Written questions by Braverman.

How many whistleblowing complaints relating to (a) free speech, (b) academic freedom and (c) political discrimination have been reported to her Department since 2020.

This government is absolutely committed to freedom of speech and academic freedom. Under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, the department is not the prescribed person for whistleblowing concerns in higher education (HE) and does not receive whistleblowing complaints related to HE.

What steps her Department is taking to support schools with increases in the number of in-year admissions in Hampshire.

The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places sits with local authorities.The department engages with local authorities, including Hampshire County Council, on a regular basis to review their plans for creating additional school places. When local authorities are experiencing difficulties, the department offers support and advice.The department also provides capital funding through the Basic Need grant to support local authorities to meet their statutory duty to secure sufficient school places. Hampshire has been allocated just over £22.2 million to support it to create the mainstream school places needed between May 2024 and September 2028.The Schools Admissions Code also requires every local authority to have a Fair Access Protocol in place, to ensure that vulnerable children, and those who are having difficulty in securing a school place in-year, are allocated a school place as quickly as possible, minimising the time the child is out of school.

What steps she is taking to help reduce the shortage of science teachers in Hampshire; and what support is available for schools relying on supply staff.

High-quality teaching has the strongest positive impact on pupil outcomes in schools, which is why this government has pledged to recruit an additional 6,500 new expert teachers, including in science subjects, backed by a near 10% pay award since July 2024.To aid recruitment, the department is providing teacher training financial incentives worth nearly £233 million, including bursaries worth up to £29,000 tax-free, and scholarships up to £31,000 tax-free, in science subjects. We are also providing retention incentives for early career science teachers worth up to £6000, with 39 schools in Hampshire qualifying for these.Schools that host trainee placements leading to qualified teacher status, including those studying a PGCE, can claim funding to help cover the time staff members spend mentoring, given the importance of peer-to-peer support. In 2024/25, the department welcomed over 23,100 new postgraduate trainee teachers, an increase of 8% compared to 2023/24. In 2024/25, 399 trainees began postgraduate teacher training in Hampshire, compared to 317 in 2023/24.The department’s interventions are having a positive impact, with the teaching workforce growing by 2,346 full-time equivalent teachers between 2023/24 and 2024/25 in secondary and special schools. In the South East, the number of secondary school teachers increased by 221.

What support her Department provides to schools that host PGCE students; and what assessment she has made of the contribution of this to teacher recruitment and retention in Hampshire.

High-quality teaching has the strongest positive impact on pupil outcomes in schools, which is why this government has pledged to recruit an additional 6,500 new expert teachers, including in science subjects, backed by a near 10% pay award since July 2024.To aid recruitment, the department is providing teacher training financial incentives worth nearly £233 million, including bursaries worth up to £29,000 tax-free, and scholarships up to £31,000 tax-free, in science subjects. We are also providing retention incentives for early career science teachers worth up to £6000, with 39 schools in Hampshire qualifying for these.Schools that host trainee placements leading to qualified teacher status, including those studying a PGCE, can claim funding to help cover the time staff members spend mentoring, given the importance of peer-to-peer support. In 2024/25, the department welcomed over 23,100 new postgraduate trainee teachers, an increase of 8% compared to 2023/24. In 2024/25, 399 trainees began postgraduate teacher training in Hampshire, compared to 317 in 2023/24.The department’s interventions are having a positive impact, with the teaching workforce growing by 2,346 full-time equivalent teachers between 2023/24 and 2024/25 in secondary and special schools. In the South East, the number of secondary school teachers increased by 221.

Whether she plans to review the effectiveness of the national funding education formula in reflecting socioeconomic disparities within counties.

In the 2025/26 financial year, 10.6% (£5.1 billion) of the schools national funding formula (NFF) has been allocated through deprivation factors, as part of the 17.8% (£8.6 billion) allocated for additional needs overall. The most deprived schools continue, on average, to attract the largest per pupil funding amounts through the schools NFF. This helps schools in their vital work to close attainment gaps.The purpose of the NFF is not to give every school the same level of per pupil funding. It is right that schools with lots of pupils with additional needs, such as those indicated by measures of deprivation, low prior attainment, or English as an additional language, receive extra funding to help them meet the needs of all their pupils.The government will keep the operation of the schools NFF for the 2026/27 financial year and future years under review.

