Written questions by Holden.

What estimate her Department has made of the proportion of the cost of the increase in employers National Insurance contributions that will be met by (a) additional support from her Department and (b) schools in (i) Essex and (ii) England.

The government has agreed that public sector employers will receive support in recognition of the increase in their National Insurance contributions (NICs) from April 2025.Schools have autonomy over their budgets in order to respond to the needs of their pupils. The NICs grant announced on 18 March was designed to distribute funding in a way that is close to how core funding for schools is allocated through the national funding formula, introduced under the last government. A long-standing principle of the funding system is that it is designed to distribute funding according to pupil need and not to match the precise spending of each individual institution, as their spending patterns, including NICs costs, will vary.The department is providing schools and high needs settings with over £930 million in the 2025/26 financial year to support them with their increased NICs costs. This support is additional to the £2.3 billion increase to core school funding announced at the Autumn Budget 2024. This means that the core schools budget, which includes the core revenue funding for schools and high needs, will total over £64.8 billion in 2025/26.The amount of public sector support for NICs is based on HM Treasury analysis of the proportion of employer NICs receipts paid by public sector organisations and allocated between departments based on headcount and wage/salary data.The department has distributed this funding in proportion to the need of the different sectors and phases of education at a national level for England. The department will continue to monitor cost pressures, as it usually does. The department’s most recent assessment, which included consideration of the impact of the change in NICs, was published in the ‘Schools’ Costs’ technical note on 18 March 2025 and can be accessed here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67d974935bad4b1a7f01ed62/Schools_costs_technical_note_2024_to_2026.pdf.We have published a calculator tool for mainstream schools and academies to estimate their NICs grant funding for the 2025/26 financial year, with allocations being published shortly.

What recent estimate she has made of the proportion of school budgets spent on (a) teaching staff, (b) other staff and (c) non-staff costs.

School funding and costs varies on a school-by-school basis as each school operates in their own unique contexts. Each school has autonomy to allocate their budgets to best meet the needs of their pupils to ensure they have the best opportunities in life.On 18 March the department published the schools’ costs technical note, which projected, at the time of publication, the proportions of spend in previous years at a national level for the 2023/24 financial year. The data showed that, on average, 52% of schools’ spending was on teaching staff, 29% was on support staff and 20% was on non-staff costs. These percentages do not sum to 100% due to rounding.

What recent progress her Department has made on setting up the child protection authority.

The government has committed to consulting on a roadmap to establish a Child Protection Authority for England by the end of 2025. The design and delivery of this Authority requires consultation, including with child protection experts and victim groups, to ensure it has the right constitution and powers to make a tangible difference to child protection practice. It is important, and right, that we take the time needed to work through the details before introducing a Child Protection Authority. Following consultation, we will set out the functions of the Child Protection Authority and a clear delivery timetable.

What funding is available to Ramsden Hall Academy to help secure the school site; and if she will meet the Rt hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay to discuss that funding.

The department supports academy trusts, local authorities and voluntary-aided school bodies, who are responsible for managing the safety and maintenance of their estates, with capital funding, rebuilding programmes and extensive guidance on effective estate management.We have recently confirmed the details of £2.1 billion of capital funding for the 2025/26 financial year to improve the condition of the school estate, up from £1.8 billion committed for the 2024/25 financial year.For the 2025/26 financial year, Parallel Learning Trust met the eligibility criteria for the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF), and its schools, including Ramsden Hall Academy, were invited to bid into CIF for capital projects. We expect to confirm outcomes of CIF later in the spring.Capital funding to improve school buildings beyond 2025/26 will be confirmed following the next phase of the spending review.I would be happy to meet to discuss capital funding for Ramsden Heath Academy.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of Chinese influence in UK universities on national security.

The first duty of the government is to keep the country safe, and we will always protect our national security and values. We expect the sector to be alert to a range of risks when collaborating with international partners, and to conduct appropriate due diligence to comply with legislation. There are a set of measures that protect against undue foreign interference in our universities, ranging from the Academic Technology Approval Scheme, which vets students and researchers seeking to study in sensitive areas, to the provisions of the Higher Education Freedom of Speech Act 2023, which offer a focused route for concerns to be escalated, including relating to foreign interference in academic freedom and free speech. In England, providers are also required to have adequate and effective management and governance arrangements and must ensure that decisions are taken without direction, coercion or covert influence.As a matter of longstanding policy, the department is unable to release information regarding assessments on the grounds of national security. The UK welcomes international partnerships and students, including from China, who make a very positive impact on the UK’s higher education sector, our economy and society as a whole.

What the cost to the public purse was of the reception held for trade unions and other stakeholders in her Department on 11 July 2024; what (a) food and (b) alcohol was provided; and who attended.

This event was held to enable my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education to outline the new government’s priorities for education and social care to a wide range of delivery partners and stakeholders. This acknowledges the key role played by stakeholders across education, business and civil society in working with government to break the link between a child’s background and their future success.269 stakeholders were invited to this event representing all areas of the department’s work, including businesses, school staff, charities and education experts.The event was modest in style and format for an event of this size. Delivered in the department using existing suppliers, the total cost of the event was £7,625. This included event production costs and catering. A standard low-cost catering option was provided, including light refreshments, wine, orange juice and water.

