Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what total contribution they have made each year to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
For the 2021/22 financial year, the government contributed over £1.6 billion to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme. For the 2020/21 financial year, the Government contributed over £1.7 billion.
The government does not make any explicit contribution on behalf of any sector but does contribute to the overall cost of pension payments where these exceed the total contributions received in any year.
Independent schools are allowed to participate in the scheme, on a voluntary basis, to help facilitate the movement of staff between the state and private sectors. This benefits all sectors by enhancing opportunities for sharing best practice.
The government has not undertaken any such analysis of the potential advantages of ending arrangements by which private schools are permitted to participate in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what were the (1) revenue, and (2) capital costs, of the General Teaching Council for England (including disbursements associated with its creation) for each financial year in which it existed.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The General Teaching Council for England (GTCE) was in place from 2000 to 2012 and was funded through registration fees. The department’s data retention policy is 6+1 years. As such, we no longer have access to data relating to the period 2000 to 2012.
The ‘Transparency and Freedom of Information releases’ contains information about the GTCE’s Annual Report and Financial Statements from 2005 to 2012. This can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/search/transparency-and-freedom-of-information-releases?organisations%5B%5D=general-teaching-council-for-england&parent=general-teaching-council-for-england.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of any changes to employer contributions for the Teachers’ Pension Scheme on further education colleges.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Work on finalising the 2020 valuation of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) is still ongoing and the department expects to be able to publish the outcome in late summer.
There are several policy decisions and scheme-based assumptions still to be determined that could affect the final outcome, which means it is not possible at this stage to accurately assess the likely impact on scheme employers. Following His Majesty’s Treasury’s (HMT) announcement on 30 March 2023 of the government’s response to the consultation on the methodology for determining the discount rate to be applied in the valuation of public service schemes, it is expected that the contribution rate for the TPS will need to rise. That is why the government has committed to providing funding for the 2024/25 financial year for centrally funded employers, including those in the further education sector, to help address the impacts involved.
The department is working with HMT and the actuary for the TPS, the Government Actuary’s Department, to progress the TPS valuation as quickly as possible. Regular updates will continue to be provided to the groups representing employers and members.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of any changes to employer contributions for the Teachers’ Pension Scheme on universities
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Work on finalising the 2020 valuation of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) is still ongoing and the department expects to be able to publish the outcome in late summer.
There are several policy decisions and scheme-based assumptions still to be determined that could affect the final outcome, which means it is not possible at this stage to accurately assess the likely impact on scheme employers. Following His Majesty’ Treasury’s (HMT) announcement on 30 March 2023 of the government’s response to the consultation on the methodology for determining the discount rate to be applied in the valuation of public service schemes, it is expected that the contribution rate for the TPS will need to rise. That is why HMT has committed to continue discussions with the department on the impact for TPS employers in the higher education sector.
The Department is working with HMT and the actuary for the TPS, the Government Actuary’s Department, to progress the TPS valuation as quickly as possible. Regular updates will continue to be provided to the groups representing employers and members.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of any changes to employer contributions for the Teachers’ Pension Scheme on (1) maintained schools, and (2) academies.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Work on finalising the 2020 valuation of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) is still ongoing and the department expects to be able to publish the outcome in late summer.
There are several policy decisions and scheme-based assumptions still to be determined that could affect the final outcome, which means it is not possible at this stage to accurately assess the likely impact on scheme employers. Following His Majesty’s Treasury’s (HMT) announcement on 30 March 2023 of the Government’s response to the consultation on the methodology for determining the discount rate to be applied in the valuation of public service schemes, it is expected that the contribution rate for the TPS will need to rise. That is why the Government has committed to providing funding for the 2024/25 financial year for centrally funded employers, like maintained schools and academies, to help address the impacts involved.
The Department is working with HMT and the actuary for the TPS, the Government Actuary’s Department, to progress the TPS valuation as quickly as possible. Regular updates will continue to be provided to the groups representing employers and members.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many employers providing private education for school age children have stopped participating in the Teacher’s Pension Scheme in each of the last five years.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Work on finalising the 2020 valuation of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) is still ongoing and the department expects to be able to publish the outcome in late summer.
There are several policy decisions and scheme-based assumptions still to be determined that could affect the final outcome, which means it is not possible at this stage to accurately assess the likely impact on scheme employers. Following His Majesty’s Treasury’s (HMT) announcement on 30 March 2023 of the government’s response to the consultation on the methodology for determining the discount rate to be applied in the valuation of public service schemes, it is expected that the contribution rate for the TPS will need to rise.
