Neil O'Brien MP: written questions

Written questions

• Universal CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67961More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people were claiming Universal Credit who were (a) in employment and (b) not in employment and whose immigration status was (i) Common Travel Area - UK, Ireland, Right of Abode, (ii) EU Settlem

  Answer: The Department recently published new Universal Credit - Immigration Status and Nationality statistics. Further breakdowns of these statistics are not currently available.

  Answered 24 Jul 2025

  Original Parliament record
• Medicine: Higher EducationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67449More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many medical school places he expects there to be in each year up to 2031.

  Answer: The total maximum fundable limit for medical school places in England set by the Office for Students is 8,230 places for the 2025/26 academic year. The limit is confirmed on an annual basis.We will publish a new 10 Year Workforce Plan later this year to d...

  Answered 22 Jul 2025

  Original Parliament record
• Work Experience: Secondary EducationDepartment for EducationTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67448More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of secondary schools provide two weeks of work experience.

  Answer: The department has asked the Careers and Enterprise Company (CEC) to collect national baseline data on the delivery of two weeks’ worth of work experience for every secondary pupil, across schools in England. CEC plan to publish this data by the end of 20...

  Answered 17 Jul 2025

  Original Parliament record
• Family Hubs: ExpenditureDepartment for EducationTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67447More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much she plans to spend on the Best Start for Life programme in the (a) 2026-27, (b) 2027-28 and (c) 2028-29 financial years.

  Answer: The department has allocated close to £1.5 billion over the next three financial years on improving family services and early years education. This funding includes both programme and capital funding, and is separate from the additional funding being prov...

  Answered 1 Aug 2025

  Original Parliament record
• Free School Meals: CostsDepartment for EducationTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67446More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the real terms cost to the public purse is of Free School Meals in 2025-26; and what she expects this to be in future years.

  Answer: The department published information on pupil free school meal eligibility in the annual Schools, Pupils and Characteristics publication, which can be accessed here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-the...

  Answered 21 Jul 2025

  Original Parliament record
• Free School Meals: EligibilityDepartment for EducationTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67445More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of pupils she expects to be eligible for Free School Meals (a) this year and (b) in future years.

  Answer: The department published information on pupil free school meal eligibility in the annual Schools, Pupils and Characteristics publication, which can be accessed here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-the...

  Answered 21 Jul 2025

  Original Parliament record
• Church of England: SlaveryChurch CommissionersTabled 7 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 65336More

  Question: To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, pursuant to the Answer of 6 July 2025 to Question 63010 on Church of England: Slavery, how much has been spent on this project so far.

  Answer: From 2019 to the end of the financial year 31 December 2024 inclusive, the Church Commissioners' expenditure in connection with Project Spire was approximately £1 million. This is related to commissioning research and developing our formal responseThe Chu...

  Answered 30 Aug 2025

  Original Parliament record