Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of delays in issuing Remediable Service Statements on teachers' retirement planning and financial wellbeing.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
As of 6 November 2025, the total number of Remediable Service Statements (RSSs) issued is 70,616. As of the same date, the total that remain outstanding is 71,955.
Recalculating benefits for retired members is a complex process. For those members retiring, these cases are relatively straightforward, as no benefits are already in payment. For retired members, additional complications around tax, interest rules and system functionality required extensive consultation.
Capita, as the scheme administrator, keeps affected members informed of revised timelines through established channels, including My Pension Online and its website. The latest update is available here: https://www.teacherspensions.co.uk/news/public-news/2025/11/timeline-for-sending-out-remediable-service-statements-rss.aspx. As responsibility for this work transitions to Tata Consultancy Services as the new scheme administrator of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme in Summer 2026, the department is working with Tata to finalise the timeline for issuing all RSSs. Once the timeline is confirmed, it will be communicated to all affected scheme members.
This is a high priority for the department, and officials continues to closely monitor progress and work with Capita to streamline processes and introduce automation where possible. Any pension adjustments arising from members’ choices will be backdated with interest to ensure members are not disadvantaged.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her current estimated timetable is for the completion of all Remediable Service Statements for members of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme affected by the McCloud judgment.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
As of 6 November 2025, the total number of Remediable Service Statements (RSSs) issued is 70,616. As of the same date, the total that remain outstanding is 71,955.
Recalculating benefits for retired members is a complex process. For those members retiring, these cases are relatively straightforward, as no benefits are already in payment. For retired members, additional complications around tax, interest rules and system functionality required extensive consultation.
Capita, as the scheme administrator, keeps affected members informed of revised timelines through established channels, including My Pension Online and its website. The latest update is available here: https://www.teacherspensions.co.uk/news/public-news/2025/11/timeline-for-sending-out-remediable-service-statements-rss.aspx. As responsibility for this work transitions to Tata Consultancy Services as the new scheme administrator of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme in Summer 2026, the department is working with Tata to finalise the timeline for issuing all RSSs. Once the timeline is confirmed, it will be communicated to all affected scheme members.
This is a high priority for the department, and officials continues to closely monitor progress and work with Capita to streamline processes and introduce automation where possible. Any pension adjustments arising from members’ choices will be backdated with interest to ensure members are not disadvantaged.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many Remediable Service Statements have been issued by Teachers’ Pensions to date; and how many remain outstanding further to the McCloud judgment.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
As of 6 November 2025, the total number of Remediable Service Statements (RSSs) issued is 70,616. As of the same date, the total that remain outstanding is 71,955.
Recalculating benefits for retired members is a complex process. For those members retiring, these cases are relatively straightforward, as no benefits are already in payment. For retired members, additional complications around tax, interest rules and system functionality required extensive consultation.
Capita, as the scheme administrator, keeps affected members informed of revised timelines through established channels, including My Pension Online and its website. The latest update is available here: https://www.teacherspensions.co.uk/news/public-news/2025/11/timeline-for-sending-out-remediable-service-statements-rss.aspx. As responsibility for this work transitions to Tata Consultancy Services as the new scheme administrator of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme in Summer 2026, the department is working with Tata to finalise the timeline for issuing all RSSs. Once the timeline is confirmed, it will be communicated to all affected scheme members.
This is a high priority for the department, and officials continues to closely monitor progress and work with Capita to streamline processes and introduce automation where possible. Any pension adjustments arising from members’ choices will be backdated with interest to ensure members are not disadvantaged.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to announce the 10 trial local authorities for the Kinship Allowance Pilot paid at an equivalent rate to the fostering National Minimum Allowance.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department recognises the important role that kinship carers play in caring for some of the most vulnerable children, and the role of local authorities to support them.
The department recently closed the expression of interest process for local authorities to apply to deliver the Kinship Allowance Pilot in their areas. This will be for eligible kinship carers within the pilot areas to apply for via their local authorities. The department will announce the successful local authorities in due course.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding will be reprioritised away from (a) journalism, (b) media studies, (c) publishing and (d) information services courses in the most recent Strategic Priorities Grant; and to which subject areas that funding has been reallocated.
Answered by Janet Daby
I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Easington to the answer of 22 July 2025 to Question 67279.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding has been allocated through the Strategic Priorities Grant to (a) journalism, (b) media studies, (c) publishing and (d) information services courses in each of the last three years.
Answered by Janet Daby
I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Easington to the answer of 22 July 2025 to Question 67279.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will hold discussions with the (a) National Council for the Training of Journalists and (b) National Union of Journalists on the Strategic Priorities Grant funding changes for journalism education.
Answered by Janet Daby
I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Easington to the answer of 16 July 2025 to Question 63373.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of changes to high-cost subject funding on student access to (a) journalism and (b) publishing courses.
Answered by Janet Daby
I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Easington to the answer of 16 July 2025 to Question 63373.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Strategic Priorities Grant funding changes on long-term skills provision in (a) journalism and (b) publishing.
Answered by Janet Daby
I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Easington to the answer of 16 July 2025 to Question 63373.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what is the eligibility criteria for local authorities to qualify to be a pilot area for a financial allowance for kinship carers.
Answered by Janet Daby
All local authorities are eligible to apply for the Kinship Allowance Pilot, except for those which have received a section 114 notice and/or already offer a regular financial allowance that matches the National Minimum Allowance (NMA) to kinship carers with legal orders.
Local authorities remain eligible to apply if they pay a financial allowance that matches the NMA, but one of the following applies:
Local authorities will be ineligible to apply for the kinship allowance pilot if all the following conditions are met:
Further information can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-to-become-a-kinship-allowance-pilot-provider.