If she will publish the minutes of meetings that she has had with each trade union since 5 July 2025.

The department assumes that there is an error in the question, and the right hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay means 5 July 2024. The details of all my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education’s external meetings are routinely published on GOV.UK.

On what date the minutes of her meeting with Katharine Birbalsingh were (a) written and (b) edited.

All Ministerial meetings related to government business have a private secretary present to take a readout of the conversation.In line with the Cabinet Office guidance on taking minutes, published under the previous administration, a readout is drafted during the meeting and edited in the following days, before a final note is shared for the record. The meeting with Katharine Birbalsingh followed this approach.

What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to (a) improve cross-Departmental working and (b) provide funding for multi-agency teams to help support (i) early interventions and (ii) other programmes for young people at risk of homelessness, abuse and exploitation.

The government is committed to tackling abuse, exploitation, and homelessness through cross-departmental working. The Department for Education, with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Home Office, and the Department of Health and Social Care have a shared commitment through the opportunity mission to improve outcomes for children. From April, over £500 million will be made available to local authorities for Family Help, multi-agency child protection, and Family Network reforms, doubling investment in preventative services by 2025/26. Additionally, £15 million from the Shared Outcomes Fund will support multi-disciplinary teams providing holistic support to children at risk of violence and exploitation through the Support, Attain, Fulfil, Exceed (SAFE) and Alternative Provision taskforces. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, introduced on 17 December, aims to improve information sharing across agencies and strengthen the role of education in safeguarding. The Bill mandates the establishment of multi-agency child protection teams in every local area and includes measures for better planning and support for care leavers. Regulations will be amended to ensure care leavers cannot be found intentionally homeless. On 16 January, my right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary also made a statement that before Easter, the government will announce a timetable for implementing recommendations from the final Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse and their standalone report on grooming gangs, with updates to key departmental guidance on child sexual exploitation.

Pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2025 to Question 26566 on Special Educational Needs, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of lockdown restrictions during the covid-19 pandemic on the (a) behaviour, (b) special educational needs requirements and (c) primary socialisation of school children; and what steps she is taking to help support those children.

The UK Covid Inquiry was set up to examine the UK's response to and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and to learn lessons for the future. The government is committed to learning from the findings of the Covid Inquiry, which will play a key role in informing the government’s planning and preparations for a future pandemic.The pandemic affected all pupils, particularly those that are disadvantaged, leading to dips in attainment and a substantial widening of the gaps between disadvantaged children and their peers. Prolonged periods of absence from schools and colleges may have also contributed to disengagement whilst at school and increased incidents of misbehaviour. The department has also seen more children starting primary schools without basic levels of development, meaning that teachers cannot focus on teaching, impacting all children in the class.

What recourse (a) academics and (b) other people will have who believe that they have had their free speech curtailed, in the context of her proposals for the implementation of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023; and when that recourse will be available.

For academics, staff, and external speakers, the amended Office for Students’ (OfS) complaints scheme will be a route of redress through which staff, external speakers and members who believe higher education (HE) providers have breached their duties will be able to raise a complaint. It will be free at the point of use. The amendments to the provisions in the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act complaints scheme will require primary legislation, and my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education will be seeking a legislative vehicle through which to return this to Parliament at the earliest opportunity. In the meantime, the HE sector will have new duties in place, as well as requirements to promote freedom of speech and put in place a code of practice in line with the Act.Student complaints on freedom of speech will continue to be handled by the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA), who already has powers to consider these complaints, and whose service is free at the point of use. The OIA is well-established and recognised by students, and already considers free speech complaints.Existing routes of redress through judicial review and employment tribunals will also continue to exist.We will set out the government’s policy intentions on this and other policy issues in more detail as part of our policy paper, which will be published shortly.

How many and what proportion of school children have required additional support due to special educational needs in each of the last ten years; and if she will make an assessment of the reasons for the trend in the number of children assessed to have special educational needs.

Information on the number of pupils in England with special educational needs can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/special-educational-needs-in-england. The figures for England for each academic year since 2015/16 are available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/b04266ac-d3d0-4aff-785c-08dd3ba46a29. For too long the education system has not met the needs of all children, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities, with parents struggling to get their child the support they need and deserve. We know that a lack of capacity in the system to meet need has increased the demand on specialist support, meaning that children, young people and parents are faced with a long and difficult education, health and care plan process. We will work with children, young people, parents, local authorities, schools and colleges and their partners in delivering improvements so that children and young people can access the support they need.

If she will publish a table of the proportion of requests for EHCP assessment met within the correct timeframe by local authorities.

Information on the number and percentage of education, health and care plans issued within the statutory 20 week deadline, with and without statutory exceptions to that deadline applying, is published as part of the 2024 statistical release, ‘Education, health and care plans’, which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans. The figures for each local authority in the 2023 calendar year can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/7b372ed7-8c76-42df-5a32-08dd3479441b.

