Written questions by Blundell.

What steps she is taking to help reduce the level of school absences among working class students.

Absence is a key barrier to opportunity. Children need to be in school to achieve and thrive. The government recognises that some pupils, including those eligible for free school meals, face additional barriers to regular attendance. This is why the department is rolling out free breakfast clubs in all primary schools from April 2026. Schools can also use Pupil Premium to fund evidence‑based attendance and behaviour support.Our statutory ‘Working Together to Improve School Attendance’ guidance supports the attendance of all children, including those families on lower incomes.We provide real‑time data and attendance toolkits so schools, trusts and local authorities can diagnose drivers of absence and adopt practice, including bespoke attendance targets, personalised roadmaps back to pre‑pandemic levels, and benchmarking against statistically similar schools.This month, the regional improvement for standards and excellence (RISE) attendance and behaviour hubs will launch fully with support reaching 4500 schools nationally with intensive one-to-one support for up to 500 schools every year.Our attendance mentoring programme is supporting 10,000 persistently absent children in ten areas with some of the worst attendance rates.

What assessment she has made of the level of interest rates on student loans.

Student loans are subject to interest to ensure that those who can afford to do so contribute to the full cost of their degree. Interest rates do not impact monthly repayments made by student loan borrowers. Regular repayments are based on a borrower’s monthly or weekly income, not on interest rates or the amount borrowed. Outstanding debt, including interest built up, is cancelled after the loan term ends (or in case of death or disability) at no detriment to the borrower. A full equality impact assessment of how the student loan reforms may affect graduates under Plan 5, was produced and published in February 2022 and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reform-equality-impact-assessment.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of financial literacy and basic life skills education in secondary schools.

The government is committed to strengthening pupils’ foundational understanding of financial education in mathematics and citizenship following publication of the Curriculum and Assessment Review final report in November 2025. The department will engage with sector experts and young people in how best to reflect this, and life skills content, in the updated curriculum. There will be public consultation on updated curriculum programmes of study in 2026, seeking views on the content before they are finalised. Oak National Academy, an independent arm’s length body, provides high quality curriculum materials to support financial literacy. The government is determined that every child has access to enriching activities that develop their essential skills. We have set out an enrichment offer schools and colleges should aim to provide for all children, including civic engagement; arts and culture; nature, outdoor and adventure; sport and physical activities; and developing wider life skills.

If she will take steps to include financial literacy and life skills education as a mandatory and assessed part of the secondary school curriculum.

The government is committed to strengthening pupils’ foundational understanding of financial education in mathematics and citizenship following publication of the Curriculum and Assessment Review final report in November 2025. The department will engage with sector experts and young people in how best to reflect this, and life skills content, in the updated curriculum. There will be public consultation on updated curriculum programmes of study in 2026, seeking views on the content before they are finalised. Oak National Academy, an independent arm’s length body, provides high quality curriculum materials to support financial literacy. The government is determined that every child has access to enriching activities that develop their essential skills. We have set out an enrichment offer schools and colleges should aim to provide for all children, including civic engagement; arts and culture; nature, outdoor and adventure; sport and physical activities; and developing wider life skills.

What steps she is taking to help improve levels of attainment among working class pupils.

Too many children are held back by their background. That is why, through the Opportunity Mission, we will break the link between background and future success.The ‘Every child achieving and thriving’ White Paper establishes the department’s plan to improve the outcomes of all children, building on support at home with a stretching, enriching and inclusive school experience. Our ambition is that all children achieve higher standards and the disadvantage gap is halved. This equates to 30,000 more disadvantaged young people passing their English and maths GCSEs than today.Additionally, we are driving standards through new RISE teams, a refreshed high-quality curriculum and assessment system and recruiting 6,500 additional teachers - as well as taking action to address barriers to learning.Alongside this, around £3.2 billion is being provided in the 2026/27 financial year to state-funded schools in England through the pupil premium, to support disadvantaged pupils so they achieve and thrive in education.'Giving every child the best start in life' sets out the immediate steps to deliver on our commitment to make early education and childcare more accessible and affordable. We have rolled out the expansion of government funded hours so that working parents can now access 30 hours per week from the term after their child turns nine months. We’ve also announced Best Start Family Hubs, backed by £500 million, and launched the Better Futures Fund, a new £500 million fund to break down barriers to opportunity for up to 200,000 vulnerable children and young people.Finally, our Child Poverty Strategy will lift 550,000 children out of poverty by 2030. This includes the expansion of free school meals. Providing over half a million disadvantaged children with a free lunchtime meal will lead to higher attainment, improved behaviour and better outcomes.

