Written questions by Sollom.

What steps her Department is taking to help reduce the potential impact of changes to the level of funding for the Adult Skills Fund on the ability of (a) vulnerable learners and (b) people in receipt of benefits to take part in training to help increase their employability.

The department will provide approximately £1.4 billion in funding for the adult skills fund (ASF) in the 2025/26 academic year to ensure that adult learners can access the education and training they need to get into employment or progress in work.As of August 2025, the department will have devolved 68% of the ASF to mayoral strategic authorities, who are responsible for adult skills provision in their areas. These authorities have autonomy in deciding how to use their funding and are responsible for the allocation of the ASF to learning providers. The department is responsible for managing non-devolved ASF.In non-devolved areas, adults earning less than £25,000 annual gross salary are eligible for full funding through the ASF. This directly supports social mobility by enabling those moving from unemployment to progress in work. The ASF also funds Learner Support and Learning Support which enables learning providers to help learners facing specific financial hardship, learning difficulties and/or disabilities to overcome barriers which prevent them from taking part in learning.The department’s allocation methodology for the 2025/26 academic year recognises priority courses, as well as providers with a strong track record of delivering above their allocations and providing for more learners. As a result, there will be a significant number of providers who will see their allocations increase in the 2025/26 academic year.The department considered the impact of all its funding decisions and, as part of managing the ASF in non-devolved areas, the department considers the impacts of any previous changes when making policy decisions.

What discussions her Department has had with the Department for Education on the potential impact of changes to the level of funding for the Adult Skills Fund on the number of people entering employment.

Adult Skills Funding (ASF) supports people with access to local skills training and provision, helping remove skills barriers to work, which in turn both secures and helps people progress in work. Work Coaches are able to help people access a broad range of local skills provision funded via the Adult Skills funding including; Skills Bootcamps, vocational and essential English, maths, digital skills training, ESOL, as well as Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs). Jobcentres also work closely with local stakeholders.The Department for Work and Pensions works closely with the Department for Education given our collective ambition to better align delivery of skills and employment support with both individual need and national and local labour market demand.As the majority of ASF is devolved to strategic authorities they are responsible for the provision of ASF-funded adult education for their residents and allocation of the ASF to learning providers.

With reference to the Answer of 18 September 2023 to Question 199977 on T-levels: Expenditure and to the Answer of 23 March 2025 to Question 35993 on T-levels: Finance, how her Department has reallocated the amount of money underspent on the T Level programme.

As per the Consolidated Budgeting Guidance, the usual practice is for any underspends in overall departmental budgets, including the T level programme, by the end of the financial year to be returned to HM Treasury. However, throughout each financial year, the department reviews emerging forecasts against the departmental budgets originally set, as well as reviewing any pressures across the department. Unspent funding is then reallocated to wider education priorities.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to levels of staffing for Integrated Care Boards in St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire constituency on the capacity of those Integrated Care Boards to plan new services for areas of high population growth .

NHS England has asked the integrated care boards (ICBs) to act as main strategic commissioners of health and care services and to reduce the duplication of responsibilities within their structure to achieve a 50% cost reduction in their running cost allowance. NHS England provided additional guidance to ICBs, National Health Service trusts, and NHS foundation trusts on 1 April 2025, and tasked ICBs with developing plans by the end of May setting out how they will manage their resources to deliver across their priorities.NHS England will be working closely with ICBs to support the development of these plans, ensuring that their implementation reduces duplication and supports patient care. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/working-together-in-2025-26-to-lay-the-foundations-for-reform/In his letter to ICBs, Sir Jim Mackay committed to greater transparency and moving back to a fair shares allocation policy over time. The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICB is within range of their fair shares allocation targets.

When he plans to reply to correspondence of 5 February 2025 from the hon. Member for St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire on healthcare in Northstowe.

I replied to the Hon. Member on 28 March 2025.

What steps she is taking to improve the infrastructure available to provide (a) physical education and (b) outdoor activities in schools.