With reference to the oral contribution of the hon. Member for Bury St Edmunds at Education Questions on 27 January 2025, which medical schools are offering (a) voluntary and (b) compulsory redundancy to clinical academics; and how many redundancies are being offered by each of those schools.

The government acknowledges the significant impact of our world leading higher education (HE) sector. As both educational and research institutions, universities make a vital contribution to our economy, society, and to industry and innovation.Universities are autonomous and, as such, the government does not gather information on which institutions are offering voluntary and compulsory redundancies to clinical academics, nor the exact number of redundancies being offered by each.This government recognises the concerns of providers and their staff regarding the ongoing financial stability of their institutions. We are aware that some providers are making difficult staffing decisions to safeguard their financial sustainability.We expect providers to work with staff, using their knowledge and experience to help identify how best to reduce unnecessary spend. All efficiency measures taken by the sector should provide better long-term value both for students and for the country.We are currently reviewing options to deliver a more robust HE sector and will set out a long-term plan for reform by summer 2025.

What progress she has made on creating a national matching service for adoption services.

The department has provided £9 million of funding in the 2024/25 financial year for Adoption England to help develop national approaches for adoption services. This will help ensure consistency of high-quality adoption services across the country. This includes the implementation of new national standards for the adopter journey from initial enquiry to assessment and national matching standards to promote good practice across all agencies. These will help ensure that wherever an adopter or child is recruited or placed across the country they can expect consistent and high-quality services. Adoption England has developed national adopter recruitment campaigns in each year since 2021 and is currently developing plans for 2025/2026. One of these campaigns can be found here: https://www.youcanadopt.co.uk/. Adoption England published a three year strategy in 2024 that the government supports. This sets out a wide range of work to develop adoption services. The strategy can be found here: https://adoptionengland.co.uk/sites/default/files/2024-04/Adoption%20England%20Strategy.pdf.

What steps she is taking with (a) regional adoption agencies and (b) local authorities to reduce the time taken for initial assessments for the Adoption Support Fund post adoption order.

Adoption England are working with regional adoption agencies to develop national standards for adoption support. This will help ensure that wherever families live, they can expect the same level of high-quality support. This includes the development of a framework for an early support core offer entitled ‘Becoming a family’, for the first twelve to eighteen months of placement, and an adoption support plan to guide assessments of a family’s support needs. The department is working with regional adoption agencies and voluntary agencies to promote good practice to help ensure that applications to the adoption and special guardianship fund are assessed promptly so that families can access the support they need.

What steps she is taking to ensure that provision of support services for adopters with newly placed children is geographically equitable.

Adoption England are working with regional adoption agencies to develop national standards for adoption support. This will help ensure that wherever families live, they can expect the same level of high-quality support. This includes the development of a framework for an early support core offer entitled ‘Becoming a family’, for the first twelve to eighteen months of placement, and an adoption support plan to guide assessments of a family’s support needs. The department is working with regional adoption agencies and voluntary agencies to promote good practice to help ensure that applications to the adoption and special guardianship fund are assessed promptly so that families can access the support they need.

When she plans to publish a revised Adoption Strategy.

The department has provided £9 million of funding in the 2024/25 financial year for Adoption England to help develop national approaches for adoption services. This will help ensure consistency of high-quality adoption services across the country. This includes the implementation of new national standards for the adopter journey from initial enquiry to assessment and national matching standards to promote good practice across all agencies. These will help ensure that wherever an adopter or child is recruited or placed across the country they can expect consistent and high-quality services. Adoption England has developed national adopter recruitment campaigns in each year since 2021 and is currently developing plans for 2025/2026. One of these campaigns can be found here: https://www.youcanadopt.co.uk/. Adoption England published a three year strategy in 2024 that the government supports. This sets out a wide range of work to develop adoption services. The strategy can be found here: https://adoptionengland.co.uk/sites/default/files/2024-04/Adoption%20England%20Strategy.pdf.

If she will continue a national approach to recruiting adopters similar to the national recruitment campaign in 2020-21.

The department has provided £9 million of funding in the 2024/25 financial year for Adoption England to help develop national approaches for adoption services. This will help ensure consistency of high-quality adoption services across the country. This includes the implementation of new national standards for the adopter journey from initial enquiry to assessment and national matching standards to promote good practice across all agencies. These will help ensure that wherever an adopter or child is recruited or placed across the country they can expect consistent and high-quality services. Adoption England has developed national adopter recruitment campaigns in each year since 2021 and is currently developing plans for 2025/2026. One of these campaigns can be found here: https://www.youcanadopt.co.uk/. Adoption England published a three year strategy in 2024 that the government supports. This sets out a wide range of work to develop adoption services. The strategy can be found here: https://adoptionengland.co.uk/sites/default/files/2024-04/Adoption%20England%20Strategy.pdf.

With reference to the report entitled Investigation into student finance for study at franchised higher education providers, published by the National Audit Office on 18 January 2024, what discussions she has had with the Office for Students on the potential merits of requiring franchised providers to register with the Office for Students.

As set out in the government’s response to the Public Accounts Committee, the government is shortly due to publish a consultation on proposals to strengthen oversight of partnership delivery in higher education, having worked closely with the Office for Students on this.