Saqib Bhatti MP: written questions
154 published records · newest first.
Written questions
AssessmentsDepartment for EducationTabled 11 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 89646More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of reductions to exam times on students.
Answer: The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review acknowledged that young people in England sit more hours of exams than their peers in many other countries. As GCSEs are reformed, the department will work closely with Ofqual and exam boards to reduce exam...
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordAssessmentsDepartment for EducationTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88888More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department's publication entitled Curriculum and Assessment Review, published on 5 November 2025, if she will instruct Ofqual to release the analysis quoted on the impact of reductions to
Answer: This is a matter for Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation. I have asked its Chief Regulator, Sir Ian Bauckham, to write to the hon. Member for Meriden and Solihull East, and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries o...
Answered 13 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordCoronavirus: VaccinationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87876More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of excluding (a) general practitioners and (b) other frontline medical staff from the covid-19 booster vaccination programme in autumn 2025 on (i
Answer: The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The JCVI has advised that COVID-19 is now a relatively mild disease for m...
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordChildcareDepartment for EducationTabled 31 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 87087More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department plans to take to assess the adequacy of the accessibility to parents of recent childcare announcements made by her Department.
Answer: In 2025/26, the department plans to provide over £8 billion for the early years entitlements, an additional £2 billion compared to 2024/25, saving eligible families who use their full entitlement £7,500 a year on average. The government will provide an ad...
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordExtended Services: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 31 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 87086More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to provide funding for wraparound childcare after March 2026.
Answer: This government is rolling out free breakfast clubs in all primary schools, with £80 million funding available from April 2026 to bring free breakfast clubs to an additional 2,000 schools. It builds on the more than £30 million the department has invested...
Answered 13 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordBreakfast ClubsDepartment for EducationTabled 31 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 87085More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how her Department plans to measure the (a) effectiveness and (b) uptake of breakfast clubs; and whether she plans to publish this assessment.
Answer: The department is using the findings from the early adopter phase to inform the national roll out of free breakfast clubs. We’re also committed to continuing to learn throughout national roll out and have robust evaluation activity in place, including loo...
Answered 17 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordBreakfast Clubs: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 31 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 87084More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how her Department plans to integrate feedback from schools on the adequacy of funding for the breakfast clubs programme.
Answer: We have always been committed to rolling free breakfast clubs out nationally and the test and learn phase was put in place to inform how best to do so.We have been listening to schools and other stakeholders throughout this phase and will continue to work...
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordBreakfast ClubsDepartment for EducationTabled 31 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 87083More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on the number of children who are attending the early adopters breakfast clubs.
Answer: The free breakfast clubs early adopter phase has been a huge success, with data showing that over 5 million breakfasts have been served so far. We continue to receive excellent feedback from schools, parents and pupils on the positive impact that the free...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordStatutory Sick Pay: Agency WorkersDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 13 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 81377More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of expanding Statutory Sick Pay on recruitment agencies; and if he will consider taking steps to (a) enable agencies to recover SSP costs from hirers
Answer: Strengthening Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is part of the Government’s Plan to Make Work Pay. The Government conducted a Regulatory Impact Assessment Here on the impact of the SSP measures in the Employment Rights Bill. Whilst this is not a specific assessmen...
Answered 30 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAgency Workers: Conditions of EmploymentDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 13 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 81376More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that requirements on agencies to offer guaranteed hours contracts do not reduce flexibility; and if he will consider reforms to allow such contracts to be
Answer: The Government believes agency workers should be able to access a contract which reflects the hours they regularly work. Agency workers who prefer a more flexible arrangement can reject any guaranteed hours offer.It will generally be hirers’ responsibilit...
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordJob Creation and TrainingTreasuryTabled 13 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 81375More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to ensure that the Autumn Budget 2025 incentivises businesses to invest in (a) job creation and (b) workforce development.
Answer: Economic growth is the central mission of this government, and we recognise that sustainable growth can only be achieved in partnership with businesses and other stakeholders. We are providing long-term stability through clear fiscal rules that give firms...
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordConditions of Employment and Employers' ContributionsTreasuryTabled 13 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 81374More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential cumulative impact of (a) National Insurance contributions and (b) the Employment Rights Act on overall hiring costs for UK businesses.
Answer: A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy, including on businesses. The Government decided to protect the smallest busi...