What steps she is taking to help improve SEND provision in mainstream schools.

The department has announced plans for special educational needs and disabilities reform, with further information available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/every-child-achieving-and-thriving.An inclusive education system for all children and young people requires a strong universal offer. We will introduce new National Inclusion Standards to guide schools on what effective, inclusive universal provision and evidence-based targeted provision looks like.For those whose needs cannot be met through the universal offer alone, there will be additional layers of support (targeted, targeted plus and specialist). A duty will be placed on settings to produce an Individual Support Plan for any pupil receiving targeted or specialist support, developed together with parents and young people to ensure every professional understands their needs and how best to support them.We have announced £1.6 billion for an Inclusive Mainstream Fund to support schools, colleges and early years settings to embed inclusive practice over the next three years. We will provide educators with a new landmark training package on inclusion, with an investment of over £200 million over three years. We have also announced a new £1.8 billion investment over three years to deliver expertise to all settings from Educational Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists and Occupational Therapists. We are consulting on our plans for reform and encourage the sharing of views through the ongoing consultation at: https://consult.education.gov.uk/send-strategy-division/send-reform-putting-children-and-young-people-firs/.

Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring at least 10% of social housing stock to be let as furnished.

From 2 July to 12 September last year, we consulted on a reformed and modernised Decent Homes Standard for social and privately rented homes.As part of that consultation, we sought views on how guidance might be used to encourage and support landlords to go further in improving quality including in relation to the provision of furniture.Over recent months we have been analysing the responses submitted and will set out our response in the near future.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to expedite nationally significant infrastructure projects.

The government made 21 decisions on Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) in the first year of this Parliament. This compares with the first year of the last Parliament in which only 15 decisions were made and represents the highest number of annual decisions made since the NSIP programme was introduced in 2011. 27 NSIP decisions have been made so far since the start of this Parliament.Following acceptance by the Planning Inspectorate, NSIP applications are being processed on average 50 days quicker in this Parliament than in the last.Through the relevant provisions of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, we are seeking to reduce the average time it takes reach a decision on an NSIP project from its peak of 4.2 years under the previous government.To achieve our Plan for Change milestone of fast-tracking 150 planning decisions, we will need an average of 32 decisions per year from July 2025. While we have not achieved this in our first year, we expect the rate of decisions to continue to accelerate alongside the already seen increase in projects entering the pipeline.

Communities and Local Government, if he will consider a) adopting a gender-informed definition of rough sleeping and homelessness, b) providing local authorities with tools, resources, and guidance on gathering accurate and inclusive data on women’s rough sleeping and homelessness and c) providing gender-informed guidance to enable local authorities to ensure services and systems are equitable, accessible and safe for women, matched with appropriate levels of funding to do so.

The Government recognises that women experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping have different experiences and needs to men.The Government introduced a new question in the Rough Sleeping Monthly Management Information to capture the gender of those sleeping rough over the course of a month, rather than on a single night.The Government has increased funding for homelessness services by £316 million to a record total of more than £1 billion. Local authorities can use this money to respond to local need, including those of women in their area. We are considering the needs of different cohorts in our cross-Government homelessness strategy, which will be published later this year.

What steps he is taking to ensure that the appropriate amount of (a) iron and (b) vitamins is in food marketed for children under 36 months.

Children’s early years provide an important foundation for their future health and strongly influence many aspects of wellbeing in later life.The Department has regulations in place that set nutritional, compositional, and labelling standards for commercial baby food for children from six to 36 months. These include maximum levels of iron, and minimum and maximum levels of some vitamins that can be added to commercial baby food. We continue to keep these regulations under review to ensure that the composition of infant food and drinks reflect the latest scientific advice and dietary guidelines. It is the responsibility of individual businesses to ensure they comply with the law and the responsibility of local authorities to enforce the law.

What steps he is taking to ensure that industry follows Commercial Food and Drink Voluntary Industry Guidelines on health claims.

