Written questions by Hobhouse.

What guidance and support are provided to schools to meet basic first aid requirements in the curriculum, including CPR and defibrillator awareness.

All state funded schools are required to teach first aid as part of the statutory health education set out in the Relationships, Sex and Health education (RSHE) statutory guidance. Independent schools are required to cover health education as part of their responsibility to provide personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education and it is good practice to follow the statutory Health Education curriculum.The statutory RSHE guidance includes basic first aid for primary school children, for example dealing with common injuries, such as head injuries and pupils. In secondary schools, pupils are taught additional first aid such as how to administer CPR, or the purpose of defibrillators and how to use them.The guidance sets out that it is for schools to decide how they teach RSHE topics, including first aid, including how to draw on expertise available to them locally.The government has commissioned Oak Academy to make lesson materials freely available.

What steps her Department is taking to help ensure school staff have access to training and resources to identify and support pupils at risk of developing an eating disorder.

Education staff’s daily contact with pupils enables them to identify those who may need support and make timely referrals to the appropriate services.To support them, the department provides a range of guidance and practical resources to help them identify children in need of extra support. For example, a resource hub for mental health leads and a toolkit to help choose evidence-based targeted support for pupils.The government has committed to provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school by expanding Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs), so every child and young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate. Work is also under way to enhance the capability and capacity of MHST staff, including through investing £13 million to pilot enhanced training for staff, so that they can offer more effective support to young people with complex needs such as disordered eating.

Whether she will set out the reasons for the reduction in the Fair Access Limit for the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund from £5,000 to £3,000 from April 2025; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of this reduction on the provision of therapeutic support for adoptive families and special guardians.

The new criteria for the adoption and special guardianship support fund will enable as many children and families as possible to access support. So far this year, nearly 14,000 applications have been approved. The department continues to monitor and assess the impact of the changes and is engaging with stakeholders.

Whether the Curriculum and Assessment Review will consider mandating a gender balance in the authors of texts students study for GCSE English Literature.

The selection of set texts for examination in GCSE English Literature is down to the exam boards. Schools are given the freedom of choice to select works that fulfil the aims of the national curriculum for English Literature, which aims to ensure that all pupils appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of (a) outdoor learning and (b) horticultural education on the development of (i) children and (ii) young people.

The department has not undertaken a specific assessment on the potential impact of outdoor learning and horticultural education on the development of children and young people.However, access to green space has been shown to have positive impacts on the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of young people. The department is currently working closely with the University of Oxford on research intended to assess the evidence of the impact of nature-based programmes delivered through schools for mental health and wellbeing in children and young people.Schools have the freedom to teach about horticulture in the curriculum. For example, in science, pupils are taught the topics of plants and living things and their habitats, giving them the opportunity to find out about plants and the environments in which they flourish.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to funding for Level 7 apprenticeships from the Growth and Skills Levy on the availability of Clinical Associates in Psychology in the NHS.

The government is committed to spreading opportunities and economic growth with the support of a strong skills system.This government has made tough choices to fix the foundations of our economy in order to generate opportunities for young people that enable them to make a start in good, fulfilling careers. The department will therefore be asking more employers to step forward and fund Level 7 apprenticeships, outside of the levy-funded growth and skills offer.The department will take advice from Skills England, who have been engaging with employers on this, and expects to make a final decision on affected apprenticeships soon.Learners who have started these apprenticeships will be funded through to completion.

With reference to Ofsted's report entitled Review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges, published on 10 June 2021, what discussions her Department has had with Ofsted on the extent to which it has implemented the recommendations under actions for the inspectorates.

The department has regular discussions with Ofsted on a wide range of aspects, including its approaches to inspection and the safeguarding of children and young people. On the specific matter of Ofsted’s implementation of the actions set out in its report, I have asked His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver to write to the hon. Member directly and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.