Written questions by Ribeiro-Addy.

What steps she is taking to mitigate variations in pay and employment conditions arising from individual school negotiations with agencies under the Supply Teachers and Education Recruitment framework.

Awaiting answer.

What steps she is taking to ensure that proposed agency fee caps under the Supply Teachers and Temporary Staffing framework are effectively monitored and enforced.

Awaiting answer.

Whether she has considered encouraging the creation of (a) local authority and (b) employer-based pools of supply staff paying in accordance with national teacher pay scales and allowing pension access without incurring agency fees.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of school exclusions on (i) children’s (a) long-term educational outcomes, (b) mental health and (c) contact with the criminal justice system and (ii) Black and Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children and pupils with special educational needs and disabilities; and if she will bring forward proposals to end the use of exclusions in state-funded schools.

Awaiting answer.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of setting the annual level of student maintenance support at a level equivalent to a year's salary paid at the National Living Wage for a 36 hour week.

The government is committed to supporting the aspiration of every person who meets the requirements and wants to go to university. However, it is essential we keep our higher education system financially sustainable.To help students from the most disadvantaged backgrounds progress and excel in higher education, we are future proofing our maintenance offer by increasing loans for living costs in line with forecast inflation every academic year. This approach ensures that students from the lowest income families receive the largest year-on-year cash increases in support and provides long term certainty on the financial support students will receive while studying.The department will also provide extra support for care leavers, who will automatically become eligible to receive the maximum rate of loan from the 2026/27 academic year.Additionally, we are reintroducing targeted, means-tested maintenance grants, providing disadvantaged students with up to £1,000 extra per year on top of existing loans for living costs from the 2028/29 academic year.

What steps she is taking to a) reduce public access to and b) ensure the online security of the Children Not in School Register proposed in the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

Section 436C of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill prohibits information from a local authority Children Not in School register being published or made public in a way that would include the name or address of a parent or eligible child or that would identify them. The department will highlight in statutory guidance that we expect registers to be held securely on local authority systems. Local authorities should have an appropriate data protection policy document and privacy notice regarding the processing of personal data and its secure storage and destruction. We are continuing to engage with the Information Commissioner’s office to ensure that appropriate mitigations are in place for any risks identified.

What discussions she has had with the Home Secretary on plans to end the use of strip search powers against minors.

The government is committed to introducing new legal safeguards around the strip search of children. Department officials are working with officials from the Home Office to deliver this important commitment. Strip search is one of the most intrusive powers available to the police, and the government is clear that such searches must only be conducted when absolutely necessary in order to protect people, prevent harm, or secure evidence. This must always be done with full regard for the dignity and welfare of the individual involved, particularly where the individual is a child. The ’Searching, Screening and Confiscation guidance for schools’ supports head teachers and staff to fully understand their rights and the rights of the child, so that searching powers are used in a way that ensures schools are calm, safe and supportive environments in which to learn and work.

Pursuant to the Answer of 2 December 2025 to Question 95258 on Children: Abuse, whether her Department has consulted with the organisations listed specifically on the risk of (a) increased amounts of children's data being held on the Children Not in School Register, and (b) potential data leaks which may result in harm to the children included in the list.

The department is engaging with the Information Commissioner’s Office on the Data Protection Impact Assessment for the Children Not in School registers to ensure that all data protection risks have been identified and mitigated before any processing of data begins.The department has also held discussions with both Women’s Aid and the NSPCC, and other domestic abuse organisations, such as SafeLives, on the Children Not in School registers. We recognise the importance of protecting survivors of abuse and have worked with these partners to understand the implications of the Children Not in School measures and how concerns about access to data and identification can be resolved. We will continue this engagement ahead of implementation, including to inform our statutory guidance.We will also commission and deliver training for all local authorities on the Children Not in School requirements and how they interact effectively with home education and alternative education approaches. This will be co-developed and co-delivered by home education representatives, and we will engage with relevant stakeholders, including safeguarding and domestic abuse organisations, as appropriate.Funding will be provided to support local authorities to fulfil their new duties under the Children Not in School measures.

Pursuant to the Answer of 2 December 2025 to Question 95257 on Children: Data protection, whether her Department has consulted with the ICO on the safety of the increased amount of children's data to be held on the Children Not In School Register; and what steps she is taking to ensure this data is protected from data leaks and inappropriate sharing.