The department appreciates that the independent schools that choose to participate in the TPS will therefore be faced with an increase in employee-related costs. Mindful of this and their need to plan, the department is working with HMT and the actuary for the TPS, the Government Actuary’s Department, to progress the TPS valuation as quickly as possible. Regular updates will continue to be provided to the groups representing employers and members.
817 employers providing private education for school age children are currently participating in the TPS.
A total of 333 employers providing private education for school age children have stopped participating in the TPS in the last five years. This comprises 96 in 2019, 110 in 2020, 82 in 2021, 38 in 2022 and 7 in 2023. Additionally in the last five years, a further 90 such employers have taken the option of a phased withdrawal meaning they will continue participating for existing teaching staff only. This comprises 14 in 2021 (when the phased withdrawal policy was introduced), 62 in 2022 and 14 in 2023 (the latter including two establishments with future withdrawal dates).
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of any changes to employer contributions for the Teachers’ Pension Scheme on private schools which participate in the Scheme.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Work on finalising the 2020 valuation of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) is still ongoing and the department expects to be able to publish the outcome in late summer.
There are several policy decisions and scheme-based assumptions still to be determined that could affect the final outcome, which means it is not possible at this stage to accurately assess the likely impact on scheme employers. Following His Majesty’s Treasury’s (HMT) announcement on 30 March 2023 of the government’s response to the consultation on the methodology for determining the discount rate to be applied in the valuation of public service schemes, it is expected that the contribution rate for the TPS will need to rise.
The department appreciates that the independent schools that choose to participate in the TPS will therefore be faced with an increase in employee-related costs. Mindful of this and their need to plan, the department is working with HMT and the actuary for the TPS, the Government Actuary’s Department, to progress the TPS valuation as quickly as possible. Regular updates will continue to be provided to the groups representing employers and members.
817 employers providing private education for school age children are currently participating in the TPS.
A total of 333 employers providing private education for school age children have stopped participating in the TPS in the last five years. This comprises 96 in 2019, 110 in 2020, 82 in 2021, 38 in 2022 and 7 in 2023. Additionally in the last five years, a further 90 such employers have taken the option of a phased withdrawal meaning they will continue participating for existing teaching staff only. This comprises 14 in 2021 (when the phased withdrawal policy was introduced), 62 in 2022 and 14 in 2023 (the latter including two establishments with future withdrawal dates).
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many employers providing private education for school age children are currently participating in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Work on finalising the 2020 valuation of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) is still ongoing and the department expects to be able to publish the outcome in late summer.
There are several policy decisions and scheme-based assumptions still to be determined that could affect the final outcome, which means it is not possible at this stage to accurately assess the likely impact on scheme employers. Following His Majesty’s Treasury’s (HMT) announcement on 30 March 2023 of the government’s response to the consultation on the methodology for determining the discount rate to be applied in the valuation of public service schemes, it is expected that the contribution rate for the TPS will need to rise.
The department appreciates that the independent schools that choose to participate in the TPS will therefore be faced with an increase in employee-related costs. Mindful of this and their need to plan, the department is working with HMT and the actuary for the TPS, the Government Actuary’s Department, to progress the TPS valuation as quickly as possible. Regular updates will continue to be provided to the groups representing employers and members.
817 employers providing private education for school age children are currently participating in the TPS.
A total of 333 employers providing private education for school age children have stopped participating in the TPS in the last five years. This comprises 96 in 2019, 110 in 2020, 82 in 2021, 38 in 2022 and 7 in 2023. Additionally in the last five years, a further 90 such employers have taken the option of a phased withdrawal meaning they will continue participating for existing teaching staff only. This comprises 14 in 2021 (when the phased withdrawal policy was introduced), 62 in 2022 and 14 in 2023 (the latter including two establishments with future withdrawal dates).
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made any assessment of the impact on attendance at school of (1) World Book Day, and (2) other non-uniform days.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
While the department is now collecting daily attendance data from 78% of schools, data is not held specifically on the effect of days such as World Book Day or other non-uniform days on school attendance.
The government does not determine whether schools have non-uniform days. Many pupils enjoy such events, and they can help to support worthy causes.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have plans to reform childcare, particularly staff-child ratios; and if so, what is their timetable for doing so.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department is committed to supporting working families and parents back into employment, by improving the cost, choice, and availability of childcare. We are currently exploring a wide range of options to achieve this ambition.
The consultation on Childcare: Regulatory Changes, closed on 16 September 2022, and the department will respond in due course. We consulted on:
The department’s priority continues to be to provide safe, high-quality, and affordable early years provision for our youngest children.