Written questions by Hinds.

How much (a) capital funding and (b) revenue funding has been allocated for the purchase of land near Junction 7 of the M3 for development of a new hospital for Basingstoke and North Hampshire.

The New Hospital Programme confirmed to the Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust on 7 May that it has included provision for the purchase of land for their scheme in this financial year’s capital budget. Revenue budget is not expected to be needed.The funding amount will be confirmed once the short form business case is approved as per the business case process set out in HM Treasury’s Green Book.

With reference to the policy paper entitled Generative artificial intelligence (AI) in education, updated 22 January 2025, what steps her Department is taking with the education sector to develop effective and safe use cases for the use of generative AI by school pupils.

In August 2024 the government announced the content store, which is a £3 million data library funded by the Department for Science and Technology. It will be used to provide large language artificial intelligence (AI) models with high-quality educational information, like curriculums and mark schemes. This means AI products will be even more effective at producing resources to help teachers.The department also announced the AI Tools for Education Funding, £1 million of funding through Innovate UK’s contracts for innovation programme, to help build AI tools that will help with teacher workload across all the key stages.In January 2025, to ensure the safety of children the department announced that leading global tech firms had jointly committed to making AI tools for education safer by design. Google, Microsoft, Adobe and Amazon Web Services are amongst the firms who have helped develop a set of expectations AI tools should meet to be considered safe for classroom use. The resulting Generative AI product safety expectations framework was announced on 22 January 2025.To support a clear ask from teachers and leaders, the department is developing online resources and guidance materials to help teachers and leaders use AI safely in their setting. We expect the resources to be published in summer 2025. The online resources and guidance materials for teachers will outline the basic information that everyone working with young people should know about using AI safely and some potential applications or basic training in how to use generative AI tools.

With reference to the policy paper entitled Generative artificial intelligence (AI) in education, updated 22 January 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the use of generative AI by school pupils on those school pupils.

The department is working to develop the evidence base for the safe and effective use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in education, including interventions to ensure teachers are equipped and supported to promote safe and appropriate use of AI.The department’s policy position on generative AI in education sets out advice on legal responsibilities related to data protection, keeping children safe in education and intellectual property law when considering the use of pupil-facing generative AI.A new departmental group will advise on digital, AI and technology to increase the future pipeline of talent and prepare children and young people for an AI and tech-enabled world, as well as promoting the use of AI and education technology for better teaching and learning. Expert and evidence-informed recommendations will be produced.The department is also developing online training resources and guidance materials for teachers and leaders, to be launched in the summer. The resources will help with the risks and opportunities of AI across settings as part of a wider digital strategy.In January 2025, the department announced that leading global tech firms had jointly committed to making AI tools for education safer by design. Google, Microsoft, Adobe and Amazon Web Services are amongst the firms who have helped develop a set of expectations AI tools should meet to be considered safe for classroom use. The Generative AI product safety expectations framework was published in January 2025.

Innovation and Technology, if he will hold discussions with online service platforms on the potential merits of taking steps to ensure that children between 13 and 15 years of age cannot (a) change family safety settings for online devices and (b) turn off their parents' ability to see their online activity without parental consent.

The government has high expectations there will be significant change in online experiences for children, as services start to comply with their duties under the Online Safety Act. Ofcom stands ready to act against services who fall short in protecting users.Ofcom’s final child safety codes outline over 40 measures that providers should consider to protect children online. Ofcom considered parental controls as part of the evidence base that informed these codes.Ministers have regular meetings with stakeholders, including social media companies, to discuss protecting children online. Details of ministerial meetings are published quarterly on gov.uk.

What data her Department holds on trends in the level of usage of coach transport (a) over time and (b) by sector.

The National Travel Survey asks individuals how frequently they use different modes of transport. Reported frequency of use of coach travel is as follows:Frequency of use of coach or express bus: England, 2003 onwards Less than once a year or neverOnce or more per year but less than once a monthOnce a month or more 200383%15%2% 200584%15%2% 200785%13%2% 200986%12%2% 201086%12%2% 201185%13%2% 201285%13%2% 201386%13%1% 201487%11%2% 201586%12%2% 201687%12%2% 201786%12%2% 201887%12%2% 201988%10%2% 202092%7%1% 202195%4%1% 202291%7%1% 202389%9%2% These data are available only for the sector as a whole.

