Written questions by Snowden.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the VAT increase on private schools on demand for school places in state schools.

Awaiting answer.

What estimate he has made of the number of school suspensions in Lancashire over the last five years.

Awaiting answer.

If she will take steps to ensure nursery collection fees in cases where parents and carers are unable to collect children on time due to circumstances beyond their control are not used as an additional income source for nursery providers.

Awaiting answer.

Whether she has considered issuing guidance to early years providers to ensure that penalty charges are not applied where delays are not attributable to parents and carers.

Awaiting answer.

Whether she is taking steps to engage with professional sports teams to improve physical education in schools.

Awaiting answer.

If she will update the School Food Standards policy to prohibit the use of meat derived from animals which have not been stunned prior to slaughter.

Awaiting answer.

What proportion of the measures set out in the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper have reached (a) consultation stage, (b) pilot stage and (c) full implementation.

Awaiting answer.

What estimate she has made of the annual cost of the statutory duty introduced in the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 to provide support to home-educating families who request it.

Awaiting answer.

Whether her Department plans to introduce demand-led funding arrangements for further education colleges enrolling additional 16–24 year old learners in priority skills sectors.

Awaiting answer.

If she will ensure Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport is integrated into Physical Education and PSHE curricula.

Awaiting answer.

By what date will local authorities have to produce registers of Children Not in School.

Awaiting answer.

What consideration she has given to funding further education colleges on an in-year basis where student enrolments exceed forecast allocations.

Awaiting answer.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of further education colleges on supporting students not in employment, education or training.

Awaiting answer.

Whether local authorities in Lancashire will be eligible to partner with charities and independent fostering agencies when applying for funding through the Fostering Innovation Fund.

Lancashire County Council will be able to apply for the Innovation Fund as part of the Foster with Us fostering hub. The department encourages applications from areas working in partnership with other organisations, such as charities or independent fostering agencies.The Fostering Innovation Fund, which launched on 14 May, is open for bids from Regional Care Cooperatives (RCC) and end-to-end fostering hubs, including both existing and those who, at the time of the fund launch, are applying to become an RCC or end-to-end fostering hub. Only those who have been successful in their applications to become an RCC or fostering hub will be awarded funding. Further details can be found in the application guidance at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fostering-innovation-fund-application-guidanceWe will notify successful bidders in due course.

When successful applicants to the Fostering Innovation Fund will be announced.

Lancashire County Council will be able to apply for the Innovation Fund as part of the Foster with Us fostering hub. The department encourages applications from areas working in partnership with other organisations, such as charities or independent fostering agencies.The Fostering Innovation Fund, which launched on 14 May, is open for bids from Regional Care Cooperatives (RCC) and end-to-end fostering hubs, including both existing and those who, at the time of the fund launch, are applying to become an RCC or end-to-end fostering hub. Only those who have been successful in their applications to become an RCC or fostering hub will be awarded funding. Further details can be found in the application guidance at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fostering-innovation-fund-application-guidanceWe will notify successful bidders in due course.

What progress her Department is making towards delivering 3,000 new primary school-based nurseries.

Awaiting answer.

What progress her Department has made on recruiting 6,500 new expert teachers in key subjects.

Awaiting answer.

What recent estimate her Department has made of the effect on further education colleges of increased student enrolments not being fully funded until the following financial year.

Institutions receive funding for all their students on a lagged approach, meaning the funding in each academic year is based on the number of students in the previous year. This allows the department to issue firm allocations to institutions well in advance of the start of each academic year. This also gives further education colleges and other institutions the confidence to make financial plans for the forthcoming year knowing that, if for some reason their student numbers fall, they will have time to adjust plans before funding reflects that in the following academic year.We recognise that where an institution makes a particularly significant expansion in student numbers in a single year, cost pressures can arise. For that reason, we provide Exceptional In-Year Growth funding for institutions that grow student numbers above a certain level. We are investing £87 million to fund exceptional in-year growth for the 2025/26 academic year.

What recent assessment she has made of the equity of the pay gap between further education college lecturers and school teachers.

The statutory requirements for maintained schoolteachers' pay are set nationally subject to recommendations from the School Teachers’ Review Body. In 2024/25, the median full-time equivalent (FTE) salary for classroom teachers in secondary schools was £50,471. Further education (FE) colleges have statutory autonomy over the pay of their staff. Colleges have the freedom to meet local technical skills needs within their own local circumstances, and the government does not set college teacher pay. In 2024/25, the median FTE salary for teachers on permanent or fixed term contracts in general FE colleges was £37,581 and £49,725 in sixth-form colleges. FE teachers are central to delivering high-quality technical education. Last year, we announced an additional £190 million for colleges and other 16 to 19 providers to help them address the recruitment and retention of specialist FE teachers. We are providing nearly £9 billion in 16 to 19 funding programme funding in the 2026/27 academic year. 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.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure new school meals guidance encourages use of local suppliers.

The government is committed to half of all food served in public settings being either locally sourced or certified to higher environmental standards.The School Food Standards allow school chefs and cooks creative freedom to adapt to the preferences of the children at their school, source seasonal or local food, and take advantage of price fluctuations.We are consulting on proposed changes to the School Food Standards in England until 12 June 2026. We will consider guidance for the new standards in due course. Presently, schools can voluntarily follow the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering, which includes advice around sourcing their school food.The department is working closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as they develop the Good Food Cycle vision.