Written questions by Prinsley.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Plan 2 student loan interest rates on graduates’ outstanding loan balances over time; and whether these rates will be reviewed as part of future student loan policy development.

Plan 2 loans were designed and implemented by previous governments.Interest rates are applied at the Retail Price Index (RPI) only, then variable up to an upper limit of RPI +3% depending on earnings.This maintains the real value of repayments over a long loan term. As an additional borrower protection, interest rates on post-2012 loans are automatically capped by the prevailing market rate for comparable unsecured personal loans, ensuring borrowers are protected if market conditions change.Interest rates do not impact monthly repayments made by student loan borrowers. Repayments are made at a constant rate of 9% above the earnings threshold, and this rate strikes a balance between affordability for graduates and fairness to taxpayers. For example, someone earning £30,000 will repay around £4 per month in the 2026/27 financial year under the repayment threshold of £29,385. 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.

Whether she plans to mandate antisemitism awareness education for (a) children and (b) teachers.

There is no place for antisemitism in our society.The Holocaust is the only historic event which is compulsory within the national curriculum for history at key stage 3. Teaching about antisemitism is integral to teaching this event. There are other opportunities in the curriculum for schools to teach about antisemitism, including through citizenship, relationships and religious education.The department supports teachers through our Educate Against Hate website, which provides teachers with a range of free, quality-assured resources, including on building resilience to antisemitism, teaching about tolerance and rejecting discrimination.The department has committed £7 million to fund projects and programmes to improve confidence and resilience in tackling antisemitism in education.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of falling birth rates on the sustainability of small rural primary schools; and what steps she is taking to ensure that these schools are (a) protected and (b) supported.

​​The department recognises the essential role that small, rural schools play in their communities. The national funding formula (NFF) accounts for the particular challenges faced by small schools in rural areas, namely, the impact of falling rolls, through the lump sum and sparsity factors. The NFF lump sum for the 2025/26 financial year is set at £145,100 and provides a fixed amount of funding that is unrelated to pupil-led factors. In addition, eligible primary schools attract up to £57,400, and eligible secondary or all-through schools attract up to £83,400, in sparsity funding in 2025/26 through the NFF.​Local authorities hold the statutory place planning function, ensuring there are sufficient schools in their area to meet the needs of pupils. It is for local authorities, in collaboration with academy trusts and other local partners, to balance the supply and demand of school places, in line with changing demographics, as they have done for many years. ​

If she will establish a cross-Departmental ministerial taskforce with the Department for Health and Social Care to support workforce planning between the higher education sector and health service.

The Department of Health and Social Care works closely with the Department for Education on a wide range of matters to ensure cross-departmental collaboration on workforce planning in higher education and the healthcare service.The government is preparing the 10 Year Health Plan which will set out a bold agenda to reform and repair the NHS. Ensuring we have the right people, in the right places and with the right skills, will be central to this vision.The department continues to work closely with the Department of Health and Social Care on the 10 Year Health Plan.

When she plans to allocate further funding to the Support for Families with Disabled Children programme.

Each year, the support for families with disabled children (SFDC) programme provides individual grants to approximately 60,000 low-income families raising a disabled or seriously ill child. The department is pleased to support the SFDC programme, and we expect applications to the scheme to re-open shortly.Future funding decisions beyond this financial year are subject to the ongoing spending review.

Whether the Government plans to introduce mandatory neurodiversity training for all teaching and support staff in schools, colleges and universities.

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket to the answer of 31 March 2025 to Question 41687.