Voluntary guidelines published in August 2025 require commercial baby food and drink businesses for children under 36 months to restrict implied nutrition and health claims on labels. These claims can lead to parents overestimating the healthiness of the product. Businesses are expected to comply by February 2027.We will monitor progress after that time, to ensure businesses have the maximum time available to make these changes.The Government will consider additional or alternative measures if businesses fail to implement these guidelines.

With reference to the recommendations in the report by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition entitled Feeding young children aged 1 to 5 years, last updated 8 May 2024.whether she plans to take steps to make an assessment on the potential impact of (a) food pouches and (b) highly blended food on the development of (i) chewing skills, (ii) oral motor function and (iii) dental health in children under 36 months.

Two research projects have been commissioned that will consider the impact of commercially manufactured baby foods on dental health. These are based on research recommendations made in the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition report Feeding young children aged 1 to 5 years and are funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).One is the Studying Health Impacts of Early Diets project, that runs from December 2024 to May 2027. The overall aim of this project is to assess how the diet of children aged between one and five years old in the United Kingdom influences their health in childhood, adolescence and early adulthood.The other is the Growing Well Study running from March 2025 to March 2028. This study aims to understand more about the eating habits of children aged between one and five years old, and how this affects their growth and dental health.No Government-funded research is currently underway that is considering the potential impact of food pouches and highly blended food on the development of chewing skills or oral motor function in children aged under 36 months.The Department commissions research through the NIHR. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including the health impacts of infant feeding practices.

Whether his Department plans to publish details of (a) findings, (b) good practice and (c) value-for-money assessments from Trailblazer schemes.

Trailblazers were launched from April 2025 across 17 areas and are testing more localised delivery approaches to support young people and those who are economically inactive to move closer to the labour market. The Trailblazer areas are required to demonstrate to the Department satisfactory progress towards implementing their agreed delivery plans. Management Information is being collected by the areas and will be shared with the Department, which includes volumes and characteristics of people supported by the Trailblazers. The Department expects to publish scoping research in 2026, which was commissioned to baseline Trailblazer plans and inform the evaluation design. The Department will be commissioning a new evaluation contract, starting in December 2025, and we will then agree the most effective approach to evidencing outcomes, good practice and value for money. Where applicable this will include evidence on improving mental health, tackling social isolation and supporting sustained employment. We expect to publish interim findings during the next two years and will develop the value for money assessment once longer term impacts have been developed. In addition, the Department is working closely with Trailblazer areas to support the design of their own local evaluations.

When his Department plans to undertake formal evaluation of the Trailblazer schemes currently in operation; and when that will be published.

Trailblazers were launched from April 2025 across 17 areas and are testing more localised delivery approaches to support young people and those who are economically inactive to move closer to the labour market. The Trailblazer areas are required to demonstrate to the Department satisfactory progress towards implementing their agreed delivery plans. Management Information is being collected by the areas and will be shared with the Department, which includes volumes and characteristics of people supported by the Trailblazers. The Department expects to publish scoping research in 2026, which was commissioned to baseline Trailblazer plans and inform the evaluation design. The Department will be commissioning a new evaluation contract, starting in December 2025, and we will then agree the most effective approach to evidencing outcomes, good practice and value for money. Where applicable this will include evidence on improving mental health, tackling social isolation and supporting sustained employment. We expect to publish interim findings during the next two years and will develop the value for money assessment once longer term impacts have been developed. In addition, the Department is working closely with Trailblazer areas to support the design of their own local evaluations.

What (a) performance metrics and (b) outcome indicators his Department is using to assess Trailblazer schemes; and what role (i) improving mental health, (ii) tackling social isolation and (ii) supporting sustained employment have in those.

Trailblazers were launched from April 2025 across 17 areas and are testing more localised delivery approaches to support young people and those who are economically inactive to move closer to the labour market. The Trailblazer areas are required to demonstrate to the Department satisfactory progress towards implementing their agreed delivery plans. Management Information is being collected by the areas and will be shared with the Department, which includes volumes and characteristics of people supported by the Trailblazers. The Department expects to publish scoping research in 2026, which was commissioned to baseline Trailblazer plans and inform the evaluation design. The Department will be commissioning a new evaluation contract, starting in December 2025, and we will then agree the most effective approach to evidencing outcomes, good practice and value for money. Where applicable this will include evidence on improving mental health, tackling social isolation and supporting sustained employment. We expect to publish interim findings during the next two years and will develop the value for money assessment once longer term impacts have been developed. In addition, the Department is working closely with Trailblazer areas to support the design of their own local evaluations.

