Baroness Barran Portrait

Baroness Barran

Conservative - Life peer

Became Member: 21st June 2018

Shadow Minister (Education)

(since September 2024)

Baroness Barran is not a member of any APPGs
Shadow Minister (Women and Equalities)
1st Sep 2024 - 10th Nov 2024
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
17th Sep 2021 - 5th Jul 2024
Lords Spokesperson (Equalities)
1st Dec 2023 - 5th Jul 2024
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
26th Jul 2019 - 17th Sep 2021
Charities Bill [HL] Special Public Bill Committee
22nd Jul 2021 - 17th Sep 2021
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
22nd Nov 2018 - 26th Jul 2019


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Baroness Barran has voted in 5 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
View All Baroness Barran Division Votes

Debates during the 2024 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Baroness Smith of Malvern (Labour)
Minister of State (Education)
(46 debate interactions)
Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour)
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
(4 debate interactions)
Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat)
Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Education)
(3 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Department for Education
(50 debate contributions)
Home Office
(2 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Baroness Barran's debates

Lords initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Baroness Barran, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.


4 Bills introduced by Baroness Barran

Introduced: 18th May 2021

A Bill to make provision about local skills improvement plans; to make provision relating to further education; to make provision about functions of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education and relating to technical education qualifications; to make provision about student finance and fees; to make provision about assessments by the Office for Students; to make provision about the funding of certain post-16 education or training providers; and for connected purposes

This Bill received Royal Assent on 28th April 2022 and was enacted into law.


A Bill to make provision for and in connection with an expanded dormant assets scheme; to confer power to further expand the scope of that scheme; to amend the Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Act 2008; to enable an authorised reclaim fund to accept transfers of certain unwanted assets; and for connected purposes

This Bill received Royal Assent on 24th February 2022 and was enacted into law.


A bill to make provision about the Commonwealth Games that are to be held principally in Birmingham in 2022; and for connected purposes

This Bill received Royal Assent on 25th June 2020 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 11th May 2022

A Bill To Make provision for the regulation of Academies; about school and local education funding; about the attendance of children at school; about the regulation of independent educational institutions; about teacher misconduct; and for connected purposes

Lords - 80%

Last Event - Report Stage
Monday 18th July 2022

Baroness Barran has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 24 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
1 Other Department Questions
23rd Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 16 September (HL693), on what grounds responses to the call for input on incorrect guidance on single-sex spaces and gender self-identification have been categorised as 'invalid'.

Responses to the call for input were deemed invalid where they did not meet the criteria set out on the call for input Gov.uk page under ‘how to respond’.

Lord Collins of Highbury
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
23rd Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 16 September (HL694), which arms-length bodies are currently affiliated to Stonewall at public expense, according to records held by the Government.

Information on how issued funding is spent by arms length bodies, including payments to third party organisations, is not gathered centrally.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
17th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sherlock on 7 August (HL344), how many staff in (1) the Department for Business and Trade, and (2) UK Export Finance, are permitted to undertake diversity-related network time during core working hours; what is the percentage of overall working time they are permitted to spend on such network activity; how many hours are allocated in total; what are the names of each of the networks being funded; and whether they have any plans to increase or reduce such funding.

The majority of staff time spent on diversity staff networks is voluntary and unpaid. A maximum of two chairs from each of the 5 networks aligned to DBT’s evidence-led areas of focus are allocated up to 10% of their working hours as protected time for network activity. This applies to REACH (race); DisNET (disability); Gender Equality Network; Social Mobility Network; and LGBTQ+ Network. There are no plans to increase or reduce this.

UKEF does not hold the data requested. The majority of staff time spent on diversity staff networks is voluntary and unpaid.

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
17th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sherlock on 7 August (HL344), how many staff in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport are permitted to undertake diversity-related network time during core working hours; what is the percentage of overall working time they are permitted to spend on such network activity; how many hours are allocated in total; what are the names of each of the networks being funded; and whether they have any plans to increase or reduce such funding.

The delivery of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Staff Network activity is agreed between networks and departments as the employer. This includes permitted time allocation and any funding arrangements. The majority of staff time spent on diversity staff networks is voluntary and unpaid.

Currently 6 Diversity Networks are given pro-rata time allocation to support respective network activity. We have 11 FTE Network Chairs in total.

Time allocation

Diversity-related network time ranges between 10% minimum - 20% maximum (based on business need) protected time during core hours

1x10% time allocation 37 – hour week contract equates to 3.7 per chair member.

1x 20% time allocation 37 – hour week contract equates to 7.4 per chair member.

