Written questions by Gill.

What evidence her Department submitted to the Office for National Statistics' review of the ethnicity harmonised standard, including in relation to the recording of Sikhs and Jewish people as ethnic groups.

A review of the harmonised standard for ethnicity data collection is underway by the Government Statistical Service Harmonisation team.A public consultation between October 2025 and February 2026 sought views from a wide range of users, including government departments and public bodies, to understand user needs for ethnic group data. This was supplemented by a programme of engagement activity, including with representatives of all government departments.The Office for National Statistics have committed to providing an initial response to the public consultation in April, and a full report on the consultation in late summer 2026 will include more detailed information on the departments that responded to the consultation.

Whether her Department was invited by the Office for National Statistics to provide evidence or input into its review of the ethnicity harmonised standard.

A review of the harmonised standard for ethnicity data collection is underway by the Government Statistical Service Harmonisation team.A public consultation between October 2025 and February 2026 sought views from a wide range of users, including government departments and public bodies, to understand user needs for ethnic group data. This was supplemented by a programme of engagement activity, including with representatives of all government departments.The Office for National Statistics have committed to providing an initial response to the public consultation in April, and a full report on the consultation in late summer 2026 will include more detailed information on the departments that responded to the consultation.

What plans her Department has to help provide long-term funding certainty for schools supported by the Music and Dance Scheme.

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Birmingham Edgbaston to the answer of 12 February 2026 to Question 111332.​

What plans she to help support the Music and Dance Scheme Schools that face financial challenges.

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Birmingham Edgbaston to the answer of 12 February 2026 to Question 111332.​

What steps she is taking to help ensure that children from non-privileged backgrounds have access to music and dance training, including through supporting the Music and Dance Scheme Schools.

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Birmingham Edgbaston to the answer of 12 February 2026 to Question 111332.​

How many child sexual exploitation cases were closed with no action in children's services in (a) Birmingham and (b) the west midlands in the last five years.

The department does not hold the information centrally. Birmingham Children’s Trust and other councils and Children’s Trusts in the West Midlands region may hold this information for their areas.

Whether her Department investigated the conduct of social worker Anwar Meah.

Social Work England (SWE) is the independent regulator for the social work profession in England and, as such, is responsible for investigating concerns relating to social workers’ fitness to practise that are referred to them. While the department is unable to intervene in individual cases, officials contacted the regulator when concerns were highlighted.SWE’s overarching objective is to protect the public. In meeting this objective they are obliged, as set out in legislation, to consider all concerns it receives to determine whether there is evidence that a social worker’s fitness to practise may be impaired.

What steps her Department is taking with universities to ensure academics with gender-critical views are not treated differently and that their research is allowed to be published.

This government is absolutely committed to freedom of speech and academic freedom. Higher education (HE) must be a space for robust discussion and intellectual rigour. Academics must be allowed to test the truth of the ideas that shape society and participate in the free exchange of ideas. The department has confirmed our plans for the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023, which will create a more proportionate, balanced and less burdensome approach to protecting free speech and protecting researchers’ rights to academic freedom. From 1 August 2025, providers have strengthened duties to secure and promote the importance of free speech. These duties require HE providers to take reasonably practicable steps to protect those expressing lawful views, including those which may be gender critical. The Office for Students has also set out detailed published guidance for HE providers on how to implement their duties and protect academic freedom, including in relation to the expression of gender critical views. As well as taking reasonably practicable steps to protect the lawful freedom of speech and academic freedom of all academics, including those with gender critical beliefs, HE providers must also comply with relevant provisions of the Equality Act 2010, which prohibits unlawful discrimination in relation to protected characteristics, such as gender critical beliefs.

When her Department will introduce its proposed changes to the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023.

This government’s changes to the 2023 Free Speech Act will create a more proportionate, balanced and less burdensome approach to protecting free speech and academic freedom in higher education. Strengthened free speech duties on higher education (HE) providers and the Office for Students (OfS) came into force on 1 August 2025, including requirements to promote freedom of speech and academic freedom and, for HE providers only, to put in place enhanced codes of practice. We will also seek to repeal and amend elements of the Act where necessary to ensure it is fit for purpose. This includes seeking to repeal the tort and duties on students’ unions, and to amend the OfS’ free speech complaints scheme and mandatory condition of registration. Making these changes will require primary legislation.In the meantime, as well as the new provider duties in place, the OfS’ director for freedom of speech and academic freedom continues to work with the sector to offer advice and share best practice, so providers themselves are more effectively protecting free speech and academic freedom.

What estimate has she made of the number of children who will be eligible for Free School Meals under the plans to expand eligibility in (a) Birmingham Edgbaston constituency, (b) Birmingham and (c) the West Midlands.

