Non-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill)

Baroness Barran Excerpts

Consideration of Commons amendments and / or reasons
Wednesday 26th March 2025 Lords Chamber

Moved by

[Baroness Barran]

At end insert “, and do propose the following amendments to the words so restored to the Bill—

15B: Clause 5, page 5, line 14, after “But” insert “the Secretary of State may by regulations made by statutory instrument provide that”

--- Later in debate ---

15E: Clause 5, page 6, line 18, at end insert—
“(2C) A statutory instrument containing regulations under sub-paragraph (2A) may not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.””

[Baroness Barran (Con)]

My Lords, my Amendments 15B to 15E would allow the Secretary of State to reverse this policy in future.

The Bill introduces two things with which we fundamentally disagree: a tax on education and a two-tier charity system. Both are political choices made by this Government and both are, we believe, mistakes. I cannot see why the power for the Secretary of State to reverse this decision would be rejected. It does not require the Secretary of State to do anything but offers the flexibility and ability to change, if this policy—coupled with the introduction of VAT on independent school fees and the increase in employer national insurance—has wide-reaching and damaging impacts, not just on independent schools but on their neighbouring state-funded schools. That is particularly the case in areas of tight capacity, where there are not spare places for children to go if their independent school closes as a result.

The Government talk about wanting to remove barriers to opportunity. I hope that every single Government always want to remove barriers to opportunity, but there is a risk that this policy does the reverse and that there will be a lag before we see its impact, as parents strain every sinew to try to continue to send their child to the school of their choice.

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

Noble Lords will not be surprised to hear that I disagree with the noble Lord. We are putting the Bill through because we, as the Government, want to deliver on our commitments and break down barriers to opportunity for all. Ninety-three per cent of students are in the state sector. The measures are necessary, tough decisions. We know they are tough choices, but they are necessary to make sure that we can support the state sector, where 93% of students attend.

[Baroness Barran (Con)]

My Lords, I listened carefully to the Minister and I think he did not satisfactorily address the points made by my noble friends Lord Caine and Lord Moynihan, and the noble Baroness, Lady Grey-Thompson, which addressed, in different ways, how independent schools form part of the fabric of our society. Nor did he really address the points of principle raised by my noble friends Lord Mackinlay and Lord Lexden, the noble Baroness, Lady Pinnock, and the noble Lord, Lord Thurlow. He understandably repeats the point about tough decisions and tough choices, but these amendments do not force the Government to do anything: all they do is allow the Government to change their mind gracefully if they find that their policy actions do not raise the funding that they had hoped. With that, I would like to test the opinion of the House.