Written questions by Hinds.

With reference to Table 4.1 entitled Budget 2025 policy decisions in the Budget Red Book, line item 43, Investing in Communities: Provide funding to refurbish and improve up to 200 playgrounds in England, which Department will disburse these funds.

At Autumn Budget 2025, the government announced £18 million for up to 200 children’s playgrounds in England. This funding will breathe new life into play areas, creating safe, exciting spaces for thousands of children. The government will provide more detail on the approach to allocating and delivery of this funding shortly.

With reference to Table 4.1 entitled Budget 2025 policy decisions in the Budget Red Book, line item 42, National Year of Reading: Fund state-funded secondary schools in England to increase book supplies, which Department will disburse these funds.

As part of the National Year of Reading, state-funded secondary schools in England will receive funding to purchase books to support and encourage reading enjoyment amongst their pupils. Funding will be distributed by the Department for Education, during the National Year of Reading 2026. This separate from the Dormant Assets Fund which will be used to fund libraries in primary schools and is administered by the Department for Culture Media and Sport. Details about the allocation of funds will be communicated in the coming months. This £5 million funding for books will accompany new continuous professional development training for secondary schools. The ‘Unlocking Reading’ programme starts in January 2026 and will equip schools with assessment tools and evidence-based strategies to support pupils with reading.

With reference to Table 4.1 entitled Budget 2025 policy decisions’ in the Budget Red Book, line item 43, Investing in Communities: Provide funding to refurbish and improve up to 200 playgrounds in England, how projects will apply and qualify for funding in this programme.

At Autumn Budget 2025, the government announced £18 million for up to 200 children’s playgrounds in England. This funding will breathe new life into play areas, creating safe, exciting spaces for thousands of children. The government will provide more detail on the approach to allocating and delivery of this funding shortly.

With reference to statement in the OBR’s report entitled Economic and fiscal outlook November 2025, page 122, that the Government has announced in the Budget that SEND provision will be fully absorbed into existing RDEL limits from 2028-29, whether this absorption will be in the Department for Education’s budget.

The autumn budget made clear that future special educational needs and disabilities funding implications will be managed within the overall government departmental expenditure limits envelope, such that the government would not expect local authorities to need to fund future special educational needs costs from general funds, once the statutory override ends at the end of 2027/28.

With reference to the OBR’s Economic and fiscal outlook November 2025, page 122, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the absorption of SEND provision into existing RDEL limits from 2028-29 on the Core Schools Budget.

To deliver these reforms, the department is putting more money into the education system, with £7 billion more being spent on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support compared to 2025/26. The department’s budgets will increase above previously planned funding at Autumn Budget 2025 by £3.5 billion in 2028/29 to support investment in the SEND system. In every year of this parliament, core funding for schools and SEND is expected to increase, subject to future Spending Reviews. As we invest in the system, we will update the SEND Code of Practice and legal requirements for support to be provided in all mainstream education settings from early years to post-16, thereby strengthening the law to make sure children and young people receive the help and support they need.

Whether her Department has undertaken research on the main causal factors of trends in the number of young children presenting with special needs.

International evidence indicates that the number of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is also increasing in comparable countries. Although definitions and systems vary considerably, the key drivers include improved understanding and diagnosis of need, as well as social and medical factors.The department is strengthening the evidence base of what works to improve inclusive practice in mainstream settings, for example through our recently published evidence reviews, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/identifying-and-supporting-the-needs-of-children-with-send-in-mainstream-settings.The department also funds a ‘What Works in SEND’ programme, which is delivered by the Research and Improvement for SEND Excellence Partnership. This programme produces research and local area case studies that harness best practice from practitioners and partner organisations on local area SEND service delivery.The Schools White Paper, due to be published in the new year, will set out how the department plans to move forward with reforms to improve the SEND system in future years.

From when and how frequently she plans to publish estimations of the impact and effectiveness of RISE teams.

Regional improvement for standards excellence (RISE) teams have already paired over 350 schools with RISE advisers and supporting organisations, including some of our strongest trusts with a record of turning around struggling schools, to share expertise and boost standards.The department expects to start publishing that data with appropriate comparisons over time during 2026.