What support her Department is providing to schools in Hampshire schools with (a) increased class sizes and (b) reduced staffing levels due to budget constraints.

Through the dedicated schools grant (DSG), Hampshire is receiving £1.1 billion for mainstream schools in the 2025/26 financial year. That is equivalent to £6,031 per pupil (excluding growth and falling rolls funding), which is an increase of 2.4% per pupil compared to 2024/25.On top of the DSG funding, the department is providing additional funding to support schools with increases to employer National Insurance Contributions, and the costs of the teacher and local government support staff pay awards in 2025/26.The department provides a suite of free tools, guidance and support to help schools better manage their budgets. Schools are already bringing core operating costs down through initiatives such as our new ‘Energy for Schools’ offer. Additionally, they can access services such as the ‘Get Help Buying for Schools’ service to get best value when procuring goods and our ‘Teaching Vacancies Service’ to save recruitment costs.

Whether her Department has issued guidance to schools that have amended their subject curricula due to staff shortages.

Schools have the flexibility to organise the content and delivery of the curriculum to meet the needs of their pupils and to suit their local contexts.There is no prescription about the number of teaching hours for each subject, or about the format of lessons. It is for schools to decide how much time is spent on any subject.As part of our Plan for Change, the department is committed to recruiting an additional 6,500 new expert teachers across secondary and special schools, and in our colleges, over the course of this Parliament.In 2024/25, we drove forward teacher recruitment and retention, backed by investment of around £700 million across schools and further education. The workforce has grown by 2,346 full-time equivalent between 2023/24 and 2024/25, in secondary and special schools where they are needed most. This includes 1,435 more secondary school teachers and 911 more special and pupil referral unit teachers compared to last year.

Whether her Department has any plans to tackle after-school clubs that are required to register with Ofsted that fail to do so.

Ofsted’s enforcement powers are set out in the Childcare Act 2006. The law gives Ofsted a range of powers to deal with persons providing childcare without appropriate registration and registered providers that fail to meet the legal requirements for early years settings.Ofsted’s early years and childcare enforcement policy sets out the actions that Ofsted can take, dependent on the register that the after school club is registered on. Before and after-school clubs can register with Ofsted on either or both the Early Years Register and the General Childcare Register, depending on the type of provision and age of the children they intend to care for. Some providers are exempt from registration if they meet the exemptions set out in legislation. Depending on their registration, they must either meet the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage, or the general childcare register requirements. The requirements for both registers are set by the department.Departmental officials also meet regularly with their Ofsted counterparts to ensure that the regulations that apply to Ofsted registered providers of after-school childcare remain fit for purpose. Ofsted takes appropriate action on information that they receive about unregistered services and provision on unapproved premises. Ofsted’s process for managing unregistered provision is outlined in their published enforcement policy, which is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-and-childcare-ofsteds-enforcement-policy/early-years-and-childcare-enforcement-policy#unregistered:~:text=in%20appropriate%20circumstances.-,Unregistered%20childcare%20providers%20and%20provision%20on%20unapproved%20premises,-Most%20childcare%20providers.Information about Ofsted’s regulatory and enforcement activity in relation to unregistered provision is outlined in Ofsted’s annual report and accounts each year, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ofsted-corporate-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-to-2024.

What enforcement powers Ofsted has for after-school clubs.

