Written questions by Hinds.

What assessment she has made of the level of use by teachers of generative artificial intelligence to support lesson-planning and resource-creation or tailoring.

The department launched a call for evidence on generative artificial intelligence (AI) in education, which sought views and experiences from practitioners, the Edtech sector and AI experts on the use of generative AI in education, including to support lesson planning and resource creation. The department published a report on the views of educators and experts on generative AI, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/generative-ai-in-education-educator-and-expert-views.The department commissioned a ‘use cases for generative AI’ or ‘Hackathons’ project, working with Faculty Science Ltd in partnership with the National Institute of Teaching to assess possible uses for generative AI in education.Following on from this, the department is now piloting an Edtech evidence board to bring together a group of experts to assess and evaluate the impact of Edtech tools, including generative AI tools, on teaching and learning against set criteria. This could then be shared with the sector to support and inform their technology choices.In addition, the department provided £2 million funding to support Oak National Academy to develop AI tools for teachers. Oak has launched an AI lesson assistant, Aila, that can help teachers plan lessons.The department is also funding Ofsted to gather insights from early-adopter schools and further education colleges on the use of AI and the role leaders are playing. The aim of this research is to provide an up-to-date assessment of what emerging practice is developing.

What discussions she has had with teachers on the use of applications using generative artificial intelligence for (a) lesson-planning and (b) resource-generating.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, ministers and departmental officials engage extensively with teachers, leaders, support staff and experts to both respond to the implications of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies and to support schools to teach a knowledge-rich computing curriculum up to 16. In March, the Secretary of State for Education along with my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology attended a department-sponsored Hackathon, a demonstration of AI tools, which explored how these can save time for teachers, leaders and support staff.The department has adopted a collaborative and innovation-focused approach to testing where AI can be effective in supporting educational delivery through looking domestically and internationally to understand good practice and investing in programmes that generate evidence and build understanding of what works.The AI content store project is pre-processing educational content and resources to support the creation of high-quality AI tools, initially for formative assessment, as part of the Innovate UK funding competition.Following the department’s call for evidence on generative AI, we are developing online resources and guidance materials to support school AI safely, to be published this year. The Chiltern Learning Trust and the Chartered College of Teaching have been contracted to deliver these resources, developed collaboratively with the sector.In addition, the department provided up to £2 million funding to support Oak National Academy to develop AI tools for teachers including an AI lesson planning assistant, Aila, that helps teachers create personalised lesson plans and resources in minutes, saving them hours.

If she will make it her Department’s policy that public examinations are handwritten other than (a) for candidates with (i) special educational needs and (ii) disabilities and (b) for practical skills.

The majority of GCSE and A level examinations are handwritten in England. The department has been working closely with Ofqual, the independent regulator of qualifications and assessments, to consider the potential benefits and risks of greater use of onscreen assessment in high stakes qualifications and to carry out research to understand the implications for schools and colleges, students and other stakeholders. The ongoing Curriculum and Assessment Review will also continue to consider evidence on this topic. Any final decisions about the future of onscreen examinations over the long term will be informed by evidence and the views of stakeholders.

What assessment she has made of trends in the level of school pupils using generative artificial intelligence for completing homework.

While no formal assessment has been made of trends in using artificial intelligence (AI) for homework, the department is working to ensure teachers are equipped and supported to promote safe and appropriate use of AI.The National Centre for Computing Education provides support. Their course ‘AI in key stage 3 computing’ supports teacher AI understanding and how to promote effective and safe use.A new departmental group will advise on AI and technology to increase the future pipeline of talent and prepare children and young people for an AI and tech-enabled world, as well as promoting the use of AI and educational technology for better teaching and learning. Expert and evidence-informed recommendations will be produced.Where pupils complete coursework as part of their homework, guidance on the use of AI is available to teachers via the Joint Council for Qualifications. Schools, colleges and awarding organisations need to continue taking reasonable steps to prevent malpractice involving the use of generative AI. The guidance includes:What counts as AI misuse and real-life examples of malpractice.The requirements for teachers and exam centres to help prevent and detect malpractice.AI use and marking.An expanded list of AI tools, including AI detection tools.

What assessment she has made of trends in the level of undergraduates using generative artificial intelligence for completing assignments.

Universities are independent and autonomous bodies responsible for decisions including course content and teaching and assessment. As such, they are responsible for designing and implementing their own policies and approaches to the use of artificial intelligence (AI).Universities and colleges rightly have policies in place to identify and respond to cheating in assessment. The consequences for students can be severe, including removal from their course. With the support of the Academic Integrity Advisory Group, the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education has developed an Academic Integrity Charter, which sets out key guiding principles to support academic integrity policy development and practice in UK higher education. Over 200 institutions have pledged to implement the Charter’s principles and commitments, working with staff and students to promote academic integrity and take action against academic misconduct.The sector is developing guidelines for ethical and responsible use of generative AI for staff and students. In July 2023 the Russell Group published a set of principles, developed in partnership with educational experts, recognising the risks of AI and committing its members to helping staff and students become leaders in an increasingly AI-enabled world.