What steps her Department is taking through the criminal justice system to protect children who become victims of stalking.

Stalking is an insidious crime that can leave victims, including children, living in fear just going about their daily lives. Recognising children as victims in their own right is vital and this Government will go further to ensure this is put into practice. This Government is fully committed to tackling stalking and doing all that it can to protect victims, including children.We have appointed Richard Wright KC to lead a review of the stalking legislation to determine whether the law should be changed to support a better understanding and better identification of stalking. It will examine the extent to which the legislation helps or hinders the effective management of stalking cases through the criminal justice system from identification to investigation and prosecution. The full review, including any recommendations, must be submitted to the Secretary of State by the end of March 2026.We are also delivering on the manifesto commitment to strengthen Stalking Protection Orders (SPOs). Through the Crime and Policing Bill we are introducing provisions which, once implemented, would provide for the courts to impose SPOs on conviction and acquittal of their own volition. SPOs are an essential tool designed to protect all victims of stalking at the earliest possible opportunity and address the perpetrator’s behaviours before they become entrenched or escalate in severity. SPOs support existing tools to ensure there are robust protections available to victims, including children.Through the Crime and Policing Bill, we are also introducing statutory guidance to set out the process by which the police should release identifying information about stalking perpetrators to victims so appropriate safeguards can be put in place, including for any relevant children.

Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to address the role of social media companies in enabling (a) harassment and (b) stalking through their platforms.

The Online Safety Act since its implementation in 2023 places legal duties on social media companies to tackle online harms, including harassment and stalking. Platforms must assess risks, swiftly remove illegal content, and implement measures to prevent abuse. They are also required to provide clear reporting tools. Ofcom, the independent regulator, is responsible for ensuring services are complying with their safety duties. The Act also introduced new communications offences, including cyber-flashing and threatening communications, strengthening protections against online harassment and stalking. The Secretary of State is taking steps to make cyberflashing, and assisting and encouraging self-harm priority offences, in addition to stalking and harassment already being priority offences, to strengthen the act further.

Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to establish accessible, non-police reporting pathways for (a) children and (b) young people who experience online harassment.

The Online Safety Act requires services in scope to take steps to protect children from both illegal content and harmful content, including abusive and bullying content. These services must implement easy-to-use reporting mechanisms for users to report illegal content and content harmful to children. Providers should respond quickly and effectively and signpost children to appropriate support.

What steps he is taking to support veterans into suitable employment in Greater Manchester.

Employment support from the Ministry of Defence is available to veterans in Greater Manchester, including the Career Transition Partnership, which can be accessed two years before and two years after leaving Service. In the last year, 88% using this service secured employment within six months. Op ASCEND, available two years after leaving, has helped support over 5,000 veterans and family members into sustainable careers.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that (a) developers in Greater Manchester adhere to their obligations under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and (b) section 106 funding is used for women’s sports amenities.

The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that access to high-quality open spaces and opportunities for sport and physical activity is important for the health and well-being of communities. The Framework sets out that planning policies should be based on robust and up-to-date assessments of the need for open space, sport and recreation facilities and opportunities for new provision, which plans should then seek to accommodate. Local planning authorities can use planning obligations, entered into under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended), to help mitigate the impact of a specific development to make it acceptable in planning terms. This could include, for example, requiring a developer to contribute towards the provision of public infrastructure such as sports facilities where this is necessary to make an otherwise unacceptable development acceptable. This will depend on the specifics of the development and is a matter for local decision makers. The government is clear that developers must deliver on their planning obligations. Section 106 planning obligations are legal agreements, and a local planning authority may take enforcement action in respect of any breach of the obligations contained within them. Enforcement is at the discretion of the local planning authority, and therefore it is for the local planning authority to decide whether enforcement action is appropriate in each case. The government is committed to strengthening the existing system of developer contributions to ensure new developments provide necessary affordable homes and infrastructure. Further details will be set out in due course.