Across all 6 Networks:

  • 11 people support network activity as “Chairs” with their allocated time ranging between 10% - 20%

  • 80% - 90% of their time focused on their contracted job role.

Diversity Networks

  • Ability Network

  • Ethnic Diversity Network

  • EU & International Network

  • Faith & Belief Network

  • LGBT+ Network

  • Social Mobility Network

Funding

When approaching EDI activity, the default must be to use internal resources and best practice in departments and across government, as outlined in the May 2024 Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Guidance. All external EDI spends are cleared and authorised by the Permanent Secretary.

Since the Machinery of Government (MOG) in February 2023, DCMS has typically spent <£1k per year, on Network activity, with no plans to to increase or reduce such funding.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
26th Nov 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the £90 million of funding announced in the Autumn Budget for children’s homes is new funding; how many places will be funded; and where those places will be located.

The Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2024 represented HM Government’s decisions on future spending in the context of the unfunded pressures, across both capital and resource spend, which the new government inherited in July and which my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, set out.

The government has decided to invest further in supporting the development of children’s social care. £86 million of the £90 million funding announced in the Autumn Budget for 2025/26 represents the decision to invest in the Children’s Homes capital programme to maintain capacity and expand provision in secure and open residential children’s homes. The remaining £4 million will support smaller capital initiatives linked to the new government’s wider ambition to reform of children’s social care.

The programme will support the provision of up to 550 open children’s home placements nationwide, including a new bidding round launched to increase provision for children with complex needs.

The programme is intending to support the provision of around 80 additional secure children’s home placements nationwide. Currently, this includes the building of new or replacement homes in Lincolnshire, Devon, Hampshire, and in London and West Midlands regions. There will be improvement works undertaken at other existing homes nationwide that may expand provision.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Education)
26th Nov 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to publish the results from the Market Interventions Advisory Group on the children’s social care market; and if so, when.

The Markets Interventions Advisory Group was established to advise the department on options for addressing the systemic issues in the children's social care placement market, as identified by the Competition and Market Authority in their 2022 report and the independent review of children’s social care, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-review-of-childrens-social-care-final-report.

The work of the group, the reports set out above and engagement with a range of stakeholders fed into our policy paper ‘Keeping Children Safe, Helping Families Thrive’, which was published on 18 November 2024. It sets out the government’s ambitious plans to fix the dysfunctional care market and crackdown on the excessive and exploitative profits made by some private providers.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Education)
26th Nov 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will set out a timeline for completing and publishing the Department for Education's work with the National Workload Action Group to consider "drivers of unnecessary workload" for social workers; and if so, when.

The National Workload Action Group will provide its final report to the department no later than January 2025, with insights and considerations for reducing unnecessary workload for social workers. Ministers will then consider the best way to take forward findings from the report and next steps.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Education)
17th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the letter signed by over 600 academics and seven British Nobel laureates to the Secretary of State for Education calling for the implementation of the remaining provisions of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023.

I, as Minister for Skills, can confirm that I have considered the letter and the concerns raised in it. Officials and I have met with over 40 individuals to discuss the future of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023, including academics with concerns about constraints on freedom of speech and academic freedom. A number of these academics were signatories to the open letter sent to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education on 15 August 2024. This includes representatives from Academics for Academic Freedom, Committee for Academic Freedom and the London Universities Council for Academic Freedom. Officials have also met with representatives of nine sector mission groups, unions and representatives of minority groups.

This stakeholder engagement will feed into decision making on the future of the Act and this government’s longer-term policy on protecting freedom of speech across the higher education sector.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Education)
17th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sherlock on 7 August (HL344), how many staff in the Department for Education are permitted to undertake diversity-related network time during core working hours; what is the percentage of overall working time they are permitted to spend on such network activity; how many hours are allocated in total; what are the names of each of the networks being funded; and whether they have any plans to increase or reduce such funding.

The department does not hold the data requested. The majority of staff time spent on diversity staff networks is voluntary and unpaid.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Education)
9th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to facilitate the growing demand for accelerated part-time study.

The government is committed to supporting students to study in a way that is right for them.

The department is working to ensure that its approach to lifelong learning will be as effective as possible, enabling people to gain the skills they need to support their careers.

The department will make further announcements about this work shortly.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Education)
8th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the financial risk to universities as a result of volatility in international student numbers.

The Office for Students (OfS) is the independent regulator of higher education (HE) in England. The OfS is responsible for monitoring and reporting on the financial sustainability of HE providers in England to ensure they have an up to date understanding of the sustainability of the sector.

