branded school uniform and PE kit contained in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, including consideration of implementation timings, have been published at:…
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Tackling and preventing bullying in schools is essential to ensuring that schools can provide calm and inclusive learning environments. All schools are legally required to have a behaviour policy with measures to prevent all forms of bullying. They have the freedom to develop their own…
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The department has set a clear ambition for 70% of hubs to be in the 30% most disadvantaged areas. From April we will be rolling out hubs nationally meaning that they will be in every single local authority by 2028. We are setting a clear expectation that support to families and neighbourhoods…
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The government recognises that trauma can have a profound impact on children’s lives and that addressing it requires support from the whole of society.The NHS provides specialist assessment, talking therapies and medical treatment for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, as well…
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The department is taking a range of measures to support the financial sustainability of childminding businesses and other early years providers. From April 2026, local authorities will be required to pass at least 97% of their funding directly to providers.In addition, the expansion of the early…
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The government is dedicated to widening access to high-quality, evidence-based parenting and home-learning support. This helps ensure that families can benefit from interventions that effectively promote children’s early development and contribute to reducing the attainment gap before they…
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The turnover rate for all early years educators in private group-based and school-based providers is 16% and 7% respectively. A breakdown by qualification level is unavailable. To boost recruitment and retention of early years teachers (EYTs) and meet the long-term ambition of having an EYT in…
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The department's combined expenditure on advertising and marketing for the last three financial years is shown below: • 2022/23: £34,652,453.53 • 2023/24: £45,761,086.36 • 2024/25: £ 49,833,936.25This paid marketing activity…
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Tackling and preventing bullying in schools is essential to ensure that schools can provide calm and inclusive learning environments. All schools are legally required to have a behaviour policy with measures to prevent all forms of bullying. They have the freedom to develop their own anti-bullying…
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The department recognises the importance of ensuring that artificial intelligence (AI) used in education is safe, evidence-based and supports genuine learning.In January 2026, to complement work on the safe and effective use of AI, including our 5-point plan for AI in education, benchmarking, and…
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The expansion of the early years entitlements is set to benefit childminders. The national average three and four-year-old hourly funding rate for local authorities is increasing by 4.1%, the two-year-old hourly funding rate is increasing by 3.3%, and the nine months to two-year-old hourly funding…
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At present, there are 675 Family Hubs in 88 local authorities funded by the department. Of these, based on the Office of National Statistics classification of Rural and Urban, 627 are based in urban areas and 48 are based in rural areas. The department has set a clear ambition for 70% of hubs to be…
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The department aims to revise the School Food Standards and is engaging with stakeholders, including academics and nutrition professionals, to ensure they support our work to create the healthiest generation of children in history.Schools are responsible for their school meals service and how and…
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This government has committed to strong foundations in reading and writing for all children, to help every child achieve and thrive at school. We know that reading for pleasure is hugely important and brings a range of benefits, including strong links with attainment, wellbeing, empathy,…
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As of February 2026, 486 employees of the department (6%) work remotely because their roles require them to be based at a distance from a departmental office.All other employees, apart from a small number with homeworking as a reasonable adjustment, are office‑based with access to hybrid…
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Improving attendance and tackling school exclusion early is central to the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity. High-quality, timely data enables early identification of need and delivery of a support-first approach.Thanks to our world-leading data collection, the…
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The department monitors the emerging impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) on education, including risks to academic integrity. Our published policy position on generative AI is evidence-based and sets out clear expectations for schools and colleges on safe, responsible and ethical use.We work…
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High-quality early years education is central to our mission to break down barriers to opportunity, give every child the best possible start in life, and is essential to our Plan for Change. This government is boosting availability and access through the school-based nurseries programme, supporting…
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The department is taking a range of measures to tackle persistent absence in both primary and secondary schools. The statutory guidance ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ requires schools to take a support-first approach, including appointing a Senior Attendance champion,…
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The department engages regularly with teachers and headteachers and their representative bodies on a range of issues, including pupil behaviour.All schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy which outlines effective strategies that encourage good behaviour.The department’s…
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The statutory guidance 'early years foundation stage (EYFS) framework' sets education requirements that early years settings must follow to ensure that every child aged 0 to 5 has the best start in life. The EYFS recognises that it is crucial for young children to begin to develop a life-long love…
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The holiday activities and food (HAF) programme provides free nutritious meals, enriching activities, and safe environments to eligible children during the school holidays. The programme is mainly aimed at children in receipt of benefits‑related free school meals, to ensure that funding is…
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The cost of feasibility studies conducted by the department on school building capital projects that did not proceed in the last 5 years is £8,689,888.These costs are made up of capital funding, property costs, professional and technical services, staff and project management costs, and…
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I refer the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon to the answer of 2 February 2026 to Question 108822.
