Written questions by Hayes.

What recent discussions she has had with children’s nursery operators on (a) the viability of that sector and (b) the adequacy of the level of funding for childcare provided by the Government.

In 2025/26 alone, the government expects to spend over £8 billion on early years entitlements, increasing to over £9 billion in 2026/27, and we have increased the early years pupil premium by over 45%. We have also provided further funding of £75 million for the early years expansion grant.At the 2025 Spending Review, the government announced it will provide an additional £1.6 billion per year by 2028/29, compared to 2025/26, to continue the expansion of government-funded childcare for working parents, boosting children’s life chances and work choices for their parents. We will also spend over £400 million over the next four years to deliver school-based nurseries across England.The key measure of sufficiency is whether the supply of available places is sufficient to meet the requirements of parents and children. We have regular contact with each local authority in England about their sufficiency of childcare and any issues they are facing. Where local authorities report sufficiency challenges, we discuss what action the local authority is taking and, where needed, support the local authority with any specific requirements through our childcare sufficiency support contract.

Whether she intends to increase the level of free childcare funding for each child.

It is our ambition that all families have access to high quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life. That also means ensuring the sector is financially sustainable and confident as it continues to deliver entitlements and high quality early years provision going forward.In financial year 2025/26 alone, the government expects to spend over £8 billion on the early years entitlements, and we have increased the early years pupil premium by over 45%.Next year, in financial year 2026/27, funding for the early years entitlements is expected to increase to over £9 billion. This funding reflects a full year of eligible working parents being able to access 30 hours of childcare from 9 months until their children start school, and an expected increase in funding rates. Local authority hourly funding rates for 2026/27 will be confirmed in the usual way before the end of this year.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the number of free childcare places in Bournemouth.

In 2025/26 alone, the government expects to spend over £8 billion on early years entitlements, increasing to over £9 billion in 2026/27, and we have increased the early years pupil premium by over 45%. We have also provided further funding of £75 million for the early years expansion grant.At the 2025 Spending Review, the government announced it will provide an additional £1.6 billion per year by 2028/29, compared to 2025/26, to continue the expansion of government-funded childcare for working parents, boosting children’s life chances and work choices for their parents. We will also spend over £400 million over the next four years to deliver school-based nurseries across England.The key measure of sufficiency is whether the supply of available places is sufficient to meet the requirements of parents and children. We have regular contact with each local authority in England about their sufficiency of childcare and any issues they are facing. Where local authorities report sufficiency challenges, we discuss what action the local authority is taking and, where needed, support the local authority with any specific requirements through our childcare sufficiency support contract.

What steps she is taking to encourage people to obtain early years qualifications.

Our Best Start in Life strategy sets out how we are improving the quality of early education by investing in training and qualifications, increasing understanding of high-quality practice and providing more access to proven, evidence-based early years programmes. This includes introducing a faster assessment only route for experienced staff to achieve Level 3 recognition, similar to those in other education professions.The department is also transforming apprenticeships into a new growth and skills offer, with shorter, more flexible training options. Recent reforms to the English and maths requirements will allow many thousands more apprentices to qualify each year.We are also investing in opportunities to become an early years teacher, aiming to more than double the number of funded places on early years initial teacher training by 2028, providing financial support for employers delivering the new degree apprenticeship route, and offering financial incentives for early years teachers working in disadvantaged areas.Finally, we continue to help more people discover rewarding early years careers through our ‘Do something BIG’ national recruitment campaign.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the number of (a) part-time and (b) flexible childcare places.

In 2025/26 alone, the government expects to spend over £8 billion on early years entitlements, increasing to over £9 billion in 2026/27, and we have increased the early years pupil premium by over 45%. We have also provided further funding of £75 million for the early years expansion grant.At the 2025 Spending Review, the government announced it will provide an additional £1.6 billion per year by 2028/29, compared to 2025/26, to continue the expansion of government-funded childcare for working parents, boosting children’s life chances and work choices for their parents. We will also spend over £400 million over the next four years to deliver school-based nurseries across England.The key measure of sufficiency is whether the supply of available places is sufficient to meet the requirements of parents and children. We have regular contact with each local authority in England about their sufficiency of childcare and any issues they are facing. Where local authorities report sufficiency challenges, we discuss what action the local authority is taking and, where needed, support the local authority with any specific requirements through our childcare sufficiency support contract.