Pursuant to the Answer of 10 December 2024 to Question 17083 on Mental Health Services: Schools, whether planned aspects of provision of access to a specialist mental health professional in every school go beyond the plan to introduce Mental Health Support Teams.

The Government has committed to expanding Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) in schools and colleges to reach 100% coverage by 2029/30. As the programme matures, the Department of Health and Social Care will work with the Department for Education to consider if there are ways the MHST offer can be improved to better support children and young people.We also continue to work with the Department for Education to deliver our commitment of providing access to a specialist mental health professional in every school in England. We are also working across Government and with NHS England to set up a network of community Young Futures hubs.We are currently developing the 10-Year Health Plan with the public, staff, and patients. We continue to listen to emerging insights on children and young people’s mental health and are taking participants' concerns seriously. The consultation process has provided invaluable feedback, and we are in the process of exploring how we best take this forward.

With reference to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, whether a branded lanyard ribbon will count toward the proposed limit on the number of branded school uniform items.

This measure limits the number of compulsory branded items of uniform that schools can require to three or under. Secondary schools and middle schools will have the option to include an additional compulsory branded item if one of those items is a tie.The proposed legislation defines school uniform as a bag and any clothing required for school or for any lesson, club, activity or event facilitated by the school. Therefore, as it is not clothing or a bag, a branded lanyard ribbon would not count towards the limit on the number of branded school uniform items.We also expect schools to follow existing statutory guidance which is clear that all branded items should be kept to a minimum and that schools should carefully consider whether any branded item is the most cost-effective way of achieving the desired result for their uniform.

What discussions she has had with teachers on the use of applications using generative artificial intelligence for (a) lesson-planning and (b) resource-generating.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, ministers and departmental officials engage extensively with teachers, leaders, support staff and experts to both respond to the implications of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies and to support schools to teach a knowledge-rich computing curriculum up to 16. In March, the Secretary of State for Education along with my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology attended a department-sponsored Hackathon, a demonstration of AI tools, which explored how these can save time for teachers, leaders and support staff.The department has adopted a collaborative and innovation-focused approach to testing where AI can be effective in supporting educational delivery through looking domestically and internationally to understand good practice and investing in programmes that generate evidence and build understanding of what works.The AI content store project is pre-processing educational content and resources to support the creation of high-quality AI tools, initially for formative assessment, as part of the Innovate UK funding competition.Following the department’s call for evidence on generative AI, we are developing online resources and guidance materials to support school AI safely, to be published this year. The Chiltern Learning Trust and the Chartered College of Teaching have been contracted to deliver these resources, developed collaboratively with the sector.In addition, the department provided up to £2 million funding to support Oak National Academy to develop AI tools for teachers including an AI lesson planning assistant, Aila, that helps teachers create personalised lesson plans and resources in minutes, saving them hours.

What assessment she has made of the level of use by teachers of generative artificial intelligence to support lesson-planning and resource-creation or tailoring.

The department launched a call for evidence on generative artificial intelligence (AI) in education, which sought views and experiences from practitioners, the Edtech sector and AI experts on the use of generative AI in education, including to support lesson planning and resource creation. The department published a report on the views of educators and experts on generative AI, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/generative-ai-in-education-educator-and-expert-views.The department commissioned a ‘use cases for generative AI’ or ‘Hackathons’ project, working with Faculty Science Ltd in partnership with the National Institute of Teaching to assess possible uses for generative AI in education.Following on from this, the department is now piloting an Edtech evidence board to bring together a group of experts to assess and evaluate the impact of Edtech tools, including generative AI tools, on teaching and learning against set criteria. This could then be shared with the sector to support and inform their technology choices.In addition, the department provided £2 million funding to support Oak National Academy to develop AI tools for teachers. Oak has launched an AI lesson assistant, Aila, that can help teachers plan lessons.The department is also funding Ofsted to gather insights from early-adopter schools and further education colleges on the use of AI and the role leaders are playing. The aim of this research is to provide an up-to-date assessment of what emerging practice is developing.

If she will make it her Department’s policy that public examinations are handwritten other than (a) for candidates with (i) special educational needs and (ii) disabilities and (b) for practical skills.