This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and tackling child poverty. We have now announced that we are extending free school meals to all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit from September 2026. This will lift 100,000 children across England out of poverty and put £500 back in families’ pockets, supporting parents in decisive action to improve lives ahead of the Child Poverty Strategy coming later this year.Providing over half a million children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds with a free, nutritious lunchtime meal every school day will also lead to higher attainment, improved behaviour and better outcomes, meaning children get the best possible education and chance to succeed in work and life.We have published data on the number of children who could benefit from expanded provision by constituency/region/local authority here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/free-school-meals-expansion-impact-on-poverty-levels.

Which schools in Birmingham Edgbaston constituency will receive funding from the school rebuilding programme.

The government has given a long-term commitment for funding through to 2034/35 to improve the condition of schools and colleges across England.The department is investing almost £20 billion in the School Rebuilding Programme through to 2034/35, delivering rebuilding projects at over 500 schools across England within the existing programme and expanding the School Rebuilding Programme, with a further 250 schools to be selected within the next two years.Details of schools currently in the School Rebuilding Programme are published on GOV.UK, including the following schools in the constituency of Birmingham Edgbaston: Welsh House Farm Community School and Special Needs Resources Base, and Baskerville School. The department plans to set out further details about the selection process for the additional 250 schools to be selected for the programme later this year.In addition, the department is investing almost £3 billion per year by 2034/35 in capital maintenance and renewal to improve the condition of the school and college estate, rising from £2.4 billion in 2025/26. Details of annual capital funding are made available on GOV.UK.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing specific (a) Sikh and (b) Jewish options for a person’s ethnic group in data collection conducted by her Department.

The department collects ethnicity data in line with the ethnicity harmonised standard, which is developed by the independent Office for National Statistics (ONS).The current harmonised standard is based on the 2011 Census questions used across the UK. Those questions were updated for the 2021 and 2022 Censuses. The current standard does not include specific “Sikh” and “Jewish” categories for a person’s ethnic group.The ONS is reviewing the harmonised standard to ensure this remains appropriate and meets the needs of both data users and respondents. This will include a public consultation later this year. We await the outcome of this review.

What information her Department holds on the number of classifications that children's services use to record child sexual abuse.

The number of episodes of children in need with the ‘sexual abuse’ and ‘child sexual exploitation’ factors identified in an assessment in the year ending 31 March 2024 can be found at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/12ce1c63-e357-4177-3d87-08ddae36ea5c. Factors identified at the end of assessment are additional factors that social workers record as being relevant in a case.These figures are based on assessment factors recorded against individual episodes of need, which begin when a child is referred to children’s social care services and is assessed as being in need of children’s social care services. Each unique factor is counted once against a given episode, irrespective of the number of times the same factor was recorded in that episode. However, as a child can have more than one episode of need during the year ending 31 March, the same child can be recorded more than once for a given factor.The majority of children have more than one unique factor recorded for each episode of need. It should be noted that not all episodes have factors recorded, but this has improved over time. Nonetheless, there can be differences in the recording practices between local authorities. Therefore this data should be treated with caution and should not be taken to represent the national, regional or local authority prevalence of particular issues.The number of child protection plans as at 31 March 2024 where sexual abuse was the initial or latest category of abuse is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/a9a79795-cdd0-42fc-8333-08ddaf142d69.

If she will publish the number of students enrolled in higher education in the (a) 2022-23 and (b) 2023-24 academic years, broken down by religion.

Statistics on higher education (HE) student enrolments by personal characteristics, including the number of HE student enrolments in the 2023/24 and 2023/24 academic years broken down by religious beliefs, are published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency and can be found here: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/sb271/figure-5.

How many and what proportion of five year olds were school ready in (a) Birmingham Edgbaston constituency, (b) Birmingham and (c) the West Midlands in each of the last 10 years.

Children’s early years are crucial to their development, health and life chances. That is why the department’s Plan for Change set out our ambition for a record proportion of children starting school ready to learn in the classroom. We will measure our progress through 75% of children reaching a good level of development in the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile assessment by 2028.The Early Years Foundation Stage Profile was significantly revised in September 2021. It is therefore not possible to directly compare assessment outcomes since 2021/22 with earlier years.The department has published data through the early years foundation stage teacher assessment since 2021/2022 which can be accessed at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/early-years-foundation-stage-profile-results/2023-24.Local authority and regional data from 2013 to 2019 can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/early-years-foundation-stage-profile-results-2018-to-2019.

What steps she is taking to improve access to music education in schools.