What the role of early years settings is in helping to identify and support the needs of SEND children.

The government recognises the important role the early years sector plays in early intervention to ensure the right support is put in place for children as soon as possibleThe early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework sets the standards and requirements that all early years providers must follow. It stipulates that providers must have arrangements in place to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and that all providers who are funded by the local authority to deliver early education places must have regard for the SEND code of practice.On 7 July, we published our commitment to giving every child the best start in life. This means a stronger focus on early identification, inclusive access to early years education, and tailored family support.We have already invested in the Early Language Support for Every Child programme, as well as the Nuffield Early Language Intervention, supporting children in the early years with their speech and language.We are looking at wider SEND reforms and interventions to give children and young people the opportunities they need to achieve and thrive.

What steps she is taking to help ensure that early years educators can have long, fulfilling and fairly-paid careers in the early years sector.

The early years workforce is at the heart of the government’s mission to give every child the best start in life and deliver our Plan for Change. The Best Start in Life strategy sets out our plans to work with the early years sector and local authorities to tackle challenges in recruitment and retention and make early years a career people are proud to start and rewarding to pursue.This includes investing in opportunities to become an early years teacher, by aiming to more than double the number of funded places on early years initial teacher training by 2028. It also sets out financial support for employers delivering the new degree apprenticeship route, and financial incentives for early years teachers working in disadvantaged areas. Plans to co-design a new professional register are designed to raise the value of the profession and give all early educators the recognition they deserve.

What steps her Department is taking with the financial sector to support the transition to net zero.

The UK’s sustainable finance sector is world leading, and the Government is actively mobilising capital to support the transition and improve our energy independence.Since July 2024, over £50 billion of private investment has been announced in clean energy industries and this summer the Government set out our vision for the UK’s sustainable finance regulatory framework in the Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy.

Whether grassroots football organisations are eligible for public health funding.

Grassroots football organisations can be eligible for local public health funding at the discretion of local authorities, and where the main and primary purpose of spend is on public health.Core funding for local authorities’ public health responsibilities is funded through the Public Health Grant. This funds a range of health improvement services, such as physical activity and weight management services, and where appropriate, could include funding community organisations that provide grassroots football. Local authorities are responsible for deciding how best to allocate their funding, including their Public Health Grant, to improve the health of their population and fulfil their public health responsibilities.The 10-Year Health Plan sets out how to build movement back into everyday life and includes £400 million of Government investment into new and upgraded grassroots sports facilities that promote health, wellbeing, and community cohesion.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to improve funding for grassroots football facilities.

The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That’s why the Government is investing £98 million throughout 2025/26 to build and upgrade pitches and facilities UK wide. Funding from the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme is invested in England through Sport England and our delivery partner, the Football Foundation. The Football Foundation plans their investment pipeline based on Local Football Facility Plans which have been developed in partnership with local authorities, community FAs and other sport stakeholders.On top of this, we have committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK over the next four years. The Government provides the majority of funding for grassroots sports and health club facilities in England, through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding in areas of greatest need to tackle inactivity levels through community-led solutions. We are working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need, and will then set out further plans on how future funding will be allocated across the UK.

Media and Sport, whether she has held recent discussions with the Football Foundation on the level of funding it requires from the Government to (a) plan strategically and (b) implement community projects.

The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That is why we have committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK over the next four years. This funding builds upon the additional £80.3 million being delivered in England this year through the Football Foundation as part of the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme.As part of the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme’s ongoing delivery, officials are in regular contact with the Football Foundation to understand levels of demand, and how to best plan strategically to deliver community projects - now, and in the future. This includes engaging with the Football Foundation regarding their recently refreshed Local Football Facility Plans, which inform how they plan and target their investment.In July, I held a roundtable with several of the sector’s National Governing Bodies and the Football Foundation to discuss future funding of community sports. We are continuing to work closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need, and will then set out further plans on how future funding will be allocated across the UK.