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We are working with the sector to expand the number of childminders and make it easier for them to operate, including through increased funding rates and new flexibilities to work with more people and spend more time working from non-domestic premises if they want to. We are taking a range of…
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The department is taking a range of measures to support the financial sustainability of childminding businesses and other early years providers. From April 2026, local authorities will be required to pass at least 97% of their funding directly to providers (an increase from 96%). We are also…
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The government is committed to expanding access to high-quality, evidence-based parenting and home-learning support. This ensures that families receive interventions that best promote children’s early development and help close the gap before they start school. We want to help more parents to…
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The department has processed 1232 material changes between 1 January 2023 and 1 January 2025. The department does not record data below this level in terms of types of school or type of material change.
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We are revising the School Food Standards and engaging with stakeholders to ensure they support our work to create the healthiest generation of children in history.Further details on timelines for the publication and the implementation of these revisions will be available in due course.
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Private school fees and finances are a matter for private schools, as private businesses. Schools decide for themselves how to manage their finances including, for example the additional cost of VAT, the impact of the national minimum wage and in relation to any pay award they may choose to make.
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The safety of our youngest children is our utmost priority, and we continually monitor and review safeguarding requirements for early years settings to make sure children are kept safe.In September 2025 the department implemented changes to the early year’s foundation stage statutory…
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His Majesty’s Treasury published a tax information and impact note on applying VAT to independent school fees.The department has announced allocations for at least £3 billion in high needs capital between 2026/27 and 2029/30 to support children and young people with special educational…
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Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only. The government began a phased expansion of funded childcare in 2024, introducing 15 hours of funded childcare for eligible working parents of two-year-olds in April 2024 and extending this entitlement to…
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The department is committed to ensuring that schools can benefit and use artificial intelligence (AI) safely and effectively. We are supporting staff to stay up to date with developments through clear guidance, as well as online support materials to help staff use AI confidently, safely and…
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Some pupils, including pupils who have speech and language needs, may face additional challenges that can impact their behaviour and attendance.Specialist support, such as from speech and language therapists, can play an important role in breaking down communication barriers so that those pupils…
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The department’s financial wellbeing offer for its workforce includes access to a variety of advances including rental deposits and season ticket loans and budgeting advice. We have no current plans to introduce payroll deductions for Credit Union membership. Decisions for Arm’s Length…
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The Best Start in Life strategy lays the foundation for long-term improvements to recruitment and retention in early years. The department is building a stronger, more skilled workforce to meet rising demand through new routes into the workforce, targeted recruitment campaigns and operational…
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The School Food Standards regulate the food and drink provided at both lunchtime and at other times of the school day. We are revising the School Food Standards and engaging with stakeholders to ensure they support our work to create the healthiest generation of children in history. As part of our…
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The government is committed to its pledge to provide a free breakfast club in every state funded school with primary-aged children and the department has successfully delivered 7 million meals so far through our 750 early adopter schools.Having listened to schools and taken onboard feedback from…
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The national curriculum aims to teach children how to cook and how to apply the principles of healthy eating and nutrition. In response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review, the department has set out that we will enhance the identity of food education by clearly distinguishing cooking and…
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In 2026/27, the department expects to provide over £9.5 billion for the early years entitlements, more than doubling annual public investment in the early years sector compared to 2023/24, as we have successfully rolled out the expansion of government-funded childcare for working…
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The department does not hold data on the total number of parents that have been prosecuted for their child’s non-attendance as this is a matter for the courts. However, our statutory guidance is clear that schools should take a ‘support first’ approach to pupils’ attendance…
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I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Gloucester to the answer of 23 February 2026 to Question 102803.
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The department is commissioning a systematic review of evidence that enables causal inference, rather than just correlation, to better understand how screentime impacts children and young people, including under fives. We are planning a further programme of research on the impact of digital…
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The department has predominantly looked at text to British Sign Language translation tools, reviewing information from the main players in this field, Signapse, Robotica and Silence Speaks and engaging with our primary supplier for generative articifical intelligence, Microsoft.