Ofsted’s enforcement powers are set out in the Childcare Act 2006. The law gives Ofsted a range of powers to deal with persons providing childcare without appropriate registration and registered providers that fail to meet the legal requirements for early years settings.Ofsted’s early years and childcare enforcement policy sets out the actions that Ofsted can take, dependent on the register that the after school club is registered on. Before and after-school clubs can register with Ofsted on either or both the Early Years Register and the General Childcare Register, depending on the type of provision and age of the children they intend to care for. Some providers are exempt from registration if they meet the exemptions set out in legislation. Depending on their registration, they must either meet the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage, or the general childcare register requirements. The requirements for both registers are set by the department.Departmental officials also meet regularly with their Ofsted counterparts to ensure that the regulations that apply to Ofsted registered providers of after-school childcare remain fit for purpose. Ofsted takes appropriate action on information that they receive about unregistered services and provision on unapproved premises. Ofsted’s process for managing unregistered provision is outlined in their published enforcement policy, which is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-and-childcare-ofsteds-enforcement-policy/early-years-and-childcare-enforcement-policy#unregistered:~:text=in%20appropriate%20circumstances.-,Unregistered%20childcare%20providers%20and%20provision%20on%20unapproved%20premises,-Most%20childcare%20providers.Information about Ofsted’s regulatory and enforcement activity in relation to unregistered provision is outlined in Ofsted’s annual report and accounts each year, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ofsted-corporate-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-to-2024.

If she will make it her policy to review the adequacy of Ofsted’s enforcement powers for after-school clubs.

Ofsted’s enforcement powers are set out in the Childcare Act 2006. The law gives Ofsted a range of powers to deal with persons providing childcare without appropriate registration and registered providers that fail to meet the legal requirements for early years settings.Ofsted’s early years and childcare enforcement policy sets out the actions that Ofsted can take, dependent on the register that the after school club is registered on. Before and after-school clubs can register with Ofsted on either or both the Early Years Register and the General Childcare Register, depending on the type of provision and age of the children they intend to care for. Some providers are exempt from registration if they meet the exemptions set out in legislation. Depending on their registration, they must either meet the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage, or the general childcare register requirements. The requirements for both registers are set by the department.Departmental officials also meet regularly with their Ofsted counterparts to ensure that the regulations that apply to Ofsted registered providers of after-school childcare remain fit for purpose. Ofsted takes appropriate action on information that they receive about unregistered services and provision on unapproved premises. Ofsted’s process for managing unregistered provision is outlined in their published enforcement policy, which is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-and-childcare-ofsteds-enforcement-policy/early-years-and-childcare-enforcement-policy#unregistered:~:text=in%20appropriate%20circumstances.-,Unregistered%20childcare%20providers%20and%20provision%20on%20unapproved%20premises,-Most%20childcare%20providers.Information about Ofsted’s regulatory and enforcement activity in relation to unregistered provision is outlined in Ofsted’s annual report and accounts each year, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ofsted-corporate-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-to-2024.

If her Department will make an estimate of the number of families that are unable to reclaim prepaid fees when an after-school club ceases trading.

The department does not hold this information.The Childcare Act 2006 places a duty on local authorities to make sure that there are enough childcare places within its locality for working parents, or for parents who are studying or training for employment, for children aged 0 to 14, or up to 18 for disabled children. In the unlikely event that a parent's childcare provider becomes insolvent or goes bankrupt, parents can contact their local authority who can provide guidance and resources to help them transition to a new provider.

Whether her Department plans to take steps to encourage kinship role recruitment.

The department is committed to supporting kinship carers and ensuring that children in kinship care arrangements have the opportunity to thrive. This includes removing barriers from carers coming forward, where that is in the child’s best interests. At the Autumn Budget 2024, the government announced a £40 million package to trial a new kinship allowance to test whether paying an allowance to cover the additional costs of supporting the child can help increase the number of children taken in by family members and friends. This is the single biggest investment made by government in kinship care to date.Unlike in foster care, there is no general pool of kinship carers to recruit from. Kinship arrangements happen when a specific child cannot remain with their parents, and a relative or close family friend steps in, often at short notice. As such, terms like ‘recruitment’ or ‘adequate levels’ do not apply in the same way. Instead, the department’s focus is on ensuring that when these situations arise, families are supported to step forward.

Whether her Department plans to increase the foster care allowance for children in kinship care.