Physical education (PE) is a foundation subject that is compulsory at all four key stages in the national curriculum. As part of the national curriculum, pupils should be taught in key stages two, three and four to take part in outdoor and adventurous activities. This government is committed to securing the infrastructure needed to protect time for PE in schools and to support the role grassroots clubs play in expanding access to sport.To support schools to provide opportunities for pupils to access high quality PE and sport, the government has committed £320 million for the primary PE and sport premium this academic year, 2024/25, benefiting over 18,000 schools and around 3.9 million pupils in England. The department also launched an open procurement for a new grant programme from spring 2025, of up to £300,000 a year. This will focus on improving and increasing PE, school sport and physical activity opportunities for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.In July 2024, the government commissioned Professor Becky Francis CBE to convene and chair a panel of experts to conduct the Curriculum and Assessment Review. The interim report has been published and the final report is due in autumn 2025. The interim report can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/curriculum-and-assessment-review-interim-report.

What steps she is taking to help schools deliver (a) physical education and (b) school sports initiatives.

I refer the hon. Member for St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire to the answer of 28 March 2025 to Question 36741.

If she will take steps to reinstate the Business Engagement Forum to help ensure collaboration between officials in her Department and industry leaders.

With the creation of Skills England, the department has developed a wider range of employer engagement routes.In October 2024, following the publication of the first Skills England report, a series of round tables were conducted, engaging over 100 stakeholders. This tested the initial analysis but also drew out what stakeholders felt Skills England should prioritise and where it could have most impact.In November 2024, the department conducted a comprehensive engagement programme, reaching 743 people across a variety of sectors and activities.The engagement was designed to support advice on the future of the Growth and Skills Levy offer, and the skills element of Industrial Strategy Sector Plans.The aim was to collect evidence on skills needs, flexibilities in the levy system and gather sector-specific views to inform the second Skills England report.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to encourage the (a) reuse and (b) repair of items to help create a circular economy.

This Government is committed to transitioning to a circular economy. We have convened a Circular Economy Taskforce, comprising experts from industry, academia, and civil society, to help develop a Circular Economy Strategy for England. The Strategy will map our transition to a circular economy, supported by a series of roadmaps that detail the interventions that the government and others will make on a sector-by-sector basis. Defra recognises that reuse and repair are fundamental tenets of any circular economy, and a successful transition aims to eliminate waste and promote sustainability through reuse and resource efficiency. We will consider the evidence for appropriate action right across the economy as we develop the Strategy.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that the Office for Clean Energy Jobs makes use of the research and evidence collected by the Green Jobs Delivery Group.

The Office for Clean Energy Jobs is committed to ensuring that research and evidence gathered by the former Green Jobs Delivery Group directly inform its initiatives. In December 2024 we published the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, accompanied by an Annex titled Assessment of the Clean Energy Skills Challenge. This Annex provides a comprehensive analysis of the skills landscape within the clean energy sector, highlighting workforce challenges and opportunities. We continue to engage with industry, unions, and educational bodies to ensure our policies align with latest labour market intelligence and effectively address workforce challenges in the clean energy sector.

Whether his Department has (a) evaluated the effectiveness and (b) undertaken a lessons learned review of the Green Jobs Delivery Group.

We have been building on the progress that the Green Jobs Delivery Group previously made by setting up the Office for Clean Energy Jobs (OCEJ). The OCEJ has been created to ensure that clean energy jobs are abundant, high quality, paid fairly, and have favourable terms and good working conditions. The Department has undertaken lessons learned exercises of the work undertaken by, and to support the Green Jobs Delivery Group. This included an informal assessment of its effectiveness. The outputs have informed the establishment of the OCEJ and its work.

With reference to Skills England’s report entitled Skills England: driving growth and widening opportunities, published on 24 September 2024, what steps she has taken to support cross-departmental working by Skills England (a) in general and (b) to provide training on green skills to employees in sectors that plan to decarbonise.

In September 2024, Skills England published their first report, titled, ‘Skills England: Driving Growth and Widening Opportunities’. This report sets out Skills England’s role, the key skills challenges that limit economic growth and opportunity, and an initial assessment of skills needs in the economy.Part of Skills England’s role is to ensure that skills sit at the heart of joined-up decision making across government. This includes working closely with:i) The Industrial Strategy Council, so that we have the skilled workforce needed to deliver a clear, long-term plan for the future economy.ii) The Department for Work on Pensions, on the government’s plan to Get Britain Working.iii) The Migration Advisory Committee, so that growing the domestic skills pipeline reduces our reliance on overseas workers.iv) Mayoral Strategic Authorities, to ensure that regional skills needs are met and there is alignment with national priorities.v) The devolved administrations, to ensure join-up across the UK.vi) The full range of central government departments including the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), which has set up the Office for Clean Energy Jobs to meet our clean energy superpower mission.Skills England will ensure that skills development aligns with the UK’s carbon emission and environmental targets, working in partnership with businesses, educational institutions, and regional and local organisations. Following the publication of its first report, Skills England consulted over 700 employers and other key stakeholders, including from the green economy, on their skills needs and priorities for training funded through the new growth and skills offer.To meet carbon emission and environmental targets, skills training programmes must respond to the demands of a low-carbon economy, with qualifications and training pathways designed to directly address the ways in which jobs will change. Skills England will work with businesses and other government departments to help develop understanding of the importance of this shift including for employers and training providers.