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Following a serious violent incident, the department works closely with the police, other government departments and local authorities to ensure schools and trusts receive appropriate support.Although such incidents are rare, the department places high importance on safeguarding the health and…
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The early years foundation stage statutory framework requires providers to have safeguarding policies that address the use of mobile phones, cameras, and other electronic devices with imaging and sharing capabilities. Decisions about installing and using CCTV are for individual providers, subject…
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In 2026/27, the department expects to provide over £9.5 billion for the early years entitlements, more than doubling annual public investment in the early years sector compared to 2023/24, as we help deliver the government’s Plan for Change and the ambition for a record proportion of…
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Parents who choose to educate children at home bear the financial responsibility for doing so, including covering the costs of their exam entry. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will not change this.However, the Bill does introduce a new support duty. For the first time, local…
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The department does not monitor the recruitment and selection approaches in place across other employers except in some specific situations, for example on the approach to the remuneration of some senior academy trust executive leaders.All individuals working in public roles within the education…
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The department has access to records of hotel accommodation used by employees; however, this information is not collected or categorised by hotel star rating. In 2024/25, employees booked 8,367 hotel nights, equivalent to an average 1.06 nights per employee.The department’s travel and…
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For the holiday, activities and food (HAF) programme, the department collects data from local authorities after each delivery period, to support performance monitoring, inform policy development and support evaluation.Data collection includes the number of children attending HAF provision, broken…
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The department is committed to raising the healthiest generation ever and encourages schools to have a whole school approach to healthy eating. We are continuing our work to revise the School Food Standards and are engaging experts across the sector, including academics and nutrition professionals.…
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The statutory Early Years Foundation Stage framework (EYFS) sets the education requirements for all early years settings. The EYFS provides a curriculum framework for settings to build upon across seven areas of learning, to ensure every child has the best start in life and is prepared for…
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All fees paid since the tax changes were announced on 29 July 2024, in relation to terms after 1 January 2025, are subject to VAT. HMRC is scrutinising the detail of any pre-payment schemes and stands ready to challenge the validity of these schemes.
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It is our 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. We are delivering more support to working families than ever before with the rollout of the 30 hours…
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The department monitors the level of technology required by state schools in England through the Technology in Schools Survey 2025, which captures evidence on digital infrastructure, devices and connectivity.To support schools, the department has published clear digital and technology standards,…
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The department will consult on an internal suspension framework to help schools use these sanctions effectively within their behaviour policies, supporting pupils to remain engaged in their education and reducing lost learning. The consultation will seek views on appropriate requirements for…
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The government position was to compensate public sector employers only for the National Insurance Contributions (NICs) increase announced in Budget 2024. For eligible early years settings, this was provided through the dedicated £25 million Early Years NICs and Teachers’ Pay Grant in…
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I refer the hon. Member for Bromley and Biggin Hill to the answer of date, month, year to Question 106861, an identical question asked by his colleague, the hon. Member for Windsor, on 19 January 2026.
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The departmental board provides important strategic oversight and challenge. We had an existing non-executive director vacancy and made this appointment to bring in highly valuable delivery expertise. The direct appointment process was followed in full in line with the guidance, including…
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Help for families of children with additional needs is central to the Best Start in Life Strategy, which spotlights high-quality, inclusive and joined-up services.The department is considering delivery expectations for how Best Start Family Hubs (BSFHs) can deliver special educational needs and…
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The government’s Child Poverty Strategy, ‘Our Children, Our Future: Tackling Child Poverty’, was published on 5 December 2025. It sets out the steps this government will take to reduce child poverty in the short term, as well as putting in place the building blocks we need to…
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This department is taking a range of measures to support the financial sustainability of childminding businesses and other early years providers. From April 2026, local authorities will be required to pass at least 97% of their funding directly to providers (an increase from 96%). We are also…
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During the period 1 July 2024 to 19 January 2026, the department and its executive agencies spent £27,118.12 on sector comms and awareness with X and its predecessor platform/brand Twitter.xAI acquired X on 28 March 2025. £4,834.80 was spent before the acquisition by xAI. £22,283.32…
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The department will work with educators, experts and developers to co-create and trial artificial intelligence (AI) tutoring tools. These tools will be aligned to the curriculum and safe by design, ensuring they support pupils’ learning. Educators from across the country will have…
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The department collects information on the ethnicity of pupils annually through the spring school census, in line with the harmonised standards set by the Office for National Statistics and the Government Statistical Service.The department publishes the data code sets that must be used when…