Answered 17 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordEmployers' ContributionsTreasuryTabled 13 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 81373More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of National Insurance contributions on small and medium-sized businesses ability to hire new staff.
Answer: A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy, including on businesses. The Government decided to protect the smallest busi...
Answered 17 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordInternational BaccalaureateDepartment for EducationTabled 13 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 81372More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.
Answer: The department has made very significant investments into 16-19 education funding. The base rate of funding per student has increased to £5,105 in the 2025/26 academic year, up over 5% on last year. We must make this funding work hard, tilting it towards ...
Answered 7 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordInternational BaccalaureateDepartment for EducationTabled 13 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 81371More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her Department's policy is on the continued provision of the International Baccalaureate Diploma in state schools.
Answer: The department has made very significant investments into 16-19 education funding. The base rate of funding per student has increased to £5,105 in the 2025/26 academic year, up over 5% on last year. We must make this funding work hard, tilting it towards ...
Answered 7 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordInternational Baccalaureate: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 13 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 81370More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to reduce funding for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.
Answer: The department has made very significant investments into 16-19 education funding. The base rate of funding per student has increased to £5,105 in the 2025/26 academic year, up over 5% on last year. We must make this funding work hard, tilting it towards ...
Answered 7 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordPrison Officers: Political ImpartialityMinistry of JusticeTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77654More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will set out whether all grades of prison officers are required to be politically neutral.
Answer: All employees are bound by the Civil Service Code and must serve the Government impartially. The HMPPS Outside Activities Policy requires all employees, including all grades of Prison Officer, to remain politically neutral at all times and they must seek ...
Answered 14 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPrison Officers: Codes of PracticeMinistry of JusticeTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77653More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance his Department issues to ensure prison officers follow the civil service code.
Answer: The requirement to adhere to the Civil Service Code is set out in all HMPPS employee's employment contracts. In HMPPS, these standards are reinforced through the Outside Activities and the Conduct and Discipline policies, which set behavioural expectation...
Answered 14 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPrison Officers: Political ImpartialityMinistry of JusticeTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77652More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has issued guidance to prison officers on ensuring political neutrality.
Answer: All civil servants are contractually bound by the Civil Service Code to serve the Government of the day. In HMPPS, this is reinforced through the Outside Activities Policy and the Conduct and Discipline Policy. These require employees to remain politicall...
Answered 14 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational Needs: Private EducationDepartment for EducationTabled 8 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75689More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the number of children with SEND moving from the independent to state school sector; and what proportion this represents of the overall amount of people moving from the
Answer: The latest school census data from January 2025 shows private school pupil numbers remain firmly within historical patterns seen for over 20 years. The data is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupi...
Answered 2 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic ExpenditureTreasuryTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74955More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of trends in the level of UK borrowing costs on government spending.
Answer: The Government has published Spending Review 2025, which set departmental spending allocations consistent with the fiscal strategy set out at Autumn Budget 2024 and Spring Statement 2025. The Chancellor will provide further updates at Autumn Budget 2025.
Answered 10 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordMortgagesTreasuryTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74760More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of trends in the level of borrowing costs on mortgages.
Answer: The Government does not comment on specific financial market movements. Government borrowing costs are determined by a wide range of international and domestic factors, and it is normal for the price and yields of gilts to vary, especially in the context ...
Answered 11 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic Sector DebtTreasuryTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74759More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of the trends in the cost of debt on Departmental Budgets.
Answer: The Government has published Spending Review 2025, which set departmental spending allocations consistent with the fiscal strategy set out at Autumn Budget 2024 and Spring Statement 2025. The Chancellor will provide further updates at Autumn Budget 2025.
Answered 10 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordGovernment Securities: CostsTreasuryTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74758More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has had discussions with the International Monetary Fund on the impact of the rising cost of bond yields.
Answer: The government does not comment on specific market moves. As the Governor of the Bank of England recently noted, the underlying driver of recent moves in yield curves is global. This means it is more important than ever to have fiscal rules that provide s...
Answered 11 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordTransgender People: Conversion TherapyWomen and EqualitiesTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69415More
Question: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she plans to establish a joint committee of both Houses to scrutinise the draft Bill on conversion practices.
Answer: This Government’s position is that conversion practices are abuse. We remain committed to bringing forward legislation that protects LGBT+ individuals from these harmful practices, starting with publishing our draft Bill later this session for pre-legisla...
Answered 1 Sept 2025
Original Parliament record
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