Every parliamentary written question tabled by Navendu Mishra this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1–20 of 20 · Department for Education
Pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2026 to question 7572 titled AQA: Conditions of Employment and Pay, what discussions her Department had had with Ofqual specifically regarding pay and conditions for AQA staff.
As part of its role as the independent regulator of exams and assessments in England, Ofqual provided assurance to officials in the department that AQA had appropriate contingency arrangements in place to mitigate any potential risks to exam delivery.Whil...
Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of pausing accrued interest on Plan 2 student loans for graduates while on maternity leave.
Interest accrues on loan balances until the loan has been repaid in full or cancelled, but interest rates do not impact monthly repayments made by borrowers.Borrowers on Plan 2 terms have interest applied at a rate of Retail Price Index only when earnings...
Pursuant to the answer of 2 June 2026 to question 2901 titled Students: Loans, whether she has made an assessment on the potential merits of bringing the Plan 2 repayment threshold in line with today’s RPI infl
Awaiting answer.
If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of improving the national curriculum on education on littering and environmental responsibility.
The independent curriculum and assessment review recommended earlier sequencing and updated climate change, nature and sustainability content within the national curriculum subjects of geography, science, citizenship and design and technology. The governm...
Whether her Department has had discussions with the AQA exam board on staff pay and conditions.
Ofqual, the independent regulator of exams and assessments in England, oversees awarding organisations, including AQA, by conducting readiness reviews, evaluating their governance and ability to manage key delivery risks. The department has received assur...
What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of trauma-informed training for social workers involved in (a) child protection and (b) care arrangements.
All social workers in England must meet Social Work England’s professional standards, which set the minimum requirements for safe and effective practice, including promoting the rights, strengths and wellbeing of people, families and communities. Social w...
Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a lifetime cap on interest paid on Plan 2 student loans.
The government is capping the maximum interest rates on Plan 2 and 3 student loans at 6% for the 2026/27 academic year. We are clear it does not resolve all of the issues with the Plan 2 system, which was designed and implemented by the previous governmen...
If she has considered the merits of extending Pupil Premium funding to support disadvantaged students aged 16 to 19.
The 16 to 19 funding formula includes extra funding for disadvantaged students made up of two blocks: Disadvantage Block 1 funding recognises that there are additional costs incurred in engaging, recruiting, and retaining young people from economically di...
Whether she has made an assessment of the impact on care leavers of being placed in accommodation in areas other than those in which they were residing while in care.
While the department has not conducted a separate assessment, the needs of care leavers being placed in accommodation out of area are reviewed in line with the Children Act 1989 Guidance (Vol. 3 -planning transition to adulthood for care leavers), which s...
What steps her Department is taking (a) to ensure that charities operating as member organisations are not precluded from recognition as a body of persons and (b) to safeguard children and young persons participating in brass banding.
The department recognises the valuable role that charities and voluntary organisations play in supporting children and young people to participate in cultural and educational activities, including brass banding. The department is clear that a Body of Persons Approvalmay be applied for by any organisation responsible for putting on a performance involving children. Safeguarding children and young people is a fundamental priority for this government. All organisations involved in brass banding are expected to comply with relevant safeguarding legislation and guidance. This includes effective safeguarding policies, appropriate vetting and training of adults, and clear processes for reporting and responding to concerns, to ensure safe and positive participation for all young people. Moreover, many brass bands operate as Out‑of‑School Settings (providing activities for children, without their parents’ or carers’ supervision). The department has published guidance outlining the safeguarding standards we expect these settings to meet, and free accompanying e-learning.
What steps she is taking to ensure that primary and secondary school pupils in Greater Manchester are provided with nutritious, healthy and minimally processed food in schools.
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. The consultation will run for nine weeks, closing on 12 June 2026. More information is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/school-food-standards-updating-the-legislative-framework.We have worked with the Office of Health Improvement and Disparities at the Department of Health and Social Care and consulted health and academic experts on the issue of ultra-processed foods, to ensure all changes are evidence-based. We know that many products classified as ultra-processed foods are often high in free sugars, saturated fats and/or salt, and it is levels of these which we are trying to reduce, including processed meats, confectionery and savoury snacks.
Whether her department has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending the eligibility criteria for free childcare for working parents to include postgraduate research students.
It is our ambition that all families have access to high-quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life and delivering on our Plan for Change.Parents of students are eligible for the universal 15 hours of free early education which is available to all three and four-year-olds regardless of family circumstances.Students who work in addition to studying may be eligible for 30 hours free childcare if they meet the income requirements. PhD stipends are non-taxable income and therefore do not count towards the income requirements of the 30 hours childcare entitlement.The government recognises the value of parents continuing in education and provides a range of support for students in higher education to assist them with childcare.Through the Student Loans Company, the department offers a specific Childcare Grant (CCG) to support students with the costs of childcare whilst they are in study. The CCG offers parents support of up to 85% of their childcare costs up to a maximum of £183.75 a week for one child and £315.03 for two children. CCG support is provided to individuals where both parents are students, the student is a lone parent, or the student parent’s partner is on a low income. The government has no plans to extend CCG to postgraduate research students.
Whether her department plans to assess the (a) funding and (b) availability of the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund for families with children dealing with complex trauma in Stockport constituency.
