Written questions by Naish.

What discussions she has had with the Office for Students on the adequacy of governance and consultation processes at universities undertaking large-scale restructuring programmes.

Awaiting answer.

What steps her Department is taking to protect the sustainability of specialist STEM subjects at universities facing financial pressure.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of parental representation and involvement in governance arrangements within academy trusts.

Awaiting answer.

Whether her Department has issued guidance on the length of time parental representation can be excluded within academy trusts where a school is underperforming.

Awaiting answer.

Whether her Department has assessed the effectiveness of the academy trust governance framework in ensuring that community and family engagement is prioritised by academy trusts.

Awaiting answer.

What progress she has made on responding to the recommendations of the Law Commission's review of disabled children's social care.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing enforceable minimum standards for universities’ investigation of hate crime incidents.

Higher education (HE) providers are autonomous institutions and are responsible for investigating incidents that occur within their communities. The government expects providers to have effective procedures in place to prevent and respond to hate crime, h...

Whether she plans to require universities to report incidents of antisemitism and other hate crimes to the Office for Students.

The government is clear that antisemitism has no place in higher education (HE).HE providers are autonomous institutions and are responsible for preventing and responding to harassment, hate crime and discrimination. The Office for Students (OfS), as the ...

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of information-sharing arrangements between universities, police forces and relevant Government agencies in tackling antisemitism.

The department is clear that antisemitism has no place in higher education (HE).While the department has not made a formal assessment of the effectiveness of information-sharing arrangements between universities, police forces and government agencies, we ...

Whether her Department plans to add additional regulatory requirements for students’ unions in relation to tackling extremism and hate incidents on campus.

The department is clear that all students should be able to study in an environment that is safe and free from harassment and intimidation.The department is strengthening protections for students and staff from extremism and intimidation on campus through...

What discussions she has had with the Charity Commission on oversight of students’ unions’ compliance with their legal duties.

Students’ unions that are registered charities are regulated by the Charity Commission and are required to comply with charity law and fulfil their legal duties as trustees.The department engages regularly with regulators and sector bodies on matters affe...

What support her Department provides to universities seeking to deliver antisemitism awareness training and initiatives that celebrate Jewish life on campus.

The department is supporting the sector to tackle antisemitism and ensure Jewish students can participate fully in university life.We have committed £7 million to the Tackling Antisemitism in Education programme, which includes support for universities to...

What steps her Department is taking with local authorities to extend one-to-one support funding to include breakfast and after-school clubs, including to support parents and improve access for children with SEN

The government is committed to improving access to childcare for all children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This financial year, the department has provided £12.9 million to strengthen local authorities’ capacity...

Whether her Department plans to work with local authorities to extend one-to-one support funding to include holiday clubs.

The government is committed to improving access to childcare for all children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This financial year, the department has provided £12.9 million to strengthen local authorities’ capacity...

What discussions her Department has had with the Department for Transport on aligning school admissions policy with school transport policy to ensure that families who secure a school place are not disadvantage

The department’s home to school travel policy aims to make sure no child is prevented from accessing education by a lack of transport. Children of compulsory school age are eligible for free travel if they attend their nearest suitable school and would no...

A) what estimate she has made of the proportion of pupils who will not have access to a Mental Health Support Team before the planned national rollout is completed; and B) what interim support will be available

This government is committed to expanding mental health support teams (MHSTs) to all schools and colleges by 2029, ensuring every child can access early support. As of March 2025, 52% of pupils (including around 70% in secondary schools) had access. This ...

A) what criteria are being used to prioritise the rollout of Mental Health Support Teams to schools and colleges; and B) what steps her Department is taking to ensure access for pupils in areas of highest need.

This government is committed to expanding mental health support teams (MHSTs) to all schools and colleges by 2029, ensuring every child can access early support. As of March 2025, 52% of pupils (including around 70% in secondary schools) had access. This ...

What assessment her department has made of the potential impact of expanding Mental Health Support Teams in schools and colleges on pupil attendance and behaviour outcomes.

This government is committed to expanding mental health support teams (MHSTs) to all schools and colleges by 2029, ensuring every child can access early support. As of March 2025, 52% of pupils (including around 70% in secondary schools) had access. This ...

What assessment her Department has made of the environmental impact of increased private car use by rural families resulting from school transport regulatory requirements.

Local authorities have a duty to arrange free home to school travel for eligible children – those who attend their nearest school and would be unable to walk there because of the distance, their special educational needs and disabilities or mobility probl...

With reference to the Answer of 25 March 2026 to Question 121065 on Academies: Electric Vehicles, when the review on new electric vehicle salary sacrifice schemes for academy trusts will be completed; and wheth

New Electrical Vehicle Salary Schemes (EVSS) in the school sector, including adding employees to schemes with existing providers, have been paused whilst a cross-government review on these schemes has been undertaken by HM Treasury.The department has been...