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The Government Statistical Service ethnicity consultation has been promoted across the department’s analytical community. While individual staff may submit responses in their own capacity, the department is gathering input from data collection, statistical publication and policy teams to…
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Data for prosecution of offences in England, including offences for non-attendance, is collected by the Ministry of Justice. The Department for Education does not collect data on the protected characteristics of the children of individuals who have been prosecuted for an offence related to their…
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The department recognises that pupils with additional needs, such as special educational needs and disabilities, may face more complex barriers to school attendance, and our statutory guidance is clear that schools should take a sensitive, “support first” approach to supporting their…
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The ‘Early years foundation stage’ statutory framework requires early years providers to have safeguarding policies that address the use of mobile phones, cameras, and other electronic devices with imaging and sharing capabilities. Decisions about installing and using CCTV are for…
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Giving young children the best start in life is the foundation of the government’s opportunity mission. From April, the department is funding Ofsted to inspect all new early years providers within 18 months of opening and move towards inspecting all providers at least once every four years,…
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Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.The department publishes data on free school meal (FSM) eligibility and the number of eligible pupils taking FSMs on school census day in the annual Schools, Pupils and their Characteristics accredited…
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In developing the Child Poverty Strategy, the Child Poverty Taskforce considered all children across the UK, including migrant children and children in families subject to the No Recourse to Public Funds condition.The earned settlement model is currently subject to a public consultation, running…
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This government is clear that off-rolling in any form is unacceptable, and we will continue to work closely with Ofsted to tackle it.Pupils may leave a school roll for many reasons, including permanent exclusion, transfer to another school or change of circumstances. All schools are legally…
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The performance data for July to September 2025, published on 25 December 2025, for the contract titled ‘Approach Social Work C24 - C26 (con_20840)’, and specifically in relation to the ‘Key Performance Indicator con_20840-KPI-SV’ supplied by The Frontline Organisation…
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It is our 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.The working parent entitlement aims to support parents to return to work or to work more hours if they…
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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 guidanceThe Early Years qualification requirements and standards document sets…
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The government is prioritising and protecting investment in the early years, and in 2026/27 we expect to provide over £9.5 billion for the early years entitlements, more than doubling annual public investment in the early years sector compared to 2023/24.On average nationally, next year we are…
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The department is working closely with Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to monitor the impacts of Storm Chandra on education.School closures are reported at local authority level, rather than at a constituency level. On 28 January 2026, Somerset Council reported on nine school…
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The department has permanently extended free school meal eligibility to children in all households with no recourse to public funds, provided they meet income thresholds set out in public guidance.This ensures that children can access support regardless of their background or circumstances,…
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The department’s new, stronger guidance on mobile phones in schools is clear that all schools should be mobile phone-free by default. Pupils should not have access to their devices during lessons, break times, lunch times, or between lessons.The guidance is clear that exceptions to a mobile…
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The early years foundation stage profile assessment (EYFSP) is undertaken by teachers at the end of the academic year in which children turn five, usually reception year. No fee is charged per child for the EYFSP. Any costs incurred by schools would primarily relate to staff time in connection with…
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It is a legislative requirement that milk is provided free of charge to children who meet the free school meal criteria.We are extending free school meals to all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit from September 2026. This new entitlement will mean over 500,000 of the most…
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The information requested is not held centrally.
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The department aims to revise the School Food Standards and is engaging with stakeholders to ensure they support our work to create the healthiest generation of children in history.We want to gather a broad spectrum of perspectives. To achieve this, we intend to consult on these revisions and…
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The information requested is not held centrally.
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As set out in the Best Start in Life strategy, the government will fund more evidence-based parenting and home learning offers through Best Start Family Hubs to achieve the 75% good level of development milestone, and bridge the critical gap before children enter school. We will set clearer rules…
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Where a school may require a pupil to possess a digital device, such devices are covered by existing school charging rules. Sections 449-462 of the Education Act 1996 set out the law on charging for school activities in schools maintained by local authorities in England. Academies (including free…
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Nobody should have to miss out on education because of their period, which is why the department provides free period products to girls and women in their place of study through the period products scheme. The scheme aims to remove periods as a barrier to accessing education and addresses…
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The response to Written Parliamentary Questions 102720, 102721, 102722 and 102723 was published on 28 January 2026.