The OfS’ most recent report, which was published in May 2024, is available in the attached document. In the report, the OfS stated that the HE financial model had become reliant on fee income from international students, with a particular vulnerability where recruitment is predominantly from a single country.

The department continues to work with the OfS and other relevant parties to understand the ongoing impacts and changing landscape of financial sustainability in the sector.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Education)
8th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to reduce the waiting lists for Level 4 and Level 5 engineering courses at further education colleges.

The government recognises the importance of Level 4 and 5 courses for growth and opportunity across a number of key sectors, including engineering and manufacturing. The department aims to create a clear, flexible, high quality skills system that supports people of all ages, breaking down the barriers to opportunity and driving economic growth, and is establishing Skills England to help achieve this. The government will also create a set of new, specialist Technical Excellence Colleges to deliver the highly trained workforces that local economies need.

Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) are new and existing Level 4 and 5 qualifications that have been independently approved as providing the skills needed for a wide range of specialist roles.

23 engineering and manufacturing HTQs have been approved for teaching from September 2024, with both full and part-time provision being offered. Over 180 providers are now approved to deliver HTQs, across all regions of England, including further education (FE) colleges, Institutes of Technology (IoTs), universities and Independent Training Providers (ITPs).

Up to £115 million of funding has been made available to providers to increase the availability of higher technical education, supporting investment in industry-standard equipment and upskilling staff. This funding has been allocated to a range of providers to support delivery of HTQs and other Level 4 and 5 qualifications, including FE colleges.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Education)
8th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Smith of Malvern on 12 September (HL Deb col 1717–51), when the Office for Students will receive the auditors' report it commissioned on market exits; and whether the main findings will be published.

The objective of the Office for Students’ (OfS) tender is to procure for services to evaluate the financial health and the management and governance capability of higher education providers to ensure that the interests of students are safeguarded throughout any financial adjustments or transition, including potential market exits.

The OfS are currently evaluating the bids to this tender and are not in a position to provide further information at this time.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Education)
7th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether it is possible to reduce the monthly repayments for every single new graduate without increasing government borrowing or general taxation.

The government is determined that the higher education (HE) funding system should deliver for the economy, for universities, and for students and will look carefully at all options and come forward with proposals.

Funding plans for the HE sector will be set out at the relevant fiscal event, in line with the approach to public spending commitments across government.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Education)
7th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to encourage more specialisation in universities between research and teaching.

Higher education providers are independent of government and, as such, are responsible for deciding on effective business models. The department would expect individual providers to consider the right balance between teaching and research activity, according to their strategies and business models.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Education)
7th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government how they plan to ensure that students being taught by franchise providers are getting a high quality education.

The government published its response to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report into student loans issued to those studying at franchised higher education providers on 5 September 2024. This is attached and can also be viewed here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66d9d2bfe87ad2f12182650e/E03194725_HMT_Treasury_Minutes_Sept_24_Accessible.pdf. The response sets out that the department intends to consult by January 2025 on proposals to strengthen oversight of partnership delivery in higher education.

The government is working closely with the Office for Students (OfS) to ensure that students studying at franchise providers are receiving good quality education. In November 2023, the OfS published its criteria for assessing providers in 2023/24 in relation to student outcomes, which included a focus on franchise arrangements. The OfS is now progressing investigations into franchise partnerships where it has concerns.

The department has been clear that responsibility for good quality provision in franchised partnerships should be led by the sector. In July 2024, Universities UK published a governance framework, with the aim of supporting universities to improve governance of franchised partnerships and mitigating risks so that these partnerships deliver for students.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Education)
7th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have for the level of university undergraduate fees in the future.

The government is determined that the higher education (HE) funding system should deliver for the economy, for universities, and for students and will look carefully at all options and come forward with proposals.

Funding plans for the HE sector will be set out at the relevant fiscal event, in line with the approach to public spending commitments across government.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Education)
26th Nov 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to commit to specific targets and a timeframe for growing the social care workforce; and if so, when.

The Government recognises the scale of the reforms needed to make the adult social care sector attractive, to support sustainable workforce growth and improve the retention of the domestic workforce. We want it to be regarded as a profession, and for the people who work in care to be respected as professionals.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
23rd Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to retain the policy set out in the Women's Health Strategy for England, published by the Department of Health and Social Care on 30 August 2022, to ensure that there is appropriate use of sex-specific language in health communications and guidance that relate to women’s individual health issues and biological needs.