The government recognises the important role that kinship carers play in caring for some of the most vulnerable children. They often take on this role at a time when they were least expecting to raise a family, and the department recognises the challenges they face.In October 2024, the government announced £40 million to trial a new kinship allowance in some local authorities in England. We will test whether paying an allowance can help increase the number of children taken in by kinship carers. ​​We will share further details and the process for selecting local authorities in due course.​Local authorities have the powers to provide a range of services, including financial support, to support children and families. As local authorities know their carers best, they have the power to decide what financial support should be provided, and any payments should be made in accordance with their model for assessing needs. The government does not set a maximum or minimum allowance. While the government recognises the financial constraints on local authorities, guidance makes it clear that children and young people should receive the support that they and their carers need to safeguard and promote their welfare.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of existing levels of kinship care.

The department is committed to supporting kinship carers and ensuring that children in kinship care arrangements have the opportunity to thrive. This includes removing barriers from carers coming forward, where that is in the child’s best interests. At the Autumn Budget 2024, the government announced a £40 million package to trial a new kinship allowance to test whether paying an allowance to cover the additional costs of supporting the child can help increase the number of children taken in by family members and friends. This is the single biggest investment made by government in kinship care to date.Unlike in foster care, there is no general pool of kinship carers to recruit from. Kinship arrangements happen when a specific child cannot remain with their parents, and a relative or close family friend steps in, often at short notice. As such, terms like ‘recruitment’ or ‘adequate levels’ do not apply in the same way. Instead, the department’s focus is on ensuring that when these situations arise, families are supported to step forward.

Whether her Department plans to bring forward legislative proposals to ensure full kinship support to all recipients of kinship care.

The government recognises the important role that kinship carers play in caring for some of the most vulnerable children.Through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, we are seeking to mandate local authorities to publish a kinship local offer which sets out the information and support in a local authority's area for children living in kinship care and kinship carers. The measure will also define what kinship care is for the purpose of the requirement of the kinship care local offer. These measures will make it clear for local authorities, schools and other statutory services what support is available to those involved in a kinship arrangement.In addition, in October 2024, the department published the kinship care statutory guidance for local authorities, which outlines the framework for the provision of support for kinship families. We have also recently announced a £40 million package to trial a new kinship allowance.The government is also extending the delivery of over 140 peer support groups across England, available for all kinship carers to access, where they can come together to share stories, exchange advice and support each other. We are also delivering a package of training and support that all kinship carers across England can access.

What plans her Department has to increase the level of protection for parents when an independent after-school provider is made bankrupt.

As a private market, guidance published by the Insolvency Service is likely to apply, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/claim-money-back-from-a-bankrupt-person-or-company-in-compulsory-liquidation-guidance-for-creditors/if-an-insolvent-company-or-bankrupt-person-owes-you-money#:~:text=If%20the%20person%20or%20company,secured%20creditors.The Childcare Act 2006 places a duty on local authorities to make sure that there are enough childcare places within its locality for working parents or for parents who are studying or training for employment, for children aged 0 to 14, or up to 18 for disabled children. In the unlikely event that a parent's childcare provider becomes insolvent or goes bankrupt, parents can contact their local authority, who can provide guidance and resources to help them transition to a new provider.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of guidelines on (a) financial compensation and (b) protection for parents when an independent after-school provider becomes insolvent.

As a private market, guidance published by the Insolvency Service is likely to apply, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/claim-money-back-from-a-bankrupt-person-or-company-in-compulsory-liquidation-guidance-for-creditors/if-an-insolvent-company-or-bankrupt-person-owes-you-money#:~:text=If%20the%20person%20or%20company,secured%20creditors.The Childcare Act 2006 places a duty on local authorities to make sure that there are enough childcare places within its locality for working parents or for parents who are studying or training for employment, for children aged 0 to 14, or up to 18 for disabled children. In the unlikely event that a parent's childcare provider becomes insolvent or goes bankrupt, parents can contact their local authority, who can provide guidance and resources to help them transition to a new provider.

If she will make an assessment of the adequacy of her Department's processes for monitoring after-school clubs' compliance with Ofsted registration requirements; and whether she plans to improve these monitoring processes.

