Written questions by Duffield.

What steps her Department is taking to publish criteria and guidance, so schools understand how funding decisions are made, what evidence is required, who makes those decisions, and how consistency is ensured.

Awaiting answer.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that local authorities operate a clear system for accessing high needs top up funding, in the context of her Department's High Needs operational guidance.

Awaiting answer.

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on the future sustainability and funding of the Music and Dance Scheme; and what steps she is taking to support young musicians and dancers.

I refer the hon. Member for Canterbury to the answer of 12 February 2026 to Question 111333.

What assessment she has made of the level of equity of access for children to healthcare checks in independent schools in the UK.

Access to healthcare services is based on the clinical needs of the individual. The type of school a child attends does not affect their eligibility for access to NHS healthcare services. Parents or carers with concerns about their child’s health can speak to their GP who can make a referral to the relevant healthcare services. The NHS will consider referrals based on clinical need.It remains the case that the NHS is free at the point of use and provides care to anyone who needs it.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the Adult Skills Fund to cover learning (a) primarily and (b) solely for leisure purposes.

The government has devolved and delegated approximately 60% of the adult skills fund (ASF) to the 9 Mayoral Combined Authorities of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, North East, South Yorkshire, Tees Valley, West Midlands, West of England, West Yorkshire and the Greater London Authority. The authorities are now responsible for the provision of adult education and allocation of the ASF in their local areas and it is for them to decide how they wish to prioritise funding. In the remainder of England, the department continues to be responsible for adult skills funding. Within the ASF, the department will not fund provision where the primary or sole intent of the learning is for leisure. The government has to take difficult decisions on where to prioritise funding. Given the economic and social challenges in the country, it is right that the primary purpose of the ASF is to support learners into employment and to progress to further learning. The ASF also supports wider outcomes including improving health and wellbeing, equipping parents and carers to support their child’s learning and developing stronger and more integrated communities.