What guidance her Department provides to (a) school leaders and (b) teachers on how to counter inappropriate use of Generative AI by pupils.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) presents a number of risks which need to be managed carefully. The department is developing online training resources and guidance materials for teachers and leaders. The resources will help with the risks and opportunities of AI across settings as part of a wider digital strategy. We expect the resources to be published in summer 2025.In January 2025, to ensure the safety of our children, the department announced that leading global tech firms had jointly committed to making AI tools for education safer by design. Google, Microsoft, Adobe and Amazon Web Services are amongst the firms who have helped develop a set of expectations, AI tools should meet to be considered safe for classroom use. The 'Generative AI: product safety expectations' framework was published in January 2025.The department is funding Ofsted to conduct research into how early adopter schools and further education colleges are using AI to support teaching and learning and manage administrative systems and processes. This research will provide an up-to-date assessment of what emerging practices are developing in the education sector's use of AI and the role that school and college leaders are playing in supporting innovation through embedding AI and managing associated risks.

Pursuant to the Answers of 22 April 2025 to Questions 41031, 41032, 41033 and 41034, on Free School Meals: Primary Education, whether her Department’s modelling for the breakfast club early adopter scheme assumes an average take up of 50 per cent.

The department is funding 750 early adopter schools to provide access to a free, universal breakfast club lasting at least 30 minutes. Schools will receive a combination of set-up, fixed-term and per-pupil payments to cover staffing, delivery and food. Funding rates vary depending on uptake and pupil characteristics.On average, a school with 50% take-up would receive around £23,000 for a full year. The funding model is designed to ensure that allocations reflect actual take up in early adopter schools.A key aim of the early adopter programme is to test and learn about take-up across a diverse range of schools, to help inform future national rollout.The department used existing programmes and cost data to determine the funding rates and methodology, which have been tested and refined with a number of schools. It is designed to ensure schools can meet the minimum expectations, including a 30 minute breakfast club with food that meets the school food standards.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 31842 on Power Failures, what geographical segmentation data on power outage (a) incidence and (b) duration are available.

There is no geographical information available to be published by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on power outage incidence and duration. However, Ofgem publishes data annually on the number of customer interruptions and the customer minutes lost due to power outages for each individual electricity Distribution Network Operator (which operate in different regions of Great Britain).

Pursuant to the Answers of 22 April 2025 to Questions 41031, 41032, 41033 and 41034 on Free School Meals: Primary Education, what estimate has she made of the average amount of funding from her Department for each pupil participating in the new school breakfast pilot.

The department is funding 750 early adopter schools to provide access to a free, universal breakfast club lasting at least 30 minutes. Schools will receive a combination of set-up, fixed-term and per-pupil payments to cover staffing, delivery and food. Funding rates vary depending on uptake and pupil characteristics.On average, a school with 50% take-up would receive around £23,000 for a full year. The funding model is designed to ensure that allocations reflect actual take up in early adopter schools.A key aim of the early adopter programme is to test and learn about take-up across a diverse range of schools, to help inform future national rollout.The department used existing programmes and cost data to determine the funding rates and methodology, which have been tested and refined with a number of schools. It is designed to ensure schools can meet the minimum expectations, including a 30 minute breakfast club with food that meets the school food standards.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 April 2025 to Question 43038 on Prisons: Overcrowding, how many and what proportion of the Operation Safeguard police cells made available overnight were used.

Operation Safeguard is an important contingency measure used to ensure that the current demand on prison places does not cause undue disruption to Criminal Justice System partners. The first places were activated by the previous Government in February 2023. Between 20 February 2023 – 4 July 2024, 86,561 Operation Safeguard police cells were made available overnight. Over the same period, there were 2,564 overnight uses of Safeguard.

Pursuant to the Answers of 9 April 2025 to Questions 43036 on Prison Accommodation: Closures and 43032 and 43033 on Prison Accommodation, what the gross addition to prison estate capacity was from (a) new-build prisons, (b) extensions, (c) rapid deployment cells and (d) other additions without netting off the removal of places in each year for which data is available.

The previous Labour Government added nearly 28,000 places to the prison estate between 1997 and 2010. However, available records do not provide a breakdown for these figures of these places by category. For the gross additions to prison estate capacity relating to (a) new-build prisons and (b) extensions, I refer you to the table provided in response to PQs 36624 & 36626. For gross additions relating to (c) rapid deployment cells, I refer you to the table provided in PQ 36625. The information requested for part (d) is not available in a format showing gross additions only. This is because this category contains significant turnover of prison places coming in and out of use for temporary reductions, such as maintenance projects, and it is not possible to distinguish the gross additional capacity added over this period. Last year this Government announced plans to build 14,000 places by 2031 as part of our 10-year Prison Capacity Strategy. We have already started the 700-place expansion at HMP Highpoint in Suffolk in March, and a new houseblock providing nearly 460 places at HMP Rye Hill in Northamptonshire recently received its first prisoners. This week has also seen the opening HMP Millsike, which will hold nearly 1,500 prisoners.