Media and Sport, with reference to p.57 of the report by The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award entitled Youth Voices, published 23 July 2024, if she will make it her policy to ensure that the views of young people are represented (a) at all levels of policy and decision-making and (b) in decisions on issues that affect young people.

This Government recognises the value of effective youth participation in decision making at all levels. We understand this leads to impactful policy locally, regionally and nationally.Youth consultation opportunities are being held across various government departments, including the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department for Education, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, to shape policies on youth employment, communities, and environmental improvement.We are currently co-producing the National Youth Strategy in partnership with young people and the youth sector. DCMS has already conducted Ministerial roundtables with young people and over the coming months will conduct a number of different engagement activities with young people, including focus groups. We launched a national survey on 5 March 2025 to ask young people about their issues and priorities.We have also produced an engagement toolkit so MPs can run their own workshops and discussions with young people, or share this toolkit with organisations in their constituencies who work with young people.

What discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues ahead of the publication of the Immigration White Paper.

The Home Secretary is in regular dialogue with colleagues about all aspects of her responsibilities within the Government’s Plan for Change.

Whether he has had recent discussions with pharmaceutical companies on taking steps to ensure an adequate supply of hormone replacement therapies for women experiencing the menopause.

The Department manages medicine supply issues at a national level so that stocks remain available to meet regional and local demand. Information on stock levels within Cambridgeshire is not held centrally.Previously, there have been issues with the supply of a limited number of these products, primarily driven by very sharp increases in demand. Following the Department’s intensive engagement with industry, the supply position has improved considerably. As part of this we have met with suppliers on a very regular basis and have held nine hormone replacement therapy (HRT) supply roundtables since April 2022, with the most recent in September 2024, with suppliers, wholesalers, and community pharmacists, to provide updates on the supply position and the actions being taken to address the issues, share data, and discuss relevant policy developments and their potential impacts.There are over 70 HRT products, and the vast majority are in good supply. Where there are issues with HRT products, we continue to work closely with suppliers and other stakeholders, such as the National Health Service and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, to expedite resupply dates of disrupted products to resolve the issues as soon as possible

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of access to hormone replacement therapies for women experiencing the menopause in Cambridgeshire.

The Department manages medicine supply issues at a national level so that stocks remain available to meet regional and local demand. Information on stock levels within Cambridgeshire is not held centrally.Previously, there have been issues with the supply of a limited number of these products, primarily driven by very sharp increases in demand. Following the Department’s intensive engagement with industry, the supply position has improved considerably. As part of this we have met with suppliers on a very regular basis and have held nine hormone replacement therapy (HRT) supply roundtables since April 2022, with the most recent in September 2024, with suppliers, wholesalers, and community pharmacists, to provide updates on the supply position and the actions being taken to address the issues, share data, and discuss relevant policy developments and their potential impacts.There are over 70 HRT products, and the vast majority are in good supply. Where there are issues with HRT products, we continue to work closely with suppliers and other stakeholders, such as the National Health Service and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, to expedite resupply dates of disrupted products to resolve the issues as soon as possible

What steps he is taking to support NHS dentistry in St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire.

The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term and increase access to NHS dental care, we will reform the dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For the St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire constituency, this is the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICB.

Pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2025 to Question 26623 on Schools: Uniforms, what is the evidential basis to support that (a) expanding the existing relief may not reduce the price of school uniforms and (b) VAT relief would not remain tightly targeted at those whom it would be intended to benefit.

