Written questions by Webb.

What steps her Department is taking to support children experiencing mental health issues due to bullying.

Schools must take a strong stand against all forms of bullying and should tackle bullying at the earliest opportunity to prevent it from escalating, particularly given the impact it can have on pupils, both emotionally and physically. It is up to schools to develop their own anti-bullying strategies to suit their specific needs and are held to account by Ofsted.​​The department provides advice to support schools with addressing incidents of bullying. The guidance is clear that schools should make appropriate provision for a bullied child's social, emotional and mental health needs. This guidance is accessible at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/625ee64cd3bf7f6004339db8/Preventing_and_tackling_bullying_advice.pdf.Further resource includes the Respectful School Communities toolkit, which can be found on the Educate Against Hate website: https://www.educateagainsthate.com/resources/respectful-school-communities-self-review-signposting-tool-2/.The department knows that children experiencing bullying are more susceptible to mental health challenges. The government will work to ensure the right support is available to every young person that needs it, including providing access to specialist mental health professionals in every school.The department has launched a mental health leads resource hub to help schools select the most effective evidence-based support options, including a range of resources that focus on supporting the wellbeing of those who have experienced bullying. This is available at: https://www.mentallyhealthyschools.org.uk/.

What assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of initiatives to tackle bullying in schools.

Schools must take a strong stand against all forms of bullying and should tackle bullying at the earliest opportunity to prevent it from escalating, particularly given the impact it can have on pupils, both emotionally and physically. It is up to schools to develop their own anti-bullying strategies to suit their specific needs and are held to account by Ofsted.​​The department provides advice to support schools with addressing incidents of bullying. The guidance is clear that schools should make appropriate provision for a bullied child's social, emotional and mental health needs. This guidance is accessible at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/625ee64cd3bf7f6004339db8/Preventing_and_tackling_bullying_advice.pdf.Further resource includes the Respectful School Communities toolkit, which can be found on the Educate Against Hate website: https://www.educateagainsthate.com/resources/respectful-school-communities-self-review-signposting-tool-2/.The department knows that children experiencing bullying are more susceptible to mental health challenges. The government will work to ensure the right support is available to every young person that needs it, including providing access to specialist mental health professionals in every school.The department has launched a mental health leads resource hub to help schools select the most effective evidence-based support options, including a range of resources that focus on supporting the wellbeing of those who have experienced bullying. This is available at: https://www.mentallyhealthyschools.org.uk/.

What assessment her Department has made of the impact of late dyslexia diagnosis on children's educational outcomes; and whether she will consider implementing a universal screening programme to ensure early intervention.

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Blackpool South to the answer of 31 March 2025 to Question 40829.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure the early identification of dyslexia in primary school children.

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Blackpool South to the answer of 31 March 2025 to Question 40829.

With reference to the report by the Competition and Markets Authority entitled Infant formula and follow-on formula market study, published on 14 February 2025, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure infant formula manufacturers provide (a) clear, (b) accurate and (c) impartial information on the nutritional sufficiency of all infant formula products on product labelling.

Infant feeding is critical to a baby’s healthy growth and development. The Government is committed to giving every child the best start in life and that includes helping families to access support to feed their baby.Whilst breastfeeding has significant health benefits, we recognise that for those families that cannot or choose not to breastfeed, it is vital that they have access to infant formula that is affordable and high quality. Infant formula regulations ensure that all infant formula is suitable for meeting the nutritional needs of babies, regardless of the price or brand.The Government welcomes the Competition and Markets Authority’s market study report on infant formula and follow-on formula which included recommendations related to clear, accurate and impartial information on the nutritional sufficiency of all infant formula products on product labelling and on prohibiting intangible and/or non-verifiable messages on infant and follow on formula labels. We will carefully consider its findings and recommendations and respond in due course.

With reference to the report by the Competition and Markets Authority entitled Infant formula and follow-on formula market study, published on 14 February 2025, what steps his Department is taking to (a) restrict the use of non-verifiable messages and (b) ensure that only specified and prescribed information or categories of information are permitted on the labelling for (i) infant formula and (ii) follow-on formula.