Media and Sport, if She will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of increasing funding for grassroots football on costs to (a) the NHS and (b) local authorities.

The Government’s NHS 10 Year Health Plan recognises the importance of physical activity in tackling the nation’s health and relieving NHS pressures. The latest evidence provided by Sport England shows that physical activity directly prevents 3.2 million cases of long term health conditions per year, including 1.3 million cases of depression and 600,000 cases of diabetes, equating to over £10 billion worth of healthcare savings each year.The FA’s Social Return on Investment 2024 report estimates the 15.7 million participants involved in grassroots football contribute £11.8 billion to society in direct economic value, as well as over £3.2 billion in savings to the NHS through prevention of diseases.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) reviewed research on the potential (i) environmental and (ii) health impact of (A) microplastics and (B) nanoplastics on (1) ecosystems and (2) food chains.

In 2022, Defra initiated a research project to investigate the risks of intentionally added microplastics, which reviewed the emissions from microplastics, and the risks they pose both to human health and the environment. Earlier this year, we published this Option Appraisal for Intentionally Added Microplastics, which provides a welcome addition to our sum of knowledge on the options to protect human health and the UK environment from the risks of microplastics. The Environment Agency (EA) is supporting collaborative research which will support future policy and regulatory decisions on microplastics and nanoplastics by extension. This includes six investigations with the water industry under the Chemical Investigations Programme, considering generation of microplastics within wastewater treatment works through breakdown of plastic equipment, emerging sewage treatment technologies, and pathways of microplastics from biosolids applied to land to soils and groundwater. The EA is also conducting research into tyre wear particles and associated chemicals – one report has been published this year and another is due to be published later this year. The EA is also supporting National Highways and academic partners on research into microplastics generated during driving and strategies to intercept them in highway runoff. While the EA’s research is driven by environmental risk, the data could benefit public health risk assessment by the relevant bodies. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) continues to monitor and assess emerging data regarding microplastics in food. The Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products, and the Environment (COT), an independent scientific committee that provides advice to the FSA and other Government departments is currently considering the issue of microplastics. The COT has previously concluded that the available data was insufficient for a complete assessment. The FSA is keeping the issue of microplastics under review as new evidence becomes available.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of biodiversity net gain requirements on the (a) cost and (b) timeline for the development of grassroots sports facilities.

The Government has recently concluded a consultation on improving the implementation of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) for minor, medium and brownfield development. It sought views on a potential partial exemption to BNG for parks, public gardens and playing fields development. Responses are being analysed, and the Government will publish a response to the consultation in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of exempting (a) parks, (b) gardens and (c) playing fields from biodiversity net gain requirements.

The Government has recently concluded a consultation on improving the implementation of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) for minor, medium and brownfield development. It sought views on a potential partial exemption to BNG for parks, public gardens and playing fields development. Responses are being analysed, and the Government will publish a response to the consultation in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help support (a) local authorities and (b) businesses to (i) comply with new plastic regulations and (ii) transition to sustainable alternatives.

We have interpreted this question as referring to Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging, as well as our work on reducing Single Use Plastics. The Government has provided approximately £700,000 to support local authorities in enforcing the 2023 bans and restrictions on single-use plastics. The 2023 bans cover single-use plastic cutlery, balloon sticks, drinks stirrers, and food and drink containers made of expanded and extruded polystyrene. In addition, there are restrictions on supplying single-use plastic plates, bowls, trays, straws, and cotton buds, subject to certain exemptions. Updated guidance has been published on GOV.UK to assist both Trading Standards officers and businesses in interpreting the scope of the legislation. The guidance can be accessed here: Single-use plastics bans and restrictions - GOV.UK These resources are intended to strengthen enforcement and ensure effective implementation of the Regulations. The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024, which introduces an obligation for producers to pay for the collection and disposal costs of their household packaging when it becomes waste, came into effect on 1 January 2025. On Friday 27 June 2025, PackUK released a policy statement on the modulation of pEPR fees, which will be introduced in year 2 of pEPR (2026) and will raise or lower the base fees per material to incentivise materials that are recyclable. pEPR will secure Local Authority (LA) funding (c£1.4bn annually) for the improved management of discarded packaging materials, driving in turn improvements in the quality and quantity of recycled packaging materials.

