Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Anthony Mangnall and Nick Gibb

Monday 12th October 2020 Commons Chamber

[Ellie Reeves (Lewisham West and Penge) (Lab)]

What recent discussions he has had with school leaders on providing financial support for additional costs incurred by schools during the covid-19 outbreak.

[The Minister for School Standards (Nick Gibb)]

Schools have continued to receive their core funding throughout the covid-19 outbreak and have been able to claim funds to meet certain exceptional costs in the period between March and July. We have so far paid out £58 million to schools, with further payments due later this autumn, and we are also providing £1 billion in catch-up funding. The Department and Ministers regularly meet school leaders on a range of covid-19 issues, including in relation to costs faced by schools.

[Anthony Mangnall]

I have been going back to school, and in doing so I have been speaking to a number of headteachers and principals who are increasingly alarmed about the costs they have incurred on PPE spend. What is the Minister doing to assure them that their budgets will not be stripped and that they will be able to recoup some of those losses?