The department is engaging with the Information Commissioner’s Office on the Data Protection Impact Assessment for the Children Not in School registers to ensure that all data protection risks have been identified and mitigated before any processing of data begins.The department has also held discussions with both Women’s Aid and the NSPCC, and other domestic abuse organisations, such as SafeLives, on the Children Not in School registers. We recognise the importance of protecting survivors of abuse and have worked with these partners to understand the implications of the Children Not in School measures and how concerns about access to data and identification can be resolved. We will continue this engagement ahead of implementation, including to inform our statutory guidance.We will also commission and deliver training for all local authorities on the Children Not in School requirements and how they interact effectively with home education and alternative education approaches. This will be co-developed and co-delivered by home education representatives, and we will engage with relevant stakeholders, including safeguarding and domestic abuse organisations, as appropriate.Funding will be provided to support local authorities to fulfil their new duties under the Children Not in School measures.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 December 2025 to Question 95260 on Home Education, if her Department will publish a forecast of the funding to be provided to support local authorities to fulfil their new duties under the Children Not in School measures.

The department is engaging with the Information Commissioner’s Office on the Data Protection Impact Assessment for the Children Not in School registers to ensure that all data protection risks have been identified and mitigated before any processing of data begins.The department has also held discussions with both Women’s Aid and the NSPCC, and other domestic abuse organisations, such as SafeLives, on the Children Not in School registers. We recognise the importance of protecting survivors of abuse and have worked with these partners to understand the implications of the Children Not in School measures and how concerns about access to data and identification can be resolved. We will continue this engagement ahead of implementation, including to inform our statutory guidance.We will also commission and deliver training for all local authorities on the Children Not in School requirements and how they interact effectively with home education and alternative education approaches. This will be co-developed and co-delivered by home education representatives, and we will engage with relevant stakeholders, including safeguarding and domestic abuse organisations, as appropriate.Funding will be provided to support local authorities to fulfil their new duties under the Children Not in School measures.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 December 2025 to Question 95259 on Home Education, whether home education experts were consulted on any training that may be needed for frontline workers collecting data for the Children Not in School Register.

The department is engaging with the Information Commissioner’s Office on the Data Protection Impact Assessment for the Children Not in School registers to ensure that all data protection risks have been identified and mitigated before any processing of data begins.The department has also held discussions with both Women’s Aid and the NSPCC, and other domestic abuse organisations, such as SafeLives, on the Children Not in School registers. We recognise the importance of protecting survivors of abuse and have worked with these partners to understand the implications of the Children Not in School measures and how concerns about access to data and identification can be resolved. We will continue this engagement ahead of implementation, including to inform our statutory guidance.We will also commission and deliver training for all local authorities on the Children Not in School requirements and how they interact effectively with home education and alternative education approaches. This will be co-developed and co-delivered by home education representatives, and we will engage with relevant stakeholders, including safeguarding and domestic abuse organisations, as appropriate.Funding will be provided to support local authorities to fulfil their new duties under the Children Not in School measures.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 December 2025 to Question 95260 on Home Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure any training delivered to local authorities is holistic and trauma informed.

The department is engaging with the Information Commissioner’s Office on the Data Protection Impact Assessment for the Children Not in School registers to ensure that all data protection risks have been identified and mitigated before any processing of data begins.The department has also held discussions with both Women’s Aid and the NSPCC, and other domestic abuse organisations, such as SafeLives, on the Children Not in School registers. We recognise the importance of protecting survivors of abuse and have worked with these partners to understand the implications of the Children Not in School measures and how concerns about access to data and identification can be resolved. We will continue this engagement ahead of implementation, including to inform our statutory guidance.We will also commission and deliver training for all local authorities on the Children Not in School requirements and how they interact effectively with home education and alternative education approaches. This will be co-developed and co-delivered by home education representatives, and we will engage with relevant stakeholders, including safeguarding and domestic abuse organisations, as appropriate.Funding will be provided to support local authorities to fulfil their new duties under the Children Not in School measures.

Pursuant to the Answer of 2 December 2025 to Question 95257 on Children: Data protection, if she will publish a Data Privacy Impact Assessment on the entire Bill.

