To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Division Vote (Lords)
5 Nov 2025 - Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill - View Vote Context
Baroness Coussins (XB) voted Aye and against the House
One of 11 Crossbench Aye votes vs 11 Crossbench No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 66 Noes - 151
Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 03 Nov 2025
Gaza and Hamas

"Can the Minister say what the Government are doing to support the Palestinian Authority in its programme to reform governance procedures, with a view to the PA becoming an electable, credible alternative to Hamas?..."
Baroness Coussins - View Speech

View all Baroness Coussins (XB - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Gaza and Hamas

Written Question
International Baccalaureate: Finance
Monday 3rd November 2025

Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the impact on teaching and learning of modern foreign languages of the decision to withdraw funding from state schools for the International Baccalaureate.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

All institutions will still be able offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) and receive normal funding per student supported by this government’s very significant investment into 16 to 19 education.

The base rate of funding per student has increased to £5,105 in the 2025/26 academic year, up over 5% on last year. However, to make this funding work hard, we have announced that from 2026/27 we will focus large programme uplift (LPU) funding, which is on top of the base funding, on those large programmes which include mathematics, further mathematics and other high value A levels. Other programmes, such as the IB, will no longer attract this uplift.

The department is giving transitional protection funding in the 2026/27 academic year so, for institutions that will lose a significant amount of LPU, the reduction will be spread over two years.


Written Question
International Baccalaureate: Finance
Monday 3rd November 2025

Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the costs savings achieved by the withdrawal of funding from state schools for the International Baccalaureate, and over what period of time those savings will be made.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

All institutions will still be able offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) and receive normal funding per student supported by this government’s very significant investment into 16 to 19 education.

The base rate of funding per student has increased to £5,105 in the 2025/26 academic year, up over 5% on last year. However, to make this funding work hard, we have announced that from 2026/27 we will focus large programme uplift (LPU) funding, which is on top of the base funding, on those large programmes which include mathematics, further mathematics and other high value A levels. Other programmes, such as the IB, will no longer attract this uplift.

The department is giving transitional protection funding in the 2026/27 academic year so, for institutions that will lose a significant amount of LPU, the reduction will be spread over two years.


Written Question
International Baccalaureate: Finance
Monday 3rd November 2025

Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the impact on educational inequality of the decision to withdraw funding from state schools for the International Baccalaureate.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

All institutions will still be able offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) and receive normal funding per student supported by this government’s very significant investment into 16 to 19 education.

The base rate of funding per student has increased to £5,105 in the 2025/26 academic year, up over 5% on last year. However, to make this funding work hard, we have announced that from 2026/27 we will focus large programme uplift (LPU) funding, which is on top of the base funding, on those large programmes which include mathematics, further mathematics and other high value A levels. Other programmes, such as the IB, will no longer attract this uplift.

The department is giving transitional protection funding in the 2026/27 academic year so, for institutions that will lose a significant amount of LPU, the reduction will be spread over two years.


Written Question
International Baccalaureate: Finance
Monday 3rd November 2025

Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what was the rationale for the decision to withdraw funding from state schools for the International Baccalaureate.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

All institutions will still be able offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) and receive normal funding per student supported by this government’s very significant investment into 16 to 19 education.

The base rate of funding per student has increased to £5,105 in the 2025/26 academic year, up over 5% on last year. However, to make this funding work hard, we have announced that from 2026/27 we will focus large programme uplift (LPU) funding, which is on top of the base funding, on those large programmes which include mathematics, further mathematics and other high value A levels. Other programmes, such as the IB, will no longer attract this uplift.

The department is giving transitional protection funding in the 2026/27 academic year so, for institutions that will lose a significant amount of LPU, the reduction will be spread over two years.


Division Vote (Lords)
22 Oct 2025 - Planning and Infrastructure Bill - View Vote Context
Baroness Coussins (XB) voted Aye and in line with the House
One of 23 Crossbench Aye votes vs 10 Crossbench No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 228 Noes - 113
Scheduled Event - Tuesday 21st October - Add to calendar
View Source
Lords - Oral questions - Main Chamber
Negotiations with the European Union for the UK to rejoin Erasmus+
MP: Baroness Coussins
Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 21 Oct 2025
Erasmus+

"I thank the noble Baroness for that encouraging reply and appreciate that she cannot go into negotiating detail. Can she at least clarify that the overall objective is to achieve associate membership by the start of the next funding round, in 2027-28, and that the UK aims to include eligibility …..."
Baroness Coussins - View Speech

View all Baroness Coussins (XB - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Erasmus+

Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 21 Oct 2025
Erasmus+

"My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper and declare interests as co-chair of the APPG on Modern Languages and president of the Chartered Institute of Linguists...."
Baroness Coussins - View Speech

View all Baroness Coussins (XB - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Erasmus+