Written questions by Khan.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential benefits of requiring schools to hold emergency asthma inhalers.

Schools are permitted to buy salbutamol inhalers, without a prescription, for use in emergencies. An emergency salbutamol inhaler should only be used by children who have either been diagnosed with asthma and prescribed an inhaler, or who have been prescribed an inhaler as reliever medication and who have written parental consent for use of the emergency inhaler.Schools are not required to hold an inhaler. If they choose to keep an emergency inhaler, they should establish a policy or protocol for its use based on published guidance available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/emergency-asthma-inhalers-for-use-in-schools.

What plans her Department has to improve media literacy education in schools by (a) providing additional (i) resources and (ii) funding, (b) delivering teacher training and (c) improving curriculum support.

I refer the hon. Member for Birmingham Perry Barr to the answer of 1 May 2025 to Question 47185.

Whether her Department plans to extend the breakfast clubs initiative to state-funded early childhood education institutions.

The department is committed to delivering on our pledge to provide free breakfast clubs in every state-funded school with primary-aged children, starting with more than 750 early adopter schools from April 2025.The aim of the breakfast clubs policy includes ensuring children are settled and ready to learn at the start of the school day. This is why we are committed to rolling out breakfast clubs in all state-funded primary schools, helping to build strong foundations in the first years of school, impacting children’s behaviour, concentration, attendance and attainment, alongside supporting parents with costs of childcare.The department is working to test how this is best implemented and work is already underway with 750 early adopter schools. Early adopters are just the first step in delivering on our steadfast commitment to introducing breakfast clubs in every primary school. Early adopters will not only help us to test and learn how every primary school in the future can deliver these new breakfast clubs, they will also give us important insights into how schools with different age ranges, such as all through schools or those with onsite nurseries, implement the policy.

What plans she has for Family Hubs after the 2025-26 financial year; and whether her Department plans to provide a multi-year pledge to fund the Family Hubs and Start for Life program beyond this period.

The government’s Plan for Change sets out a commitment to give every child the best start in life. Progress on this commitment will be measured by assessing whether 75% of five-year-olds are reaching a good level of development in the Early Years Foundation Stage assessment, which looks at children’s development across areas such as language, personal, social and emotional development, and mathematics and literacy, by 2028.Delivering this will require strengthening and co-ordinating family services to improve support through pregnancy and early childhood. This includes continuing to invest in and build up Family Hubs and Start for Life programmes.75 local authorities with some of the highest levels of deprivation have received funding and there are now more than 400 Family Hubs open across those local authorities. The department is investing a further £126 million in the 2025/26 financial year to give every child the best start in life and deliver on the Plan for Change. Future funding decisions are subject to the multi-year spending review.

What steps her Department is taking to increase the nutritional value of breakfast meals provided by primary schools.

The department is committed to delivering on our pledge to provide free breakfast clubs in every state-funded school with primary-aged children, starting with more than 750 early adopter schools from April 2025.The School Food Standards statutory guidance, which regulate the food and drink provided at school, already apply to breakfasts. Compliance with the Standards is mandatory for maintained schools, academies and free schools.Alongside the existing School Food Standards, in January, the department published guidance for the early adopter schools which provides additional helpful guidance on which foods should be served at breakfast clubs.

What steps she is taking to help tackle low pay in the further education sector.

The government does not set or recommend pay in further education (FE). This remains the responsibility of individual colleges who are free to implement pay arrangements in line with their local needs.The government recognises the vital role that FE teachers play in developing the skills needed to drive our missions to improve opportunity and economic growth. That is why the department is investing around £600 million in FE across the financial years 2024/25 and 2025/26. This includes extending retention payments of up to £6,000 after tax to eligible early career FE teachers in key subject areas. The department also continues to support recruitment and retention with teacher training bursaries worth up to £30,000 tax-free in certain key subject areas and with support for industry professionals to enter the teaching workforce through our Taking Teaching Further programme.My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, has announced a Budget on 30 October, to be followed by a multi-year Spending Review in the spring of next year. Decisions about future post-16 funding and capital programmes will be subject to the outcomes of these fiscal events.