A single Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) cannot be conducted on the entire Bill. DPIAs are intended to evaluate specific data processing activities that may present high risks to individuals’ data protection rights, rather than entire pieces of legislation. The department has ensured that all Bill provisions involving personal data comply with data protection legislation by consulting the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) under Article 36 of UK GDPR.We continue to engage with the ICO key measures, such as the Consistent Identifier and Children Not in School (CNIS) measures, to identify and mitigate any data protection risks. In line with our commitment to transparency, we will publish summaries of these DPIAs to provide assurance that children’s data will be processed lawfully and securely once the measures become operational.

Whether she plans to carry out a data privacy impact assessment for the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

The department is ensuring that measures outlined in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill align with data protection principles, as set out in the Data Protection Act 2018, UK General Data Protection Regulations (UK GDPR) and the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025. The department has met its obligation under Article 36(4) of UK GDPR to consult with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) on relevant measures involving the use of personal data, such as the Children Not in School registers. The department is engaging with the ICO to ensure that any data protection risks identified are properly mitigated and is carrying out data protection impact assessments, where relevant.

Whether her department has consulted with a) NSPCC, b) Women's Aid, and c) other charities, on the potential implications of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill on children who have been victims of abuse from a parent.

​​The department has engaged with a number of charities on policies where they have a direct interest, as part of wider consideration of the Bill’s impact on children and families.We have spoken to the NSPCC on multiple occasions about the Bill and have engaged closely with the Domestic Abuse commissioner on Family Group Decision Making.Moreover, as part of their consideration of the Bill in the House of Commons, the Public Bill Committee invited written evidence from outside organisations and members of the public and took oral evidence from relevant stakeholders. The NSPCC and a number of other charities provided evidence, which has informed Parliamentary debate and ongoing thinking on the Bill’s measures.

Whether her department plans to provide Local Authorities with extra funding to support training of social workers and council workers to improve understanding of home education.

The department ran a public consultation on the proposed duties and measures for Children Not in School in 2019. The consultation was open to all to contribute, including academic experts in educational pedagogy, and the department responded in 2022. We have continued to engage with home education experts since then as part of development of the measures for inclusion in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill and on plans for implementation of these post-Royal Assent. Funding and training will be provided to support local authorities to fulfil their new duties under the Children Not in School measures.

Whether her department consulted academic experts in pedagogy in home education on the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

The department ran a public consultation on the proposed duties and measures for Children Not in School in 2019. The consultation was open to all to contribute, including academic experts in educational pedagogy, and the department responded in 2022. We have continued to engage with home education experts since then as part of development of the measures for inclusion in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill and on plans for implementation of these post-Royal Assent. Funding and training will be provided to support local authorities to fulfil their new duties under the Children Not in School measures.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that the history of Britain's involvement in the transatlantic slave trade and colonialism is accurately and thoroughly taught in schools.

The history curriculum includes a statutory time period at key stage 3 titled “ideas, political power, industry and empire: Britain, 1745-1901” which includes the non-statutory example of Britain’s transatlantic slave trade. Due to the flexibility of the history curriculum, these topics can also be taught, where relevant, across the three key stages.Schools can access resources from bodies such as Oak National Academy, the Historical Association and others to ensure their teaching is accurate and thorough.In reforming the curriculum following the Curriculum and Assessment Review, we are clear that all pupils should have a robust understanding of our nation’s history.

Whether her Department has considered the potential merits of implementing the measures set out by The Joanna Simpson Foundation and Children Heard and Seen on support for children bereaved by domestic homicide.

This government recognises the dreadful impact of all domestic abuse-related deaths on children and families. This is why the Home Office funds Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse to support those bereaved by deaths in this way.Every child deserves the right mental health support, particularly in times of grief, which is why we updated the statutory relationships and health education curriculum to give teachers clear guidance on how to best support pupils with bereavement. We are also expanding access to mental health support teams in all schools, ensuring that every pupil has access to early support services in their community.

If she will hold discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential merits of (a) increasing the level of funding and (b) introducing a multi-year settlement for the Music and Dance Scheme in the Autumn Budget.

The government fully supports the arts and the development of a skills pipeline into the creative industries.The department is providing £36.5 million for the Music and Dance Scheme this academic year. Funding beyond the current academic year, including any introduction of multi-year funding agreements, will be considered in due course. This follows the department’s Spending Review in June, where my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer allocated funding to the 2028/2029 financial year for revenue spending.