Whether she plans for the rules on school uniform contained in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to be adjustable by secondary legislation.

For too many families, the cost of uniform remains a financial burden. ​This is why the department has introduced legislation to limit the number of branded items of uniform and PE kit that schools can require, to bring down costs for parents and remove barriers from children accessing sport and other school activities. The department believes a clear and transparent limit, set out in primary legislation, is the most effective way to make schools remove unnecessary and expensive branded items and bring down costs for parents. There are no plans for this measure contained in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to be adjustable by secondary legislation.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of (a) the Information Commissioner’s Office and (b) Ofcom in assessing how regulated services are enforcing their minimum age limits to ensure children’s safety and data protection.

In 2024, the ICO updated its Age assurance opinion for the Children’s code, with guidance on what online services must do if they are likely to be accessed by children. We welcome the ICO’s ongoing work to assess how services are applying age assurance measures to identifying child users and through the Data (Use and Access) Bill we are taking steps to require the ICO to have regard to the fact that children merit specific protection.Under the Online Safety Act services in scope must use highly effective age assurance to prevent children from encountering the most harmful content. Additionally, services which have a minimum age limit must specify in their terms of service how these restrictions are enforced and apply these terms consistently. Ofcom must publish a report on services’ use of age assurance within 18 months of child safety duties coming into effect.

With reference to her Written Statement of 22 October 2024 on Mainstream Free Schools, HCWS150, what progress her Department has made on the review of planned mainstream free schools.

The review that my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education announced in October 2024 will put a stop to the over-supply of unnecessary places and channel funding towards improving the deteriorating condition of existing schools and colleges and enable prioritisation of capital funding where it is most needed across the education estate to counter urgent condition need.Since the review was announced, departmental officials have been working through evidence gathered from trusts and local authorities to develop robust, evidence-based recommendations. We will update trusts and local authorities on next steps in due course.

With reference to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, whether there will be a de minimis value below which a required uniform item would not count towards the limits for branded items of school uniform.

There will not be a de minimis value below which a required uniform item would not count towards the limit for branded items of school uniform. The department wants to ensure that the action we are taking to reduce the cost of uniform provides schools and parents with clarity about which items are in scope.The explanatory notes to the bill, which set out the detail of the measures included, are available here: https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3909/publications.

If she will make an assessment of the impact on participation of the change in the average cost of domestic school trips since 2019; and if she will make an assessment of the trends in the levels of the contributing factors for the changes in that average cost.

The department is providing schools with an additional £3.2 billion in the 2025/26 financial year, taking total core school budgets to over £64.8 billion. Schools have autonomy over how they use this funding to best support their pupils based on their individual circumstance, including any spending decisions on school trips.

When she next plans to review her Department's guidance on school food standards.

It is important that children eat nutritious food at school and the department encourages schools to have a whole-school approach to healthy eating. The School Food Standards define the foods and drinks that must be provided, that are restricted and those which must not be provided.We keep our approach to school food and its guidance under continued review.

What estimate she has made of the proportion of children educated otherwise than at school that would be eligible for free school meals and are in receipt of (a) free school meals and (b) vouchers in place of free school meals.

The department expects local authorities to consider free school meal (FSM) provision for children and young people receiving education otherwise than at school (EOTAS) in accordance with Section 61 of the Children and Families Act 2014.  This is set out in our published guidance.The department has not made a formal assessment of the proportion of children EOTAS who would be eligible for free meals and are receiving FSM or vouchers in place of FSM. We are clear, however, that local authorities should be considering food provision in line with our FSM guidance.

When she next plans to review the per-meal funding rate for free school meals.

The department spends over £1.5 billion annually on the provision of free and nutritious meals to 2.1 million of the most disadvantaged school pupils, 90,000 low-income students in further education, and 1.3 million infant pupils. In addition to this, eligibility for free meals drives billions of additional pounds in disadvantage funding.The government will continue to engage with schools to ensure high-quality meals are provided for children. As with all government programmes, the department keeps free school meal provision under review.

If she will take steps to maintain the number of children eligible for free school meals at approximately the same level in the context of the maturity of the universal credit rollout.

Free school meal support is available to households receiving Universal Credit, and with an annual earned income of £7,400 or less.This government’s ambition is to drive down poverty through our Child Poverty Strategy and cross-government work to support more parents into employment and to increase their working hours.