Every parliamentary written question tabled by Afzal Khan this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1–20 of 64 · Department for Education
What assessment she has made of the impact of volatility in Teachers’ Pension Scheme employer contribution rates on the financial sustainability and long term business planning of higher education institutions that are required to participate in the scheme; and what steps she is taking to improve predictability and stability in future contribution-rate setting.
Awaiting answer.
What assessment she has made of the factors that led to the reduction in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme employer contribution rate from 28.68 per cent to 17.68 per cent from April 2027; and whether her Department has assessed the likelihood of employer contribution rates increasing again at the next scheme valuation or review.
Awaiting answer.
What discussions she has had with representatives of the higher education sector on ensuring that universities retain appropriate institutional autonomy in relation to pension provision; and whether she is considering any changes to the regulatory framework governing participation in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme by higher education institutions.
Awaiting answer.
Whether her Department has had discussions with the AQA exam board on the potential impact of wage stagnation on its staff.
Ofqual, the independent regulator of exams and assessments in England, oversees awarding organisations, including AQA, by conducting readiness reviews, evaluating their governance and ability to manage key delivery risks.The department has received assura...
What discussions she has had with the AQA exam board regarding resolving strike action taken by staff over pay.
Ofqual, the independent regulator of exams and assessments in England, oversees awarding organisations, including AQA, by conducting readiness reviews, evaluating their governance and ability to manage key delivery risks.The department has received assura...
When she expects joint non-statutory guidance from the Department for Education, the Department for Health and Social Care and the NHS on how clinical healthcare is delivered in schools to be published.
Schools are not responsible for clinical healthcare tasks. Healthcare tasks can be delegated to staff in schools and other education settings where the responsible healthcare professional considers delegation safe and appropriate.The Nursing and Midwifery...
What action she is taking to support school teachers who are responsible for administering healthcare to students with medical conditions.
Schools are not responsible for clinical healthcare tasks. Healthcare tasks can be delegated to staff in schools and other education settings where the responsible healthcare professional considers delegation safe and appropriate.The Nursing and Midwifery...
What steps her Department is taking to support local authorities with the provision of Education Otherwise Than At School.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
What discussions she has had with the Association of Colleges on pay increases for further education staff.
Further education (FE) teachers are central to delivering high quality technical education. Last year, we announced an additional £190 million to help colleges and other 16-19 providers address the recruitment and retention of specialist FE teachers. In addition, our targeted retention incentive offer is designed to retain eligible FE teachers in technical subjects with payments of up to £6,000 after tax. In its first year, nearly 6,000 teachers received a payment.My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and my noble Friend, the Minister for Skills have regular engagement with FE stakeholders including the Association of Colleges (AoC) on a range of issues, including matters pertaining to funding. FE pay remains a matter for individual colleges supported by the National Joint Forum, the AoC’s national bargaining arrangements.
What recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing parity of pay between teachers in further education colleges and sixth forms.
Further education (FE) teachers are central to delivering high quality technical education. Last year, we announced an additional £190 million to help colleges and other 16-19 providers address the recruitment and retention of specialist FE teachers. In addition, our targeted retention incentive offer is designed to retain eligible FE teachers in technical subjects with payments of up to £6,000 after tax. In its first year, nearly 6,000 teachers received a payment.My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and my noble Friend, the Minister for Skills have regular engagement with FE stakeholders including the Association of Colleges (AoC) on a range of issues, including matters pertaining to funding. FE pay remains a matter for individual colleges supported by the National Joint Forum, the AoC’s national bargaining arrangements.
What steps her department is taking to support autistic students with Pathological Demand Avoidance in mainstream school settings.
I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Manchester Rusholme, to the answer of 15 April 2026 to Question 121149.
What recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of trends in the prevalence of child morning hunger in (a) early years, (b) primary and (c) secondary school settings in England on school (i) readiness and (ii) attendance.
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 450,000 children out of poverty, rising to around 550,000 alongside other measures set out in our Child Poverty Strategy, such as the expansion of free school meals. These interventions will lead to the largest expected reduction in child poverty over a Parliament since comparable records began.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 rolling out free breakfast clubs in every state-funded school with primary-aged pupils in England, so that all children can have the best start in life. Since April 2025, the programme has delivered seven million meals to almost 180,000 pupils across the country. We are investing a further £80 million to fund approximately 2,000 additional schools between April 2026 and March 2027.
What assessment her department has made of the potential impact on schools of ongoing uncertainty around future national funding for physical education and school sports.
I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Manchester Rusholme, to the answer of 03 March 2026 to Question 115304.
Whether she plans to include mandatory training on the climate emergency within Initial Teacher Training and the Early Career Framework.
The Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF) is universal and designed to work for all new teachers regardless of subject, phase, or school. Whilst the ITTECF underpins what all new teachers should learn, it is not a curriculum. Training providers and schools can design a curriculum based on the ITTECF and which is responsive to the needs of the participants and individual school settings. Beyond the ITTECF, decisions relating to teachers’ professional development rest with schools, headteachers, and teachers themselves as they are in the best position to judge their own requirements. We recognise that continuous improvement is essential in transforming the training and support for all new teachers, and to review the experiences and needs of early career teachers as well as trainees. This is why we have committed to a full review of the programme in 2027 to ensure it continues to provide the best possible support for trainees and early career teachers.
If she will make an assessment of the adequacy of levels of inclusion of climate change and environmental sustainability in the national curriculum beyond geography and science subjects.
Young people have consistently expressed a strong desire for more education on climate change, nature and sustainability. Teachers have also highlighted that limited visibility and emphasis on climate topics in the national curriculum has made it difficult to develop effective provision in this area.Climate education was already present in the science and geography curricula. The Curriculum and Assessment Review recommended stronger climate education and sustainability content across the curriculum, with detailed engagement and earlier sequencing with climate education in subjects such as geography, science, design and technology and citizenship.Work is now underway to embed content on climate change, nature and sustainability across the curriculum and sequence knowledge throughout the key stages.Funding is already committed for the National Education Nature Park to provide curriculum-linked activities and resources for all key stages, and for supporting climate action plans via the Climate Ambassador Programme and Sustainability Support for Education. Climate action plans encourage settings from early years to further education to consider how they take a holistic approach to climate across four key pillars of adaptation, biodiversity, curriculum and decarbonisation.
Whether she plans to introduce targets and funding commitments for climate education across all key stages.
Young people have consistently expressed a strong desire for more education on climate change, nature and sustainability. Teachers have also highlighted that limited visibility and emphasis on climate topics in the national curriculum has made it difficult to develop effective provision in this area.Climate education was already present in the science and geography curricula. The Curriculum and Assessment Review recommended stronger climate education and sustainability content across the curriculum, with detailed engagement and earlier sequencing with climate education in subjects such as geography, science, design and technology and citizenship.Work is now underway to embed content on climate change, nature and sustainability across the curriculum and sequence knowledge throughout the key stages.Funding is already committed for the National Education Nature Park to provide curriculum-linked activities and resources for all key stages, and for supporting climate action plans via the Climate Ambassador Programme and Sustainability Support for Education. Climate action plans encourage settings from early years to further education to consider how they take a holistic approach to climate across four key pillars of adaptation, biodiversity, curriculum and decarbonisation.
Whether she plans to conduct a review of collective worship in schools in England.
Collective worship remains an important part of school life, supporting pupils to reflect on the concept of belief and the role it plays in our country’s traditions and values. Schools in England already have flexibility in how they meet this requirement and can deliver collective worship or assemblies in ways that reflect the diverse needs of their pupils and local communities. Students over 16 and parents of younger pupils also retain the right of withdrawal from collective worship.
What assessment she has made of the potential merits of including humanism as part of the national curriculum on religious education.
The department recognises that non-religious worldviews, including humanism, can play an important role in supporting pupils’ understanding of beliefs and values. Religious education (RE) is not part of the national curriculum but is a mandatory subject for all pupils aged 5 to 18 in state-funded schools in England. Schools should deliver RE in an objective, critical and pluralistic way and already have the flexibility, through their locally agreed syllabuses, to include the study of non-religious world views such as humanism. The department welcomes the Curriculum and Assessment Review’s recommendation that Vanessa Ogden, a former review panellist specialising in RE, should lead a sector group, independent from government, to develop a draft RE curriculum. We expect that the sector group’s work on RE will reflect the role the subject plays in building understanding between people of different faiths, beliefs and communities, including those with non-religious world views. If the group reaches consensus on a draft curriculum, the government will consult on whether to add it to the national curriculum.
What assessment she has made of the recommendations set out in the Law Commission's review of disabled children’s social care law, published on 16 September 2025.
On 16 September 2025, the Law Commission published its final report following an extensive review of the legal framework governing social care for disabled children in England, commissioned by the department in April 2023. The report sets out 40 recommendations aimed at improving how the law operates, with a focus on simplifying and strengthening the system to better support disabled children and their families. In line with the Protocol agreed between the Lord Chancellor and the Law Commission, the department is expected to provide an initial response to these recommendations within six months of publication, and a full response within one year. This full response will set out which recommendations have been accepted, rejected or will be accepted in a modified form. It may also include a timeline for implementation. We will have regard to the views outlined in the report and we will engage relevant stakeholders at appropriate points as we consider our response.
What steps her Department is taking to support students with special educational needs and disabilities.
By prioritising early intervention, training and inclusive support in mainstream schools, while ensuring special schools can support the most complex needs, we are expanding the capacity to deliver timely, consistent, high quality special educational needs and disabilities provision.We are engaging with children, parents and experts on wider reforms.