The government has confirmed the adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF) will continue in 2026/27 and that applications which start in 2025/26 and which run into 2026-27 can be made. Details of the ASGSF from April 2026, including for families in Stockport, will be made available once departmental business planning decisions are completed. We will share details of the public engagement process on longer-term decisions as soon as possible.
If her Department will make an assessment of the adequacy of the availability of modern language A-level entry at (a) state schools and (b) colleges in (i) Stockport Borough and (ii) Greater Manchester.
The government is committed to ensuring that all pupils, regardless of location, have access to a high quality language education. This includes increasing the number of students studying languages at GCSE and ensuring that those who wish to continue to A level are able to do so.The department is continuing to fund the National Consortium for Languages Education (NCLE) to deliver a new model of support for schools. The programme offers free continuous professional development via Language Educators Online (LEO), supported by 14 Strategic Learning Networks and locally responsive National Priority Projects. It is research-informed, helping teachers collaborate and tackle key challenges in language education. Language teachers can join the NCLE Language Network in their area and sign up to LEO to keep up to date with current and evolving teaching practice in language education.To further support languages education, the government is offering a £20,000 tax-free bursary for trainee language teachers starting courses in 2026, or alternatively, a £22,000 tax-free scholarship for those training to teach French, German, or Spanish.
Whether her Department is taking steps to reduce regional disparities in modern language A-level (a) provision and (b) entries.
The government is committed to ensuring that all pupils, regardless of location, have access to a high quality language education. This includes increasing the number of students studying languages at GCSE and ensuring that those who wish to continue to A level are able to do so.The department is continuing to fund the National Consortium for Languages Education (NCLE) to deliver a new model of support for schools. The programme offers free continuous professional development via Language Educators Online (LEO), supported by 14 Strategic Learning Networks and locally responsive National Priority Projects. It is research-informed, helping teachers collaborate and tackle key challenges in language education. Language teachers can join the NCLE Language Network in their area and sign up to LEO to keep up to date with current and evolving teaching practice in language education.To further support languages education, the government is offering a £20,000 tax-free bursary for trainee language teachers starting courses in 2026, or alternatively, a £22,000 tax-free scholarship for those training to teach French, German, or Spanish.
Whether her Department will make an assessment of the availability of secondary school places in Stockport constituency.
The department collects annual data from local authorities about primary and secondary state-funded school places, local authorities’ pupil forecasts and local authorities’ planned changes to school places. The data is published at local authority level in the annual School Capacity statistics publication, accessible at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-capacity/2023-24.The latest data relates to school capacity as at 1 May 2024. The latest school capacity data for secondary schools in Stockport local authority and latest modelled estimates of the future number of secondary school places needed to meet predicted demand for Stockport local authority can be found in this publication.The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places sits with local authorities.
What (a) initiatives and (b) retraining opportunities are available for people returning to work after a career break for caring responsibilities.
The government will provide approximately £1.4 billion in funding for the adult skills fund in the 2025/26 academic year. This includes funding the ‘Free courses for jobs’ offer, which gives eligible adults the chance to access high value level 3 qualifications for free, which can support them to gain higher wages or a better job.The government will also support learners through our technical education offer, including through a range of apprenticeships and Skills Bootcamps. Our new levy-funded growth and skills offer will introduce greater flexibility to employers and learners in England.From September 2026, learners will be able to apply for funding from the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE), which will be the new student finance system for courses and modules starting from January 2027 onwards. The LLE will allow people to develop new skills and gain new qualifications across their working lives, at a time that is right for them, such as those returning from a career break.
What consideration her Department has given to including Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council in the cohort for the pilot on the kinship allowance trial scheme.
The government announced a £40 million package to trial a new kinship allowance. The pilot will begin in autumn 2025 and the department will evaluate the pilot to build an evidence base on how best to deliver financial support for kinship families. We will confirm the process for selecting local authorities taking part in the pilot in due course.
If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed increase to employer's National Insurance contributions on the ability of independent training providers to provide skills development and workforce training.
On 5 March 2025 the department gave details of 16 to 19 funding which meant that it will be spending over £400 million more on 16 to 19 education in the 2025/26 financial year. This represents over £100 million more than the £300 million announced at the Autumn Budget 2024 and aims to ensure enough funding is available given the very significant increase in student numbers and other pressures on the system. Further guidance on how 16 to 19 funding will work in the 2025/26 academic year can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/16-to-19-funding-information-for-2025-to-2026.The government has agreed that public sector employers will receive support in recognition of the increase in their National Insurance contributions from April 2025. This does not include support for the private sector, including private sector firms contracted by public sector entities.Independent training providers will benefit from the 3.78% increase to all the national funding rates for students on 16 to 19 study programmes and T Levels in the 2025/26 academic year.
Whether her Department plans to increase funding for schools in Stockport constituency.
The overall core schools budget is increasing by £3.2 billion in the 2025/26 financial year, meaning the core schools budget will total over £64.8 billion compared to almost £61.6 billion in 2024/25. This includes the £2.3 billion announced at the Autumn Budget 2024 and over £930 million being provided to support schools and high needs settings with the increases to employer National Insurance contributions from April 2025. In Stockport local authority for the 2025/26 financial year, average funding per pupil through the mainstream schools dedicated schools grant (DSG) is increasing by 3% compared to 2024/25. Stockport is seeing a funding increase above the national average per pupil funding increase of 2.15%.Funding allocations for the 2026/27 financial year will be confirmed following the spending review process.