The Government understands the need for health information to be as clear as possible and to use language that appropriately reflects sex, as defined as a protected characteristic in the Equality Act 2010. The Government expects the National Health Service to deliver health services in accordance with the Equality Act 2010, having appropriate regard to protected characteristics as defined in the Act where relevant.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
17th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sherlock on 7 August (HL344), how many staff in the Department for Health and Social Care are permitted to undertake diversity-related network time during core working hours; what is the percentage of overall working time they are permitted to spend on such network activity; how many hours are allocated in total; what are the names of each of the networks being funded; and whether they have any plans to increase or reduce such funding.

Diversity staff network chairs and committee members are permitted to use up to 10% of their work time for network activity, this was introduced as part of the Network Deal which was published internally in October 2023. Currently, the Department has 22 networks which fall within the diversity category, with 41 colleagues acting as chair or committee member. In addition, the chairs and committee members of those networks related to disability, race and ethnicity, and social mobility can request up to 15% of their working time for these activities. This is in recognition of these areas' alignment with the Civil Service Diversity & Inclusion Strategy and is subject to line manager discretion.

Because the Department offers working time for diversity staff network activity as a percentage of overall work time for each individual, the number of hours allocated in total will depend on an individual’s working pattern, such as part time or full time, alongside line manager discretion.

The Department does not currently offer funding for diversity staff network activity, except for those networks related to disability. This is in line with the recent Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Guidance published on 14 May 2024 in an online-only format. The Department’s disability network is named EnABLE.

The Department does not currently plan to increase or reduce funding for diversity staff networks.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
7th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government whether VAT will be levied on the school fees of children of military families who claim the Continuity of Education Allowance.

On 29 July, the Government announced that, as of 1 January 2025, all education services and vocational training provided by a private school in the UK for a charge will be subject to VAT at the standard rate of 20%. This will include fees paid by CEA.

A small minority of diplomatic officials and service personnel are posted abroad for extended periods. In such circumstances, the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office provide the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) to ensure this does not interfere with their children's education.

The government will monitor closely the impact of these policy changes on affected military and diplomatic families with any changes to this scheme being considered as part of the ongoing Spending Review.

Lord Livermore
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
7th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to the impact of VAT on school fees for pupils studying subjects that are not available at their local state school, particularly those in years 11 and 13.

Whilst developing these policies, the Government has carefully considered the impact that they will have on pupils and their families across both the state and private sector, as well as the impact they will have on state and private schools. Following scrutiny of the Government’s costing by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility, the Government will confirm its approach to these reforms at the Budget on 30 October, and set out its assessment of the expected impacts of these policy changes in the normal way.

Lord Livermore
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
17th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sherlock on 7 August (HL344), how many staff (1) in the Ministry of Justice, (2) in the Crown Prosecution Service, and (3) supporting the Law Officers, are permitted to undertake diversity-related network time during core working hours; what is the percentage of overall working time they are permitted to spend on such network activity; how many hours are allocated in total; what are the names of each of the networks being funded; and whether they have any plans to increase or reduce such funding.

With regards to the Ministry of Justice, the delivery of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Staff Network activity is agreed between networks and departments as the employer. This includes permitted time allocation and any funding arrangements. The majority of staff time spent on diversity staff networks is voluntary and unpaid and there is no immediate plan to change this.

The 16 recognised Staff Networks currently operating in Ministry of Justice are:

  • ABLE

  • Carers

  • Christians in MoJ

  • Frontline

  • Gender Equality

  • Hindu

  • Humanists

  • Jobshare

  • International and EU Nationals

  • Muslim

  • Parents

  • Proud

  • Safe Space

  • Sikhs in MoJ

  • Spirit

  • Supporting the Workplace in Menopause (SWIM)

The Executive Board of the Attorney General’s Office appoints two volunteer members of staff to act as Diversity and Inclusion leads. With volunteer colleagues, they organise events (such as lunchtime talks) and circulate relevant information and materials around the Office. No maximum percentage of overall working time is specified for such activity and the time spent on such activity is not recorded.

As for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), it has 27 staff who are permitted to undertake diversity-related network time during core working hours across its eight staff networks who are allocated ‘network time’. There is no specified maximum percentage of overall working time permitted to spend on such network activity, but the maximum allocated to any one individual in this financial year is 177.6 hours. For 2024/25, there are 3426.5 hours allocated in total.

There are no current plans in the CPS to increase or reduce funding in this financial year, however requests for funding are submitted and reviewed annually.

The names of the networks for the CPS are:

  • National Black Crown Prosecution Association (NBCPA)

  • Carers Association

  • Sikh Society

  • Muslim Network

  • Christian Fellowship

  • LGBTI

  • Social Mobility

  • Disabled Staff Network (DSN)

Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)