Written questions by McDonald.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of reductions in funding for level seven healthcare apprenticeships on the availability of Advanced Clinical Practitioners in the NHS.

The government is committed to spreading opportunities and economic growth, supported by a strong skills system.This government has an extremely challenging fiscal inheritance. There are tough choices that need to be taken on how funding should be prioritised in order to generate opportunities for young people that enable them to make a start in good, fulfilling careers, and the department will therefore be asking more employers to step forward and fund a significant number of level 7 apprenticeships themselves outside of the levy-funded Growth and Skills offer.The department has received a wide range of representations, which it is currently considering. These have been received directly and via Skills England, which has engaged with a wide range of stakeholders on this matter and has shared its findings with the department.The department recognises the importance of providing clarity as soon as possible on future funding for level 7 apprenticeships and will communicate next steps in due course.The department also continues to work across government to tackle the skills needs of different sectors, including addressing the skills gaps in the health and social care industry which were identified in Skills England’s first report on driving growth and widening opportunities.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of reductions in funding for level seven apprenticeships on the availability of skilled workers in the NHS; and whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on this matter.

The government is committed to spreading opportunities and economic growth, supported by a strong skills system.This government has an extremely challenging fiscal inheritance. There are tough choices that need to be taken on how funding should be prioritised in order to generate opportunities for young people that enable them to make a start in good, fulfilling careers, and the department will therefore be asking more employers to step forward and fund a significant number of level 7 apprenticeships themselves outside of the levy-funded Growth and Skills offer.The department has received a wide range of representations, which it is currently considering. These have been received directly and via Skills England, which has engaged with a wide range of stakeholders on this matter and has shared its findings with the department.The department recognises the importance of providing clarity as soon as possible on future funding for level 7 apprenticeships and will communicate next steps in due course.The department also continues to work across government to tackle the skills needs of different sectors, including addressing the skills gaps in the health and social care industry which were identified in Skills England’s first report on driving growth and widening opportunities.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of reductions in funding for level seven apprenticeships on the availability of Chartered Town Planners in local government.

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Middlesbrough and Thornaby to the answer of 20 January 2025 to Question 23140.

What additional funding will be made available for the schools supported by a regional improvement for standards and excellence team.

Support delivered by regional improvement for standards and excellence teams has been backed by an over £20 million investment. They will draw up, working with high quality organisations, bespoke improvement plans with eligible schools, with the department making up to £100,000 available initially to each school for specialist support. This compares to a £6,000 grant that was available previously for similar schools.

What criteria will be used by regional improvement for standards and excellence teams to identify the schools it will be engaging with to deliver improvement in standards.

The department has introduced its new regional improvement for standards and excellence (RISE) teams to help drive high and rising standards. In advance of Ofsted school report cards being introduced later this year, schools will be eligible to receive bespoke RISE interventions if they have not had a change of structure since their last inspection, and:were previously due to receive structural intervention after 1 Januaryare a ‘stuck’ school – defined as a school that was graded requires improvement, or equivalent based on sub-judgements, at their most recent Ofsted inspection, and were also graded below good at their previous inspection; orare in a category of concern.The department is consulting on future eligibility criteria for targeted RISE intervention following the introduction of new Ofsted school report cards.

How many schools she plans for each regional improvement for standards and excellence team to support in (a) the North East and (b) each region, per year.

The department expects regional improvement for standards and excellence (RISE) teams to have worked with around 600 schools by March 2026. RISE teams will focus their efforts on schools which are stuck and have not had a change of structure since their last inspection.Based on the latest published Ofsted inspection data, at the end of December 2024, there were 664 “stuck schools” in England and 31 “stuck schools” in the North East.Across the other regions there were:90 in the East Midlands71 in the East of England18 in London104 in the North West72 in the South East102 in the South West97 in the West Midlands79 in Yorkshire and HumberFollowing last week’s announcement, the department is contacting all responsible bodies with schools that currently meet the eligibility criteria.

If she will make it her policy to introduce a right to paid employment leave to support kinship carers.

The department recognises the challenges that many kinship carers face in continuing to work alongside the pressures of taking in a child, and we believe they should be supported to remain in work where possible. Kinship carers are likely to benefit from additional support and flexibility from their employers to help them balance work with providing the best possible care. Our guidance for employers, ‘Kinship Carers in the Workplace’, sets out best practice for supporting kinship carers at work. The department will join a small number of private sector employers in offering a pay and leave entitlement to all eligible staff who become kinship carers.