By what measures the impact and effectiveness of Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence (RISE) teams will be assessed.

Regional improvement for standards excellence (RISE) teams have already paired over 350 schools with RISE advisers and supporting organisations, including some of our strongest trusts with a record of turning around struggling schools, to share expertise and boost standards.The impact of RISE intervention will rely on both a quantitative evaluation of the impact on pupils, aligned to the government’s Opportunity Mission for all children to achieve and thrive, and an evaluation on the process and delivery of RISE.An impact evaluation of the programme measuring change over time in key success measures, such as attainment and attendance, for schools receiving targeted RISE intervention set against a suitable group of comparator schools will be carried out in due course.

Whether maintained nursery schools will be eligible for capital funding in Phase 3 of the School-based Nurseries programme.

High quality early years is central to the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity, give every child the best possible start in life and is essential to our Plan for Change. School-based nurseries are one part of our diverse and vibrant early years landscape, and this government is boosting availability and access to early years places through the school-based nursery programme. Maintained nursery schools are eligible to apply for funding in Phase 2.Phase 3 of the programme will launch in early 2026, when the department will publish guidance covering eligibility criteria and our approach to funding.

At what geographical level deprivation criteria will be applied in Phase 3 of the School-based Nurseries programme.

High quality early years is central to the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity, give every child the best possible start in life and is essential to our Plan for Change. School-based nurseries are one part of our diverse and vibrant early years landscape, and this government is boosting availability and access to early years places through the school-based nursery programme. Maintained nursery schools are eligible to apply for funding in Phase 2.Phase 3 of the programme will launch in early 2026, when the department will publish guidance covering eligibility criteria and our approach to funding.

What steps her Department are taking to improve the accessibility of streets for people with sight loss.

The design and maintenance of local streets is the responsibility of local authorities, who are bound by the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty to ensure their infrastructure meets the needs of all users, including people with sight loss. The Department for Transport provides local authorities with best practice guidance to support accessible street design.The Department for Transport also works closely a range of stakeholders such as Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and Guide Dogs to inform policy and guidance on issues such as tactile paving, pavement parking, and bus stop accessibility.

Whether he will assess the potential merits of allowing local authorities to roll over unspent Connect to Work funding into the following year.

Expenditure on Connect to Work is annualised in line with standard practice for managing public funds. To retain funding controls, my Department cannot automatically carry forward underspends into future years. As part of the Connect to Work Delivery Plan approval process, local areas must profile their programme activity for the entire funding period, broken down by financial year and by month within those years. This ensures that funding is aligned with planned delivery and performance milestones. My Department will have regular performance conversations with lead authorities for Connect to Work and will seek to support any area that may not be delivering against their profile and will seek to support any area that may not be delivering against their profile. This will include the opportunity to reprofile in year as part of the annual review process

Media and Sport, if she will consider the potential merits of introducing a statutory definition of civic museums to include independent museums.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has no statutory definition for ‘civic museums’ as this is a label originating within the museums sector, which museums may choose to self-identify under. DCMS is advised by Arts Council England on the categorisation of museums: its policies for the sector and eligibility for support schemes are carefully designed to take into account the breadth of operating and governance models across the sector, as well as respond to new and emerging needs, including those faced by independent museums. There are no current plans to introduce a statutory definition of the term.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of increasing the eligibility of the Museum Renewal Fund to include independent museums.

The Museum Renewal Fund is an urgent intervention this financial year to provide time-limited support for museums with a local authority link. The Fund, delivered by Arts Council England, provided targeted support for museums and focused on supporting the financial resilience of museums caring predominantly for publicly-owned Collections, responding to a clear ask by the entire museums sector. It is now closed to applicants and the 75 recipients were announced in October 2025.DCMS provides a range of support for ACE-Accredited museums of all types, through Capital funds including the Museum Estate and Development Fund and the DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund, and tax incentives like the Museums and Galleries Exhibitions Tax Relief, and Museum VAT Refund Scheme.

Innovation and Technology, when her Department will publish its response to its recent consultation on Copyright and AI.

