Every parliamentary written question tabled by Alex Sobel this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1–17 of 17 · Department for Education
Whether the period product scheme will continue within schools in 2026-27.
Nobody should have to miss out on education due to their period, which is why the government provides access to free period products to girls and women who need them in their place of study. Schools and colleges are able to order free period products via ...
What evidence her Department used to conclude that free university tools can adequately replace specialist assistive technology funded by the Disabled Students Allowance to support disabled students with their
Supporting disabled students to access and succeed in higher education is a government priority. Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) provides support to remove disability-related barriers to learning, enabling students to access academic opportunities. DSA...
What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact on disabled students, including on educational outcomes and equality, of proposals to restrict funding for specialist assistive software through D
Supporting disabled students to access and succeed in higher education is a government priority. Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) provides support to remove disability-related barriers to learning, enabling students to access academic opportunities. DSA...
What steps she is taking to ensure that the enrichment entitlement is received by young people in Leeds Central and Headingley constituency.
The government is committed to ensuring all young people across England can access a variety of enrichment opportunities at school and college as part of our mission to break down barriers to opportunity.To support delivery of the enrichment entitlement set out in the government’s response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review, and the 'Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ schools White Paper, we are developing a new Enrichment Framework for publication this academic year. Developed with the department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), and experts across education, youth, sports and the arts, the framework will set out benchmarks to help schools and colleges plan high-quality enrichment more intentionally and strategically and will include case studies and signposting to tools and resources.We recognise schools and colleges cannot do this on their own and are putting in place support for wider provision including Music Hubs, and the £22.5 million programme developed with DCMS to support the enrichment offer of up to 400 schools in disadvantaged communities.
What steps Student Loans Company is taking to ensure that borrowers repaying through PAYE are not issued incorrect repayment demands.
UK-based student loan repayments are collected by HMRC through the tax system. Employers deduct repayments for employees with a student loan when their earnings are above the relevant student loan repayment threshold. Employers will pass the collected repayments to HMRC, and HMRC pass details of the repayments to the Student Loans Company (SLC).SLC may write to a customer directly if they have been paid more student loan or grant than they are entitled to. Overpayments are due to be repaid separately from the customer’s main student loan balance, and it is right that the SLC seek repayment of such sums.If a borrower thinks they have received a letter in error, we encourage them to engage with SLC. Customer satisfaction is important to SLC, and they continue to invest in systems to provide customers with a more intuitive and comprehensively digital service. SLC welcomes feedback from customers to further improve their service.
What steps her Department is taking to support the financial sustainability of childminders in the context of the removal of the wear and tear allowance.
This department is taking a range of measures to support the financial sustainability of childminding businesses and other early years providers. From April 2026, local authorities will be required to pass at least 97% of their funding directly to providers, an increase from 96%.We are also working with local authorities and others to ensure that childminders and other early years providers can be paid monthly for the funded hours they provide, making their income more stable. From 1 November 2024, the government introduced new flexibilities to help childminders join and stay in the profession, supporting the government’s commitment to roll out expanded childcare entitlements and give children the best start in life.In addition, the expansion of the early years entitlements will benefit childminders in different ways. The national average three and four-year-old hourly funding rate of local authorities is increasing by 4.1%, the two-year-old hourly funding rate is increasing by 3.3%, and the nine months to two-year-old hourly funding rate is increasing by 3.4%.
Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of raising the minimum income threshold for student maintenance loans in line with inflation.
This government is committed to supporting the aspiration of every person who meets the requirements and wants to attend higher education. We are future proofing our maintenance loan offer by increasing maintenance loans in line with forecast inflation every academic year from 2026/27 onwards, and making all care leavers automatically eligible for the maximum maintenance loan regardless of their income from 2026/27.We are also introducing new targeted maintenance grants from the 2028/29 academic year, which will provide disadvantaged students with up to £1,000 extra per year, on top of existing maintenance loans, increasing cash in student’s pockets, without increasing their debt.We need to ensure that student funding system is financially sustainable. Around £20.7 billion of student loans administered by the Student Loans Company were issued in the 2024/25 financial year, of which £9.1 billion of maintenance loans were issued to undergraduate students.The current system targets the highest levels of support at students with household incomes of £25,000 or less, who need it most.
Whether the period product scheme will continue within schools in the year 2025-26.
I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Leeds and Central Headingley to the answer of 4 March 2025 to Question 30133.
Whether the period product scheme will continue within schools in the year 2025-26.
The period products scheme is confirmed for the 2024/25 academic year. The department will make further announcements on the scheme soon.
If her Department will renew the Adoption and special guardianship support fund for 2025.
The department will shortly be finalising business planning decisions on how we will allocate the department’s budget for the next financial year. All decisions regarding the adoption and special guardianship support fund are being made as part of these discussions. An announcement will be made as soon as possible.All future funding decisions will be considered as part of the next spending review.
If her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of supporting schools to train staff to support (a) autistic students and (b) students with pathological demand avoidance.
This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department is...
What information her Department holds on how many (a) students studying at UK universities hold British National (Overseas) visas and (b) such students are from Hong Kong.
The department does not hold data on the number of students studying at UK universities who hold British National (Overseas) (BNO) visas, including those from Hong Kong. The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) is responsible for collecting and publi...
What steps her Department has taken to support (a) people diagnosed with pathological demand avoidance and (b) their carers.
The department wants all children and young people to be able to receive the right support to succeed in their education and we recognise that children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) often require access to additio...
Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending the Sixth Form Pay Award settlement to Non-Academized Sixth Form Colleges in addition to Academized Sixth Form Colleges.
The recent pay award for the 2024/25 financial year was for school teachers only. The government does not set or recommend pay in further education (FE).This government recognises the vital role that FE teachers and providers play in equipping learners wi...
If she will meet with representatives from the National Education Union to discuss the 2024-2025 further education pay award for teachers.
As part of this government’s commitment to working closely with stakeholders, my Ministerial colleagues and departmental officials meet regularly with representatives of all the education unions, including the National Education Union, to discuss a range ...
What the average maintenance loan received by English-domiciled students (a) studying away from home in London, (b) living at home and studying in London and (c) studying in London in total was in each of the l
Student finance is awarded on an academic year basis, not a financial year basis, so the average amounts are provided by academic year. The mean average maintenance loan amounts presented below are for England-domiciled full-time undergraduate borrowers:a...
If she will make an estimate of the number 16-18 year-olds who will not be able to secure a place in (a) further education and (b) training because not enough suitable places are available in Leeds in September (i) 2024 and (ii) 2025.
The department is working closely with Leeds City Council, Luminate Education Group and other providers in Leeds to ensure all 16-19 learners can access places, both in 2024 and in 2025.