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The department recognises the importance of parenting support as being critical to a child’s development and aims to help more parents support their child’s communication, language, literacy, social and emotional skills. Parents have the biggest influence on their child’s early…
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This department is taking a range of measures to support the financial sustainability of childminding businesses and other early years providers. From April 2026, local authorities will be required to pass at least 97% of their funding directly to providers, an increase from 96%.We are also working…
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Mobile phones have no place in schools.The department’s new, stronger guidance on mobile phones in schools is clear that all schools should be mobile phone-free by default. Pupils should not have access to their devices during lessons, break times, lunch times, or between lessons.Research…
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The department currently employs three civil servants in roles focused on diversity,equity and inclusion. Following a review of all job titles across the department, we can confirm that there are no roles whose primary focus is transgender policy.Within the central human resources diversity and…
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The safety of our youngest children is our utmost priority and the department continually monitors and reviews safeguarding requirements to make sure children are kept as safe as possible.The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework sets the standards and requirements early years…
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The safety of our youngest children is our utmost priority and the department continually monitors and reviews safeguarding requirements to ensure children are kept as safe as possible.The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework sets the standards and requirements early years…
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Absence is a key barrier to opportunity. Children need to be in school to achieve and thrive. The government recognises that some pupils, including those eligible for free school meals, face additional barriers to regular attendance. This is why the department is rolling out free breakfast clubs in…
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The department aims to revise the school food standards and is engaging with stakeholders to ensure they support our work to create the healthiest generation of children in history. We intend to consult on these revisions and further details on timings will be available in due course.
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The department aims to revise the School Food Standards and is engaging with stakeholders to ensure they support our work to create the healthiest generation of children in history. School governors and trustees have a statutory duty to ensure compliance, holding school leaders to account for…
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The government remains committed to the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, ensuring children eligible for free school meals (FSM) can access enriching activities and healthy meals during school holidays. Over £600 million has been confirmed for the programme for the next three…
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The safety of our youngest children is our utmost priority and the department continually monitors and reviews safeguarding requirements to make sure children are kept as safe as possible.The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework sets the standards and requirements early years…
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Through our Best Start in Life strategy, we are investing in raising the quality, frequency and consistency of early years inspections to improve child safety outcomes. We continually monitor and review requirements to make sure children are kept as safe as possible. Ofsted began inspecting under…
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The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework sets the standards and requirements early years providers must meet to ensure that children have the best start in life and are kept healthy and safe. The framework is available here:…
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In June 2025, my hon. Friend, the former Minister for Early Education met with Genevieve’s parents and The Lullaby Trust to discuss the campaign for Gigi’s proposals. In January 2026, I also met with Genevieve’s parents and The Lullaby Trust to continue these discussions. The…
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The early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework, which 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, which is available here:…
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The department recognises the profound impact of the death of a child and the importance of ensuring that families are appropriately supported following serious incidents in nursery and early years settings.As set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework and the Working…
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Five girls’ single sex schools and two boys’ single sex schools have closed since 1 January 2025. The department does not collect data on how many schools have changed their admissions policy to become dual-sex.
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Decisions about school closures are made by individual settings and responsible bodies based on local risk assessments. Closure should be a last resort, with schools expected to remain open where it is safe. If a school must close unexpectedly, such as due to adverse weather, no attendance register…
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The department is committed to delivering on the pledge to provide free breakfast clubs in every state-funded school with primary-aged children. Since April 2025, we have delivered 2.6 million breakfasts and offered places to almost 180,000 pupils across the country. We are investing a further…
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It is for local authorities, under Section 19 of the Education Act 1996, to arrange and fund suitable education for children of compulsory school age who, because of exclusion, illness or other reasons, may otherwise not receive suitable education. Local authorities are required to arrange…
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The table below shows the grade breakdown and proportions of promotions to a higher grade (excluding temporary promotions) between November 2025 and October 2025. Please note: The promotion counts shown are based on internal departmental staff who were promoted to a higher grade within the…
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The government is committed to giving every child the best start in life. We will fund Best Start Family Hubs (BSFH) in every local authority to ensure all children and families who need support the most can access it. Backed by over £500 million, the rollout will deliver up to 1,000 BSFH…
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The department does not hold data on how many schools in England have installed a knife arch.
