Written questions by Dillon.

What steps her Department is taking to help schools in Newbury constituency support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.

Awaiting answer.

Whether specialist professionals, including habilitation specialists and Qualified Teachers of Children and Young People with Vision Impairment, will have a formal role in the development of Individual Support Plans.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment she has made of trends in the level of regional disparities in access to Qualified Teachers of Children and Young People with Vision Impairment.

Awaiting answer.

What steps she is taking to ensure that reforms to the special educational needs and disabilities system in England take account of the needs of children from armed forces families with additional needs.

As part of the consultation on the government’s special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reforms, I recently attended a roundtable hosted by the Armed Forces Community All-Party Parliamentary Group, to hear first-hand from armed forces families about the problems they face.The government’s proposed SEND reforms will better support children from mobile families. For example, education, health and care plans and new Individual Support Plans will be digital, which will support smoother transitions when service children move between schools or local authorities.National Inclusion Standards will set out support available in every mainstream setting, and a nationally consistent set of Specialist Provision Packages will provide comprehensive, evidence-based packages of support for children and young people with the most complex needs.Schools receive targeted funding through the Service Pupil Premium, with over £26 million allocated in 2026/27. Schools can use this funding flexibly to provide pastoral, academic and transition support to mitigate effects of mobility and parental deployment, supported by joint Department for Education and Ministry of Defence guidance.

What assessment she has made of the impact of reductions in the number of (a) teaching assistants, (b) support staff and (c) teachers on (i) pupils with special educational needs and disabilities and (ii) other pupils requiring additional learning support.

As part of our Plan for Change, we are committed to recruiting an additional 6,500 new expert teachers across secondary and special schools, and colleges, over the course of this Parliament.We are already making good progress. The teaching workforce has grown by 2,346 full-time equivalent (FTE) between 2023/24 and 2024/25 in secondary and special schools, the schools where they are needed most.The number of FTE school support staff has increased by 7,100 (1.4%) since 2023/24, which is mainly due to an increase of 5,900 teaching assistants.Our recent ‘Every child achieving and thriving’ white paper sets out the government’s vision for reforms to the schools and special educational needs and disabilities systems in England to ensure that every child can achieve and thrive.

What steps her Department is taking to help schools in the Newbury constituency to support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.

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

What plans she has to place greater emphasis on the development of work-related skills in schools and colleges.

The department’s reforms will prepare children for the modern world, ensuring every pupil develops essential knowledge and skills for life, work and innovation. We will strengthen the curriculum by embedding critical media literacy and sustainability and improving financial education. A refreshed computing curriculum will build early digital confidence, including core learning on artificial intelligence, and integrate digital skills across subjects.Colleges already deliver a wide range of technical or vocational provision aimed at equipping students with the skills they need for work or higher study, such as T Levels, based on employer-designed standards with a 45-day industry placement.Reforms set out in the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper to develop the skilled workforce our economy needs include new V Levels, expansion of T Levels; and clearer Level 2 routes through Occupational and Further Study Pathways.We are also strengthening careers advice and guidance in schools, driven by updated Gatsby Benchmarks and our commitment to deliver at least two weeks’ worth of work experience for all pupils.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of replacing a proposed cap on the number of branded school uniform items with a monetary cap set by regulations.

I refer the hon. Member for Newbury to the answer of 9 March 2026 to Question 114997.

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the potential impact of reforms to integrated care boards, including staffing reductions, on their role in SEND commissioning.

The department will continue to work closely with the Department of Health and Social Care as well as NHS England to ensure that special educational needs and disabilities reforms are co-ordinated across education and health, and local leaders are supported to manage the transition effectively.The government is also providing substantial, targeted investment to help local areas grow and strengthen their specialist workforce. Over the next three years, £1.8 billion will be made available to local area partnerships to develop and roll out the Experts at Hand offer.We have also announced over £40 million to expand the specialist workforce, including £15 million for new advanced speech and language therapy practitioner roles, and £26 million to train at least 200 educational psychologists per year from 2026 and 2027.

What steps she is taking to support young adults in Newbury constituency with financial difficulties as a result of freezes to the Plan 2 student loan repayment threshold.