The majority of GCSE and A level examinations are handwritten in England. The department has been working closely with Ofqual, the independent regulator of qualifications and assessments, to consider the potential benefits and risks of greater use of onscreen assessment in high stakes qualifications and to carry out research to understand the implications for schools and colleges, students and other stakeholders. The ongoing Curriculum and Assessment Review will also continue to consider evidence on this topic. Any final decisions about the future of onscreen examinations over the long term will be informed by evidence and the views of stakeholders.

What assessment she has made of trends in the level of school pupils using generative artificial intelligence for completing homework.

While no formal assessment has been made of trends in using artificial intelligence (AI) for homework, the department is working to ensure teachers are equipped and supported to promote safe and appropriate use of AI.The National Centre for Computing Education provides support. Their course ‘AI in key stage 3 computing’ supports teacher AI understanding and how to promote effective and safe use.A new departmental group will advise on AI and technology to increase the future pipeline of talent and prepare children and young people for an AI and tech-enabled world, as well as promoting the use of AI and educational technology for better teaching and learning. Expert and evidence-informed recommendations will be produced.Where pupils complete coursework as part of their homework, guidance on the use of AI is available to teachers via the Joint Council for Qualifications. Schools, colleges and awarding organisations need to continue taking reasonable steps to prevent malpractice involving the use of generative AI. The guidance includes:What counts as AI misuse and real-life examples of malpractice.The requirements for teachers and exam centres to help prevent and detect malpractice.AI use and marking.An expanded list of AI tools, including AI detection tools.

What assessment she has made of trends in the level of undergraduates using generative artificial intelligence for completing assignments.

Universities are independent and autonomous bodies responsible for decisions including course content and teaching and assessment. As such, they are responsible for designing and implementing their own policies and approaches to the use of artificial intelligence (AI).Universities and colleges rightly have policies in place to identify and respond to cheating in assessment. The consequences for students can be severe, including removal from their course. With the support of the Academic Integrity Advisory Group, the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education has developed an Academic Integrity Charter, which sets out key guiding principles to support academic integrity policy development and practice in UK higher education. Over 200 institutions have pledged to implement the Charter’s principles and commitments, working with staff and students to promote academic integrity and take action against academic misconduct.The sector is developing guidelines for ethical and responsible use of generative AI for staff and students. In July 2023 the Russell Group published a set of principles, developed in partnership with educational experts, recognising the risks of AI and committing its members to helping staff and students become leaders in an increasingly AI-enabled world.

What guidance her Department provides to (a) school leaders and (b) teachers on how to counter inappropriate use of Generative AI by pupils.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) presents a number of risks which need to be managed carefully. The department is developing online training resources and guidance materials for teachers and leaders. The resources will help with the risks and opportunities of AI across settings as part of a wider digital strategy. We expect the resources to be published in summer 2025.In January 2025, to ensure the safety of our children, the department announced that leading global tech firms had jointly committed to making AI tools for education safer by design. Google, Microsoft, Adobe and Amazon Web Services are amongst the firms who have helped develop a set of expectations, AI tools should meet to be considered safe for classroom use. The 'Generative AI: product safety expectations' framework was published in January 2025.The department is funding Ofsted to conduct research into how early adopter schools and further education colleges are using AI to support teaching and learning and manage administrative systems and processes. This research will provide an up-to-date assessment of what emerging practices are developing in the education sector's use of AI and the role that school and college leaders are playing in supporting innovation through embedding AI and managing associated risks.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 31842 on Power Failures, what geographical segmentation data on power outage (a) incidence and (b) duration are available.

There is no geographical information available to be published by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on power outage incidence and duration. However, Ofgem publishes data annually on the number of customer interruptions and the customer minutes lost due to power outages for each individual electricity Distribution Network Operator (which operate in different regions of Great Britain).

Pursuant to the Answers of 22 April 2025 to Questions 41031, 41032, 41033 and 41034 on Free School Meals: Primary Education, what estimate has she made of the average amount of funding from her Department for each pupil participating in the new school breakfast pilot.