Music is an essential part of supporting children and young people to develop creativity and find their voice. The government believes creative subjects like music, art and drama are important elements of the rounded and enriching education every child deserves.On 18 March 2025, the department announced its intention to launch a National Centre for Arts and Music Education to promote opportunities for children and young people to pursue their artistic and creative interests in school, including through the government’s network of music hubs. The department intends to launch this centre in September 2026, with a delivery lead appointed through an open procurement. Further details will be released in due course.To support the delivery of music education, the government has committed £79 million per year for the music hubs programme, including the 2024/25 academic year. The 43 music hubs partnerships across England offer a range of services, including musical instrument tuition, instrument loaning and whole-class ensemble teaching. All partnerships have a local plan in place with an inclusion strategy that sets out specific support for disadvantaged children, including young people eligible for the pupil premium and those identified with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). To widen access to musical instruments, the government is investing £25 million in capital funding for musical instruments, equipment and technology from the 2024/25 academic year.The government is also investing £2 million to support the Music Opportunities Pilot over a four-year period from the 2024/25 academic year to the 2027/28 academic year, backed by a further £3.85 million funding from Arts Council England and Youth Music. This pilot is delivered by Young Sounds UK in 12 areas of the country and aims to help disadvantaged children and young people, as well as those with SEND, to learn how to play an instrument of their choice or learn to sing to a high standard. The findings from the pilot will inform future policy on widening music opportunities.

What steps she is taking to provide opportunities for children from disadvantaged backgrounds to learn a musical instrument.

Music is an essential part of supporting children and young people to develop creativity and find their voice. The government believes creative subjects like music, art and drama are important elements of the rounded and enriching education every child deserves.On 18 March 2025, the department announced its intention to launch a National Centre for Arts and Music Education to promote opportunities for children and young people to pursue their artistic and creative interests in school, including through the government’s network of music hubs. The department intends to launch this centre in September 2026, with a delivery lead appointed through an open procurement. Further details will be released in due course.To support the delivery of music education, the government has committed £79 million per year for the music hubs programme, including the 2024/25 academic year. The 43 music hubs partnerships across England offer a range of services, including musical instrument tuition, instrument loaning and whole-class ensemble teaching. All partnerships have a local plan in place with an inclusion strategy that sets out specific support for disadvantaged children, including young people eligible for the pupil premium and those identified with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). To widen access to musical instruments, the government is investing £25 million in capital funding for musical instruments, equipment and technology from the 2024/25 academic year.The government is also investing £2 million to support the Music Opportunities Pilot over a four-year period from the 2024/25 academic year to the 2027/28 academic year, backed by a further £3.85 million funding from Arts Council England and Youth Music. This pilot is delivered by Young Sounds UK in 12 areas of the country and aims to help disadvantaged children and young people, as well as those with SEND, to learn how to play an instrument of their choice or learn to sing to a high standard. The findings from the pilot will inform future policy on widening music opportunities.

What recent estimate she has made of the number of young people not in education, employment or training in (a) Birmingham and b) Birmingham, Edgbaston constituency.

The department publishes statistics on those not in education, employment or training (NEET) for England from the Labour Force Survey for young people aged 16-24. An overview of the publication can be found here:https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/neet-statistics-annual-brief.The number of 16-24-year-olds estimated as NEET in England at the end of 2024 is estimated to be 837,000, which is equivalent to 13.6% of the population. These estimates are not available at lower-level geographies due to limitations with sample sizes. Therefore, NEET rates for young people aged 16-24 in Birmingham and Birmingham Edgbaston constituency are not available.However, local authorities are required to encourage, enable or assist young people’s participation in education or training and return management information for young people aged 16 and 17. Data for the 2023/24 academic year was published in ‘Participation in education, training and NEET age 16 to 17 by local authority’, which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/participation-in-education-training-and-neet-age-16-to-17-by-local-authority/2023-24.The data shows that of the 33,264 young people aged 16 and 17 years old who were known to Birmingham local authority at the end of 2023, 2,037 were NEET or their activity was not known. These statistics are published as transparency data, so some caution should be taken if using these figures.In addition, 16-18 destination measures are published. These official statistics show the percentage of pupils not continuing to a sustained education, apprenticeship or employment destination in the year after completing 16-18 study. This can be used as a proxy to determine how many can be classified as NEET at the age of 18. The latest publication includes destinations in 2022/23 by parliamentary constituency boundaries at that time. Data can be found here for Birmingham Edgbaston parliamentary constituency: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/8969680b-7fea-4615-ce51-08dd66bfee22.

What plans she has to boost physical activity among children and young people.

This government is committed to providing all young people with more opportunities to be physically active. We have set out our intention to support more children to be active by protecting time for PE in schools and working across government to support the role grassroots clubs play in expanding access to sport and physical activity.To further support children to be active, this government committed £320 million for the primary PE and sport premium this academic year (2024/25), benefiting over 18,000 schools and around 3.9 million pupils in England.The department has also launched an open procurement for a new grant programme from spring 2025, of up to £300,000 a year. This will focus on improving and increasing PE, school sport and physical activity opportunities for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.The department is working with the Department for Health and Social Care and the Department of Culture, Media and Sport when considering our future investment into PE and school sport, to ensure this enables the maximum benefit to providing children with opportunities to be physically active.The department also launched an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review in 2024 which will seek to deliver a curriculum which is rich and broad, inclusive and innovative, so that all children and young people do not miss out on subjects such as music, art, PE and drama, as well as vocational subjects. The interim report of findings was published on 18 March 2025.