Plan 2 loans were designed and implemented by previous governments, and we are having to make hard choices to balance taxpayer and borrower interests to ensure that the student finance system remains sustainable.Student loan repayments are linked to income, not to the amount borrowed or interest applied. The repayment threshold will rise in April 2026, to £29,385 which is a higher rate than the average graduate salary three years after graduation. As repayments remain income-contingent if a borrower’s salary remains the same, their monthly repayments will also stay the same. Repayments are made at a constant rate of 9% above the earnings threshold, and the 9% rate strikes a balance between affordability for graduates and fairness to taxpayers. Even with the freeze, in year one the average borrower on a Plan 2 loan will repay around £8 more than had the freeze not been enforced.Those earning below the earnings threshold do not make repayments. Any outstanding loan including interest built up, is cancelled at the end of the loan term with no detriment to the borrower, and debt is never passed on to family members or descendants. This is a deliberate government investment in students and the economy.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of freezes to the Plan 2 student loan repayment threshold on recent graduates.

Plan 2 loans were designed and implemented by previous governments, and we are having to make hard choices to balance taxpayer and borrower interests to ensure that the student finance system remains sustainable.Student loan repayments are linked to income, not to the amount borrowed or interest applied. The repayment threshold will rise in April 2026, to £29,385 which is a higher rate than the average graduate salary three years after graduation. As repayments remain income-contingent if a borrower’s salary remains the same, their monthly repayments will also stay the same. Repayments are made at a constant rate of 9% above the earnings threshold, and the 9% rate strikes a balance between affordability for graduates and fairness to taxpayers. Even with the freeze, in year one the average borrower on a Plan 2 loan will repay around £8 more than had the freeze not been enforced.Those earning below the earnings threshold do not make repayments. Any outstanding loan including interest built up, is cancelled at the end of the loan term with no detriment to the borrower, and debt is never passed on to family members or descendants. This is a deliberate government investment in students and the economy.

How her Department plans to promote the National Year of Reading within early years policy and strategy during 2026 and beyond.

I refer the hon. Member for Newbury to the answer of 16 February 2026 to Question 111973.

What plans her Department has to help reduce levels of school exclusion related to (a) drugs and (b) alcohol in West Berkshire.

The department publishes detailed exclusion data at a regional and local authority level and regularly monitors trends in school exclusion rates for pupil groups.The department is delivering a comprehensive programme of behaviour support for schools, including Attendance and Behaviour Hubs which are targeting schools with the highest need and providing wider national support The Suspension and Permanent Exclusion guidance states that schools, local authorities, and partners should work together to understand local trends. Local leaders should also use this to plan and implement targeted action suitable to local context. The guidance can be read in full here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-exclusion.Furthermore, the statutory relationships, sex and health education guidance includes curriculum content on drugs, alcohol, tobacco and vaping to ensure that pupils can understand the risks and implications of misuse. This guidance can be read in full here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.

What steps her Department is taking to address levels of school exclusion in West Berkshire.

The department publishes detailed exclusion data at a regional and local authority level and regularly monitors trends in school exclusion rates for pupil groups.The department is delivering a comprehensive programme of behaviour support for schools, including Attendance and Behaviour Hubs which are targeting schools with the highest need and providing wider national support The Suspension and Permanent Exclusion guidance states that schools, local authorities, and partners should work together to understand local trends. Local leaders should also use this to plan and implement targeted action suitable to local context. The guidance can be read in full here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-exclusion.Furthermore, the statutory relationships, sex and health education guidance includes curriculum content on drugs, alcohol, tobacco and vaping to ensure that pupils can understand the risks and implications of misuse. This guidance can be read in full here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.

What steps she is taking to address regional disparities in school exclusion rates.

The department publishes detailed exclusion data at a regional and local authority level and regularly monitors trends in school exclusion rates for pupil groups.The department is delivering a comprehensive programme of behaviour support for schools, including Attendance and Behaviour Hubs which are targeting schools with the highest need and providing wider national support The Suspension and Permanent Exclusion guidance states that schools, local authorities, and partners should work together to understand local trends. Local leaders should also use this to plan and implement targeted action suitable to local context. The guidance can be read in full here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-exclusion.Furthermore, the statutory relationships, sex and health education guidance includes curriculum content on drugs, alcohol, tobacco and vaping to ensure that pupils can understand the risks and implications of misuse. This guidance can be read in full here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.