There is a wide range of academic research into how VAT changes affect prices, which supports the conclusion that pass-through is typically only partial. This includes, for example, an International Monetary Fund study which examined the pass through of VAT changes for 17 countries over 1999-2013 and ‘What Goes Up May Not Come Down:Asymmetric Incidence of Value-Added Taxes’ by Benzarti et al. which shows that prices respond more to VAT increases than decreases. To ensure that the current scope of the relief is carefully targeted at those it is intended to benefit and is not used to circumvent paying VAT on clothing for adults, this relief is limited to clothing designed and labelled for children under the age of 14. The limit is set in relation to when the clothing measurements begin to merge with the general adult population, who could wear clothing such as plain white shirts or black shoes, with uniforms in a great number of secondary schools now including such non-branded items.

What steps she is taking to improve chemistry education; and whether she has plans for the subject to focus on (a) green skills, (b) digital skills and (c) transferrable skills alongside technical knowledge.

High and rising school standards are at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life. The government also recognises that science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects, such as chemistry, are vital for the UK’s future economic needs and to drive up productivity. Chemistry skills, in particular, are necessary for a range of careers within the green economy, including in growing sectors like carbon capture and hydrogen.The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The review will seek to deliver a curriculum that readies young people for life and work, building the knowledge, skills and attributes needed to thrive. The review group will publish an interim report in early spring setting out its interim findings and confirming the key areas for further work, and will publish its final report with recommendations this autumn. We will take decisions on what changes to make to the curriculum in light of these recommendations.Oak National Academy, an independent arm’s length body which provides free, high-quality, optional and adaptable curriculum resources for schools, has recently published new curriculum sequences and associated lesson resources in science from key stages 1-4, including chemistry. Within Oak’s science curriculum, it provides a broad range of resources to support teachers to teach about green skills, climate change and sustainability. This year, Oak is also introducing a new curriculum thread entitled ‘How can we live sustainably to protect Earth for a better future?’. This will form part of its secondary science curriculum and will support the growing emphasis of green skills in chemistry. As well as this, Oak’s chemistry lessons include a variety of data analysis tools to strengthen pupils’ digital competency. Oak’s chemistry lessons include real-life applications of chemistry, such as industrial chemistry, environmental chemistry and material science to strengthen technical knowledge.To improve education in STEM subjects, it is essential to ensure high-quality teaching by helping schools recruit and retain good teachers. The government has therefore announced an initial teacher training financial incentives package for the 2025/26 academic year worth £233 million, a £37 million increase on the last recruitment cycle. This includes a range of measures, including bursaries worth £29,000 tax-free and scholarships worth £31,000 tax-free, to encourage talented trainees in key STEM subjects such as chemistry.For the 2024/25 and 2025/26 academic years, the government is also offering a targeted retention incentive worth up to £6,000 after tax for chemistry teachers in the first five years of their careers who choose to work in disadvantaged schools. This will support recruitment and retention of specialist teachers in the subject in the schools and areas that need them most.

What steps the Government taking to open up technical and vocational pathways for people to access training and employment in the chemical sciences sector.

The government is developing a comprehensive strategy for post‐16 education and skills, to break down barriers to opportunity, support the development of a skilled workforce in all sectors, including the chemical sciences sector, and drive economic growth through our Industrial Strategy.The department has established Skills England to ensure we have the highly-trained workforce needed to deliver the national, regional and local skills needs of the next decade. It will ensure that the skills system is clear and navigable for individuals, for both young people and older adults, strengthening careers pathways into jobs across the economy.The department’s reformed growth and skills offer, which will have apprenticeships at its core, will deliver greater flexibility for learners and employers, including through shorter duration apprenticeships in targeted sectors. This will help more people learn new high quality skills at work and is fuelling innovation in businesses across the UK.The department will continue to support learners who wish to have a career in the chemical sector through its technical education offer, with a range of high quality qualifications and apprenticeship opportunities at all levels.Examples of this include:Over 80 high quality employer-designed apprenticeship standards in the health and science sector to support the development of skilled workforces, including through the level 3 Laboratory Technician standard.T Levels in science, where students can specialise in laboratory sciences, food sciences or metrology sciences, leading to entry level occupations in the science sector.Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs), which are occupation-focused level 4 and 5 qualifications, approved and quality-marked as providing the skills demanded in the workplace by employers. To date, 263 HTQs have been approved for delivery across a range of occupational routes, with three Technician Scientist HTQs becoming available from September 2025.For the 2024/25 academic year, more than half of the £1.4 billion Strategic Priorities Grant recurrent funding to higher education providers is allocated to support the provision of high-cost subjects, which includes chemistry. From this funding, the Office for Students is allocating £1,737 per full-time equivalent student to providers for chemistry students.