Infant feeding is critical to a baby’s healthy growth and development. The Government is committed to giving every child the best start in life and that includes helping families to access support to feed their baby.Whilst breastfeeding has significant health benefits, we recognise that for those families that cannot or choose not to breastfeed, it is vital that they have access to infant formula that is affordable and high quality. Infant formula regulations ensure that all infant formula is suitable for meeting the nutritional needs of babies, regardless of the price or brand.The Government welcomes the Competition and Markets Authority’s market study report on infant formula and follow-on formula which included recommendations related to clear, accurate and impartial information on the nutritional sufficiency of all infant formula products on product labelling and on prohibiting intangible and/or non-verifiable messages on infant and follow on formula labels. We will carefully consider its findings and recommendations and respond in due course.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the household benefit cap on families with children living in poverty.

No assessment has been made. Delivering our manifesto commitment to tackle child poverty is an urgent priority for this Government, and the Ministerial Taskforce is continuing its urgent work to publish the Child Poverty Strategy. Families can receive benefits up to the value of gross earnings of around £25,700 or £30,300 in London. Where households require more support, they can approach their Local Authority, for help and guidance with housing costs.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the household benefit cap on single-parent families.

No assessment has been made. Single-parent households can still receive benefits up to the value of gross earnings of around £25,700 or £30,300 in London. Where households require more support, they can approach their Local Authority, for help and guidance with housing costs. Delivering our manifesto commitment to tackle child poverty is an urgent priority for this Government, and the Ministerial Taskforce is continuing its urgent work to publish the Child Poverty Strategy.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of recognising a Palestinian state.

On 13 January, the Foreign Secretary sat down with President Abbas to talk about the Labour Party’s longstanding support for the Palestinian cause. Palestinians must be given a credible route to a Palestinian state which is the right of the Palestinian people. We will recognise a Palestinian state at a time that is most conducive to making statehood a reality, and we are working with partners to support a two-state solution that guarantees security and stability for both the Palestinian and Israeli people.

What steps he is taking to tackle health inequalities for people living in coastal communities.

The healthy life expectancy for men in Blackpool is just 51.7 years - the lowest in England and up to 18 years lower than some areas.These statistics are shocking. We are taking action across Government to address the environmental and socio-economic determinants of health, and aiming to halve the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest regions.We know that targeted action to tackle health inequalities will facilitate economic opportunities, and support an NHS fit for the future.

Whether the Government plans to review the impact of alcohol on mental health..

The Suicide Prevention Strategy for England, published in September 2023, identifies substance misuse, including alcohol, as a key common risk factor for action, and we will explore opportunities to go further. The negative impact that alcohol can have on mental health is also acknowledged and highlighted on the NHS England website, which is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-advice/the-risks-of-drinking-too-much/

What steps his Department is taking to improve public confidence in the Insolvency Service.

The Department regularly reviews the work of the Insolvency Service to ensure that it is appropriately equipped to achieve the objectives and goals set out in its published Agency Strategy 2021-2026 and reported on in its Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24.

How many police officers are currently employed in neighbourhood policing in Lancashire.

The Home Office collects and publishes data annually on the primary function of police officers, as at 31 March each year, in the ‘Police workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending the current student finance system to enable adult learners with existing degrees to access financial support when pursuing an additional degree later.

The Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) will launch in the 2026/27 academic year for courses starting on or after 1 January 2027. The LLE will transform the higher education student finance system in England by broadening access to high quality, flexible education and training.From its launch, the LLE will be available for full courses at level 4 to 6, such as degrees and technical qualifications, and modules of high-value technical courses at level 4 and 5.Under the LLE, eligible new learners will have access to a tuition fee loan equal to four years of study. For returning learners, the amount they can borrow will be reduced depending on the funding they have previously received to support study. For example, a typical graduate who completed a three year degree would have one year of residual entitlement remaining.An additional entitlement above the core four-year entitlement will be available for some priority subjects and longer courses, such as medicine. Further details on the LLE can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/lifelong-learning-entitlement-lle-overview.