Written questions by McMurdock.

What steps her Department has taken to safeguard students at academy schools in Thurrock.

Awaiting answer.

What steps she has taken to ensure that students at academy schools in Thurrock receive a balanced education.

Awaiting answer.

What steps she is taking to improve early identification of children with Developmental Language Disorder in early years settings.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of current early language interventions in supporting children with developmental language disorder.

Awaiting answer.

What plans she has to include specialists with expertise in Development Language Disorder in the development of specialist provision frameworks.

Awaiting answer.

With reference to her Department’s press release entitled New powers to protect vital free speech at universities, published on 20 April 2026, what data her Department holds on incidents of foreign interference affecting campus events, speakers and academic research.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

With reference to their Department’s press release entitled New powers to protect vital free speech at universities, published on 20 April 2026, what assessment she has made of any role of student societies linked to foreign states in influencing campus discourse.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

With reference to her Department’s press release entitled New powers to protect vital free speech at universities, published on 20 April 2026, what information her Department holds on the countries most frequently reported to interfere with free speech in UK universities since 2020.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

With reference to their Department’s press release entitled New powers to protect vital free speech at universities, published on 20 April 2026, what role the proposed free speech complaints scheme will play in addressing incidents linked to foreign influence.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

With reference to their Department’s press release entitled New powers to protect vital free speech at universities, published on 20 April 2026, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of fines of up to £500,000 or 2% of income on the financial sustainability of higher education providers.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

With reference to their Department’s press release entitled New powers to protect vital free speech at universities, published on 20 April 2026, whether she has had discussions with the security services on identifying threats from hostile state actors in higher education.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

With reference to their Department’s press release entitled New powers to protect vital free speech at universities, published on 20 April 2026, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that students, staff and visiting speakers are aware of their rights under the new complaints scheme.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

With reference to their Department’s press release entitled New powers to protect vital free speech at universities, published on 20 April 2026, what assessment she has made of the role of external actors, including foreign states, in influencing free speech on UK campuses.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

With reference to their Department’s press release entitled New powers to protect vital free speech at universities, published on 20 April 2026, what criteria will be used by the Office for Students to determine whether a university has failed to uphold its duties on freedom of speech.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

With reference to their Department’s press release entitled New powers to protect vital free speech at universities, published on 20 April 2026, what assessment she has made of the scale of free speech breaches in higher education institutions in the last five years.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

What steps she is taking to reduce the proportion of young people who do not achieve a grade 4 in GCSE a) Maths and b) English by age 19.

The latest available data for the 2023/24 academic year shows that by age 19, 76.3% of young people in South Basildon and East Thurrock had achieved a grade 4 or above in GCSE English and 69.8% in GCSE maths, compared with national averages of 82.9% and 79.0%. The department has committed £27.7 million this financial year to raise reading standards and are introducing a new statutory year 8 reading test to strengthen reading at key stage 3. Curriculum and GCSE reforms will deliver clearer, better‑sequenced, content. Schools will be supported by the universal regional improvement for standards and excellence programme providing sector‑led school improvement support. As part of the Post‑16 Education and Skills White Paper, the department is introducing reforms to support progression to Level 2 English and maths. This includes new 16 to 19 Level 1 qualifications for lower‑attaining students, revising the accountability framework and sharing effective practice through a Further Education Commissioner guide.

What assessment she has made of the difference in attainment rates in GCSE a) English and b) Maths by age 19 between South Basildon and East Thurrock and the national average.

The latest available data for the 2023/24 academic year shows that by age 19, 76.3% of young people in South Basildon and East Thurrock had achieved a grade 4 or above in GCSE English and 69.8% in GCSE maths, compared with national averages of 82.9% and 79.0%. The department has committed £27.7 million this financial year to raise reading standards and are introducing a new statutory year 8 reading test to strengthen reading at key stage 3. Curriculum and GCSE reforms will deliver clearer, better‑sequenced, content. Schools will be supported by the universal regional improvement for standards and excellence programme providing sector‑led school improvement support. As part of the Post‑16 Education and Skills White Paper, the department is introducing reforms to support progression to Level 2 English and maths. This includes new 16 to 19 Level 1 qualifications for lower‑attaining students, revising the accountability framework and sharing effective practice through a Further Education Commissioner guide.

What support is being provided to schools and colleges in areas with higher than average rates of students not achieving a grade 4 in GCSE a) English and b) Maths.

The department has committed £27.7 million this financial year to raise reading standards. We are introducing a statutory reading check for pupils in year 8 to help ensure schools are identifying and providing targeted support to pupils.In the 2025/26 academic year, the department rolled out a secondary pilot of the English Hubs programme, to help address reading needs for schools most in need. In January 2026, all schools were given access to Unlocking Reading, a continuing professional development programme. English Hubs will continue supporting secondary schools into the 2026/27 academic year, with an increased number of schools receiving intensive support from literacy specialists.A national network of 40 Maths Hubs is supporting schools to improve teaching quality.  This network aims to improve the teaching of mathematics for all pupils in publicly funded schools by providing school-to-school support focussed on subject knowledge and pedagogy training for teachers, supporting teaching quality as well as workforce recruitment and retention.Following the Curriculum and Assessment Review, reforms to the national curriculum and GCSEs will deliver clearer, better sequenced content grounded in essential knowledge and skills. Schools also benefit from the universal regional improvement for standards and excellence programme, a sector-led approach providing access to high quality school improvement support.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of current school food standards in improving children’s nutritional outcomes.

The School Food Standards set the mandatory nutritional framework for food and drink provided in state‑funded schools in England. They are designed to ensure children receive the energy and nutrients they need during the school day, while giving schools flexibility to design menus that work for their pupils and local circumstances.Since the School Food Standards were introduced in 2015, evidence on sugar, fibre and childhood obesity has changed significantly and childhood obesity prevalence has increased. We are committed to raising the healthiest generation ever, so we are consulting on proposed updates to the School Food Standards in England to ensure that all food served at school, including at breakfast and lunch, better reflects current nutritional guidance and supports children’s health, wellbeing and learning. Details of the consultation are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/school-food-standards-updating-the-legislative-framework.

Whether she has had discussions with the Student Loans Company on its approval of funding for courses later deemed ineligible.

As part of the department’s wider work to protect public money in higher education, we take swift and proportionate action to identify fraud and error in the student finance system.We work closely with the Student Loans Company (SLC) to ensure student finance is delivered in line with statutory eligibility requirements and funding rules set by Ministers. Where courses are found to be ineligible, the department actively engages with the SLC to implement the appropriate actions in accordance with established processes.The government recognises the importance of minimising disruption to students where errors in funding eligibility occur and will carefully consider the impact on affected students.