What plans her Department has to support support students affected by (a) course closures and (b) redundancies at universities in financial deficit.

​​The Office for Students (OfS), the independent regulator of higher education (HE) in England, monitors the financial health of providers to ensure it has an up to date understanding of the sustainability of the sector.​Its latest report, published on 8 May 2025, highlighted a decline in financial performance across the sector in 2023/24, with 44% of institutions forecasting a deficit in 2024/25.​The government recognises the financial pressures facing the sector and acknowledges that some providers are making difficult restructuring decisions to safeguard long-term sustainability. As autonomous institutions, universities must take appropriate financial decisions to remain viable. However, we expect providers to work with staff, using their knowledge and experience to help identify how best to operate efficiently. All efficiency measures taken by the sector should provide a better long-term future for staff, students and the country.​

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support (a) design innovation and (b) the recyclability of plastic products to help accelerate the the transition to a circular economy for plastics.

This Government is committed to moving to a circular economy – a future where we keep our resources in use for longer, waste is reduced, we accelerate the path to net zero, we see investment in critical infrastructure and green jobs, our economy prospers, and nature thrives. The Government has convened a Circular Economy Taskforce of experts to help develop the first ever Circular Economy Strategy for England, which we plan to publish for consultation in the coming months. As we develop our Circular Economy Strategy for England, we will consider the evidence for further action that can be taken to address the challenges associated with plastic products. We recognise the importance of managing and reducing plastic waste, and in taking a whole-economy approach. To support the recyclability of plastic products, the Government funds the UK Plastics Pact (UKPP) through the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP). Pact Members cover the entire plastics value chain and are responsible for the majority of plastic packaging sold through UK supermarkets, and around two thirds of total plastic packaging placed on the UK market. Members of the Pact have increased the average recycled content of their packaging from 8.5% to 26% since 2018. In parallel, our reforms to the packaging sector and recycling collection systems will clamp down on plastic pollution and litter and clean up our environment with packaging for Extended Producer Responsibility in particular incentivising the use of less packaging and more recyclable packaging.

Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding her Department plans to provide for plastic reprocessing infrastructure in each of the next three years; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of that funding on (a) trends in the level of (i) landfill, (ii) incineration and (iii) domestic recycling capacity.

Defra currently has no plans to fund plastics reprocessing infrastructure. There are existing mechanisms including the market-based Packaging Waste Recycling Notes (PRN) system to provide direct funding to the reprocessing sector. This year sees the start of Defra’s packaging reforms. Simpler Recycling mandates that all local authorities and businesses in England collect the same core set of materials for recycling. These reforms will support private investment in infrastructure, including plastics, by building certainty and guaranteeing supply of materials for recycling. Simpler Recycling requirements will be extended to flexible plastics by 31 March 2027.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the financial sustainability of higher education institutions; and what information her Department holds on the proportion of higher education institutions that are operating in deficit.

​​The Office for Students (OfS), the independent regulator of higher education (HE) in England, monitors the financial health of providers to ensure it has an up to date understanding of the sustainability of the sector.​Its latest report, published on 8 May 2025, highlighted a decline in financial performance across the sector in 2023/24, with 44% of institutions forecasting a deficit in 2024/25.​The government recognises the financial pressures facing the sector and acknowledges that some providers are making difficult restructuring decisions to safeguard long-term sustainability. As autonomous institutions, universities must take appropriate financial decisions to remain viable. However, we expect providers to work with staff, using their knowledge and experience to help identify how best to operate efficiently. All efficiency measures taken by the sector should provide a better long-term future for staff, students and the country.​