The department is funding 750 early adopter schools to provide access to a free, universal breakfast club lasting at least 30 minutes. Schools will receive a combination of set-up, fixed-term and per-pupil payments to cover staffing, delivery and food. Funding rates vary depending on uptake and pupil characteristics.On average, a school with 50% take-up would receive around £23,000 for a full year. The funding model is designed to ensure that allocations reflect actual take up in early adopter schools.A key aim of the early adopter programme is to test and learn about take-up across a diverse range of schools, to help inform future national rollout.The department used existing programmes and cost data to determine the funding rates and methodology, which have been tested and refined with a number of schools. It is designed to ensure schools can meet the minimum expectations, including a 30 minute breakfast club with food that meets the school food standards.

Pursuant to the Answers of 22 April 2025 to Questions 41031, 41032, 41033 and 41034, on Free School Meals: Primary Education, whether her Department’s modelling for the breakfast club early adopter scheme assumes an average take up of 50 per cent.

The department is funding 750 early adopter schools to provide access to a free, universal breakfast club lasting at least 30 minutes. Schools will receive a combination of set-up, fixed-term and per-pupil payments to cover staffing, delivery and food. Funding rates vary depending on uptake and pupil characteristics.On average, a school with 50% take-up would receive around £23,000 for a full year. The funding model is designed to ensure that allocations reflect actual take up in early adopter schools.A key aim of the early adopter programme is to test and learn about take-up across a diverse range of schools, to help inform future national rollout.The department used existing programmes and cost data to determine the funding rates and methodology, which have been tested and refined with a number of schools. It is designed to ensure schools can meet the minimum expectations, including a 30 minute breakfast club with food that meets the school food standards.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 April 2025 to Question 43038 on Prisons: Overcrowding, how many and what proportion of the Operation Safeguard police cells made available overnight were used.

Operation Safeguard is an important contingency measure used to ensure that the current demand on prison places does not cause undue disruption to Criminal Justice System partners. The first places were activated by the previous Government in February 2023. Between 20 February 2023 – 4 July 2024, 86,561 Operation Safeguard police cells were made available overnight. Over the same period, there were 2,564 overnight uses of Safeguard.

Pursuant to the Answers of 9 April 2025 to Questions 43036 on Prison Accommodation: Closures and 43032 and 43033 on Prison Accommodation, what the gross addition to prison estate capacity was from (a) new-build prisons, (b) extensions, (c) rapid deployment cells and (d) other additions without netting off the removal of places in each year for which data is available.

The previous Labour Government added nearly 28,000 places to the prison estate between 1997 and 2010. However, available records do not provide a breakdown for these figures of these places by category. For the gross additions to prison estate capacity relating to (a) new-build prisons and (b) extensions, I refer you to the table provided in response to PQs 36624 & 36626. For gross additions relating to (c) rapid deployment cells, I refer you to the table provided in PQ 36625. The information requested for part (d) is not available in a format showing gross additions only. This is because this category contains significant turnover of prison places coming in and out of use for temporary reductions, such as maintenance projects, and it is not possible to distinguish the gross additional capacity added over this period. Last year this Government announced plans to build 14,000 places by 2031 as part of our 10-year Prison Capacity Strategy. We have already started the 700-place expansion at HMP Highpoint in Suffolk in March, and a new houseblock providing nearly 460 places at HMP Rye Hill in Northamptonshire recently received its first prisoners. This week has also seen the opening HMP Millsike, which will hold nearly 1,500 prisoners.

With reference to her Written Statement of 22 October 2024 on Mainstream Free Schools, HCWS150, what progress her Department has made on the review of planned mainstream free schools.

The review that my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education announced in October 2024 will put a stop to the over-supply of unnecessary places and channel funding towards improving the deteriorating condition of existing schools and colleges and enable prioritisation of capital funding where it is most needed across the education estate to counter urgent condition need.Since the review was announced, departmental officials have been working through evidence gathered from trusts and local authorities to develop robust, evidence-based recommendations. We will update trusts and local authorities on next steps in due course.

Whether she plans for the rules on school uniform contained in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to be adjustable by secondary legislation.

For too many families, the cost of uniform remains a financial burden. ​This is why the department has introduced legislation to limit the number of branded items of uniform and PE kit that schools can require, to bring down costs for parents and remove barriers from children accessing sport and other school activities. The department believes a clear and transparent limit, set out in primary legislation, is the most effective way to make schools remove unnecessary and expensive branded items and bring down costs for parents. There are no plans for this measure contained in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to be adjustable by secondary legislation.