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The UK’s relationship with the Falkland Islands is a modern one based on partnership, shared values, and the right of the Islanders to determine their own future. While the UK retains responsibility for defence, security and international affairs, the Falkland Islands Government is otherwise…
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The government is committed to ensuring that vulnerable migrant children receive the support to which they are entitled. Asylum seekers and their dependents who would otherwise be destitute can obtain support under Section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. In addition, asylum seeking…
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The department has so far successfully delivered 5 million meals through 750 early adopter free breakfast clubs and schools have told us about the many benefits these clubs provide including improved attendance, behaviour and attainment. We have seen our early adopters successfully manage space…
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Sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments.
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Giving young children the best start in life is the foundation of the government’s opportunity mission.From April, the department is funding Ofsted to inspect all new early years providers within 18 months of opening and moving towards inspecting all providers at least once every four years,…
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The department is taking comprehensive action to ensure teachers and pupils are equipped to use artificial intelligence (AI) safely and effectively. Our Generative AI policy position sets clear guidance on the opportunities and risks of AI, and provides practical advice for safe, responsible use by…
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The government has estimated that ending tax breaks for private schools will raise £1.8 billion a year by 2029/30. At the Autumn Budget 2025, the re-costing of the measure showed it will raise around £40 million per year more than originally forecast. This will raise essential revenue to…
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Women and Equalities
There is no list of gender identities recognised by the Government.
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The Equality Act 2010 makes it clear that businesses and public bodies that provide goods and services to the public must not unlawfully discriminate against disabled people, including those who are deaf or have hearing impairments. The Act places an anticipatory duty on service providers to make…
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The EHRC revised its Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations following its consultation after the UK Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland, and submitted it to Government. The Government is considering the draft updated Code and, if the decision is taken to approve it,…
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In 2019, when civil partnerships were made available for opposite-sex couples in England and Wales, the Government ran a public consultation on the future of conversion rights between marriage and civil partnerships for both opposite-sex and same-sex couples in England and Wales. We recognise the…
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White disadvantaged boys are consistently among the lowest performers on average over every key stage. This Government is committed to breaking the link between young people’s backgrounds and their future success.The Every Child Achieving and Thriving white paper outlines a coordinated plan…
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I refer the Hon member to the answer on 1 September 2025 (PQs 69429, 69430).
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The EHRC has submitted a draft Code of Practice to Ministers, and we are reviewing it with the care it deserves, engaging with the EHRC to ensure that it provides clarity for service providers.We have always been clear that the proper process needs to be followed, which includes understanding the…
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I refer the Hon Member to Lord Collins’ answer to Lord Rooker’s oral question in the House of Lords, dated 2 February 2026, which provides the information you requested. “The Equality and Human Rights Commission’s Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and…
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The EHRC revised its Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations following its consultation after the UK Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland, and submitted it to the Minister for Women and Equalities. The Government is considering the draft updated Code and, if the…
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The EHRC has submitted a draft Code of Practice to Ministers, and we are reviewing it with the care it deserves, engaging with the EHRC to ensure that it provides clarity for service providers.We have always been clear that the proper process needs to be followed, which includes understanding the…
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This Government’s position is that conversion practices are abuse. Such practices have no place in society and must be stopped. We are absolutely committed to bringing forward a full trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices, starting with publishing our draft Bill as soon as possible for…
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Expenditure on external legal advice is recorded by the Department in line with standard accounting practices. Since 16 April 2025, the Office for Equality and Opportunity has incurred costs for legal advice on a range of policy matters, including the Equality Act 2010.
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I refer the Hon. Member to Lord Collins’s answer to Lord Rooker’s oral question in the House of Lords, dated 2 February 2026, which provides the information you requested:“The Equality and Human Rights Commission’s Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and…
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The EHRC revised its Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations following its consultation after the UK Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland, and submitted it to the Minister for Women and Equalities on 4 September 2025.The Government is considering the draft updated…
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I refer the Hon. member back to the answer to PQ 32163, answered on 3rd March 2025.
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The Office for Equality and Opportunity has responsibility for a range of equalities matters. The specific number of staff allocated to work on any particular issue is based on resource need at any one time.
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All vacancies for OEO are advertised via Civil Service Jobs, ensuring the recruitment process is appropriately followed. Recruitment is by exception where there is a clear business critical need or specialism that can not be found within the Department.
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