Before and after-school clubs can register with Ofsted on either or both the Early Years Register and the General Childcare Register, depending on the type of provision and age of the children they intend to care for. Some providers are exempt from registration if they meet the exemptions set out in legislation. Depending on their registration, they must either meet the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage, or the general childcare register requirements. The requirements for both registers are set by the department.It is Ofsted’s role to monitor compliance with these registration requirements. Ofsted reports to Parliament through its annual report and official statistics publications about inspection, regulatory activity and compliance with the department’s legal requirements. Officials also meet regularly with their Ofsted counterparts to ensure that the regulations that apply to Ofsted registered providers of after-school childcare remain fit for purpose.Ofsted takes appropriate action on information that they receive about unregistered services and provision on unapproved premises. Ofsted’s process for managing unregistered provision is outlined in their published enforcement policy, accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-and-childcare-ofsteds-enforcement-policy/early-years-and-childcare-enforcement-policy#unregistered:~:text=in%20appropriate%20circumstances.-,Unregistered%20childcare%20providers%20and%20provision%20on%20unapproved%20premises,-Most%20childcare%20providers.Information about Ofsted’s regulatory and enforcement activity in relation to unregistered provision is outlined in Ofsted’s annual report and accounts each year. This is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ofsted-corporate-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-to-2024.

Whether her Department plans to strengthen regulations on the (a) qualifications and (b) safety requirements for (i) people and (ii) groups that run after-school clubs.

Before and after-school clubs can register with Ofsted on either or both the Early Years Register and the General Childcare Register, depending on the type of provision and age of the children they intend to care for. Some providers are exempt from registration if they meet the exemptions set out in legislation. Depending on their registration, they must either meet the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage, or the general childcare register requirements. The requirements for both registers are set by the department.It is Ofsted’s role to monitor compliance with these registration requirements. Ofsted reports to Parliament through its annual report and official statistics publications about inspection, regulatory activity and compliance with the department’s legal requirements. Officials also meet regularly with their Ofsted counterparts to ensure that the regulations that apply to Ofsted registered providers of after-school childcare remain fit for purpose.Ofsted takes appropriate action on information that they receive about unregistered services and provision on unapproved premises. Ofsted’s process for managing unregistered provision is outlined in their published enforcement policy, accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-and-childcare-ofsteds-enforcement-policy/early-years-and-childcare-enforcement-policy#unregistered:~:text=in%20appropriate%20circumstances.-,Unregistered%20childcare%20providers%20and%20provision%20on%20unapproved%20premises,-Most%20childcare%20providers.Information about Ofsted’s regulatory and enforcement activity in relation to unregistered provision is outlined in Ofsted’s annual report and accounts each year. This is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ofsted-corporate-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-to-2024.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the number of after-school clubs required to be registered by Ofsted that are operating without being registered.

Before and after-school clubs can register with Ofsted on either or both the Early Years Register and the General Childcare Register, depending on the type of provision and age of the children they intend to care for. Some providers are exempt from registration if they meet the exemptions set out in legislation. Depending on their registration, they must either meet the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage, or the general childcare register requirements. The requirements for both registers are set by the department.It is Ofsted’s role to monitor compliance with these registration requirements. Ofsted reports to Parliament through its annual report and official statistics publications about inspection, regulatory activity and compliance with the department’s legal requirements. Officials also meet regularly with their Ofsted counterparts to ensure that the regulations that apply to Ofsted registered providers of after-school childcare remain fit for purpose.Ofsted takes appropriate action on information that they receive about unregistered services and provision on unapproved premises. Ofsted’s process for managing unregistered provision is outlined in their published enforcement policy, accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-and-childcare-ofsteds-enforcement-policy/early-years-and-childcare-enforcement-policy#unregistered:~:text=in%20appropriate%20circumstances.-,Unregistered%20childcare%20providers%20and%20provision%20on%20unapproved%20premises,-Most%20childcare%20providers.Information about Ofsted’s regulatory and enforcement activity in relation to unregistered provision is outlined in Ofsted’s annual report and accounts each year. This is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ofsted-corporate-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-to-2024.