What steps she is taking to encourage businesses to offer work placements for 16 to 18 year-olds within and outside the T Level programme.

T Levels give young people a strong route into skilled employment, with 96% of completing students completing their industry placement last year. The Skills for Life campaign raises awareness of T Levels and other training, ensuring businesses understand their value. Our network of over 1,000 T Level ambassadors strengthens understanding and engagement with businesses. The Careers & Enterprise Company provides resources to help employers engage with schools and colleges. Local careers hubs coordinate employer encounters such as work experience placements, career talks and mentoring. The department is delivering a targeted small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) campaign to increase awareness of T Level industry placements and encourage more employers to take part. The government is investing £6.3 million through the employer support fund to encourage SMEs and key‑sector employers to host T Level placements supporting with hosting costs. As part of the construction skills package, the government has committed £100 million to support 40,000 industry placements each year for level 2 and 3 construction learners.

What steps she is taking to increase employer awareness of training programmes available beyond apprenticeships.

The government’s Skills for Life campaign promotes the wide range of range of training options available to employers, including apprenticeships, T Levels and Higher Technical Qualifications. This includes digital advertising, public relations, social media, trade press partnerships and collaboration with business organisations. We offer support, events and guidance to T Level providers to develop and implement effective employer engagement strategies. Our network of over 1000 T Level Ambassadors builds T Level understanding and engagement in the business community. 1,390 businesses of all sizes are using our Employer Standards framework to assess and report on the impact of their employer engagement, helping to open new pathways and opportunities in their sector for young people.Local Skills Improvement Plans bring together local employers, leaders and training providers to identify and address skills needs, giving employers a strategic voice in shaping skills provision and support to recruit/train skilled workforces.

What steps she is taking to improve the quality and availability of industry placements for T Levels.

T Levels are providing excellent opportunities for young people to progress into skilled jobs and careers, and 96% of students in receipt of a T Level result completed their industry placement last year. The national Skills for Life campaign raises awareness of skills development that includes T Levels, ensuring businesses and learners understand their value. Our network of over 1,000 T Level Ambassadors builds T Level understanding and engagement in the business community. The department supports employers to host high-quality placements through guidance, workshops and direct support. Our digital Connect service supports local providers and employers to connect with each other and our updated delivery approaches allow greater flexibility for providers to design a high-quality placement experience. We provide targeted support for industry placements in specific sectors and localities, with seven industry placement coordinators currently in local NHS integrated care systems, and an employer support fund supporting small and medium sized enterprises and priority sectors with the essential costs of hosting a placement.

What plans she has to increases levels of emphasis on the development of work-related skills in schools and colleges.

A reformed national curriculum will provide pupils with a broad range of knowledge and skills that prepares them for adult life. The department will prepare young people for life and careers in a changing world, embedding vital applied knowledge skills in financial, media and digital literacy in the revised curriculum, improving climate and sustainability education. We will make citizenship compulsory in key stages 1 and 2 and will explore a new level 3 qualification in data science and artificial intelligence. We are also setting out a new enrichment framework for every pupil, which will help them play, explore, create, and develop wider life skills. We will develop ‘V Levels’ as the pathway of vocational qualifications at level 3 for young people. These will be linked to occupational standards. This will be complemented by sharing best practice between 16-19 providers to ensure students develop the important applied knowledge and transferable skills for adulthood.

What plans she has to increases levels of emphasis on the development of essential life skills in schools and colleges.

A reformed national curriculum will provide pupils with a broad range of knowledge and skills that prepares them for adult life. The department will prepare young people for life and careers in a changing world, embedding vital applied knowledge skills in financial, media and digital literacy in the revised curriculum, improving climate and sustainability education. We will make citizenship compulsory in key stages 1 and 2 and will explore a new level 3 qualification in data science and artificial intelligence. We are also setting out a new enrichment framework for every pupil, which will help them play, explore, create, and develop wider life skills. We will develop ‘V Levels’ as the pathway of vocational qualifications at level 3 for young people. These will be linked to occupational standards. This will be complemented by sharing best practice between 16-19 providers to ensure students develop the important applied knowledge and transferable skills for adulthood.