The consultation on Copyright and AI sought views on several topics relating to the interaction between copyright and artificial intelligence (AI) and received over 11,500 responses. The Government has carefully analysed the responses and will continue to engage extensively on this issue, including through technical working groups.The Government has committed to publish a progress update by 18 December 2025 and a full report by 18 March 2026.

What assessment she has made of (i) the economic impact and (ii) potential cost savings for the pubs sector of introducing a 20p reduction in the business rates multiplier for all pubs.

In April 2026, the Government will introduce permanently lower business rates multipliers for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values below £500,000. This permanent tax cut will ensure that eligible properties, including pubs, benefit from much-needed certainty and support. Breweries that are wholly or mainly open to visiting members of the public (for instance, mainly used as a bar or for providing tours to the public) will also benefit from the lower multipliers. The final design, including the rates, for the new business rates multipliers will be announced at Budget 2025, so that the Government can factor the revaluation outcomes, as well as the broader economic and fiscal context, into decision-making. When the new multipliers are set, HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements. Ahead of the new multipliers being introduced, the Government prevented RHL business rates relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business. Under the previous Government, RHL relief was due to end entirely in April 2025, and so by extending it, the Government has saved the average pub, with a ratable value of £16,800, over £3,300.

How she will measure the impact of the 2026 'Year of Reading' on children and young people.

The National Year of Reading is a UK-wide campaign to address the steep decline in reading enjoyment amongst children, young people and adults, aiming to engage new audiences in reading and make lasting change to the nation’s reading habits.Grounded in existing evidence and new research by an external research agency, the campaign is designed to deliver meaningful impact during 2026 and beyond. The impact of the National Year of Reading will be measured through an independent external evaluation. The evaluation will examine how the campaign influences reading behaviours, connects with audiences and shapes attitudes towards reading, particularly among the campaign’s priority audiences including teenage boys, the early years, and families from disadvantaged communities. It will also assess the wider impact on the literacy sector and the foundations for long-term change. The findings will be published in 2027.

Media and Sport, with reference to the speech at the Labour Party Conference of 29 September 2025, on what evidential basis it was said that 1,700 primary schools do not have a school library.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has responsibility for the Dormant Assets Scheme, which is providing funding to support the primary school library commitment, previously announced by the Chancellor. Research by the National Literacy Trust estimates there are 1,700 primary schools in England currently without a library. A 2023 NLT report states that 1 in 7 UK state primary schools, rising to 1 in 4 in disadvantaged areas, do not have a library or dedicated library space. Through the Scheme, £132.5 million has been allocated to increasing disadvantaged young people’s access to enrichment opportunities in the arts, culture, sports and wider youth services, aimed at improving wellbeing and employability over the long term. Funding for this initiative will come from the £132.5m. It is for individual schools to decide how best to provide and maintain a library service for their pupils, including whether to employ a qualified librarian. The Department for Education, therefore, does not collect data on the number or structure of school libraries or number of librarians in primary or secondary schools.

Media and Sport, if she will publish interim indicators of progress towards the Government's ambition to add 1,700 primary school libraries.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has responsibility over the Dormant Assets Scheme.Through the Scheme, £132.5 million has been allocated to increasing disadvantaged young people’s access to enrichment opportunities in the arts, culture, sports and wider youth services, aimed at improving wellbeing and employability over the long term. Funding for this initiative will come from the £132.5m.The Government is working with The National Lottery Community Fund to co-design the programme and develop more of the specifics around its delivery. Further details will be announced in due course, including funding allocations.

Media and Sport, with reference to the Government's ambition that every primary school should have a library, how much funding will be available for (a) the building of libraries and (b) the conversion of existing buildings to libraries.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has responsibility over the Dormant Assets Scheme.Through the Scheme, £132.5 million has been allocated to increasing disadvantaged young people’s access to enrichment opportunities in the arts, culture, sports and wider youth services, aimed at improving wellbeing and employability over the long term. Funding for this initiative will come from the £132.5m.The Government is working with The National Lottery Community Fund to co-design the programme and develop more of the specifics around its delivery. Further details will be announced in due course, including funding allocations.