The information requested is not held centrally. We do not collect data from schools about the number of careers advisers which they employ.

To target more support on those who need it most, the government announced £2.5million of funding for innovative, cost effective models for delivering personal careers guidance in schools and colleges. The funding will be used for personal guidance for young people, the training and ongoing continuing professional development of career guidance professionals and the development of a pipeline of qualified career guidance professionals for the future.

The careers strategy makes clear that personal guidance from a qualified practitioner is important to support young people to make choices about their education, training and careers.

Secondary schools and colleges are responsible for making sure their students receive independent careers guidance with a qualified careers adviser whenever significant study or career choices are being made.

We expect all schools to work towards meeting the 8 Gatsby Career Benchmarks by the end of 2020. The Gatsby Benchmark on personal guidance advises that all young people should have a careers interview by the age of 16, and the opportunity for one further such interview by age 18.

Legislation already states pupils must have access at all times to free, fresh drinking water. Schools are best placed to decide how to offer this. If water is not available parents should raise this through the school’s complaints policy. No teacher should be refusing a child water. If the hon. Member for Washington and Sunderland West is aware of any situation where this is taking place I would encourage her to write to the department.

The department has issued formal guidance for schools and local authorities on preparations for a no-deal EU exit.

The guidance for schools is published here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eu-exit-no-deal-preparations-for-schools-in-england/eu-exit-no-deal-preparations-for-schools-in-england.

The guidance for local authorities is published here:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-exit-no-deal-preparations-for-local-authority-childrens-services-in-england.

I have asked officials to contact Oldham Council to offer a conversation on this matter. In addition, Oldham Council, and any other local authority, are welcome to contact the department to discuss any issues relating to school food provision.

The department is investing up to £26 million into the National Schools Breakfast Programme, using funds from Soft Drinks Industry Levy revenues. A contract was awarded to Family Action in March 2018 and will run until March 2020. Family Action, in partnership with Magic Breakfast, have both been named as the leading charities responsible for running the Breakfast Club programme. Together they have set up or improved more than 1,700 breakfast clubs across the country.

The department’s breakfast club provision is one of a number of available programmes open to schools. Across England there are a number of independent schemes already in operation either run by schools themselves or in partnership with charities and organisations such as Kellogg’s and Greggs.

The department does not collect figures on the total number of breakfast clubs in operation outside of our programme.

The department is currently considering the results of a public consultation on new security guidance for schools and colleges, with the intention of publishing this later in the year. We will publish the department’s response to the consultation at the same time we publish the guidance.