Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number of children who have moved from independent to state schools as a result of applying VAT to independent schools in Hampshire.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department has made no separate estimate of the number of pupils in individual local authority areas who have left the independent school system as a result of VAT on school fees.
The government predicts that, in the long-term steady state, there will be 37,000 fewer pupils in the private sector in the UK as a result of the removal of the VAT exemption applied to school fees. This represents around 6% of the current private school population.
Of the expected 37,000 pupil reduction in the private sector, the government estimates an increase of 35,000 pupils in the state sector in the steady state following the VAT policy taking effect, with the other 2,000 consisting of international pupils who do not move into the UK state system, and domestic pupils moving into homeschooling. This state sector increase represents less than 0.5% of total UK state school pupils, of which there are over 9 million. This movement is expected to take place over several years.
The impact on individual local authorities will interact with other pressures and vary between authorities. Every year many pupils move between schools, including between the private and state-funded sectors.
Local authorities routinely support parents who need a state-funded school place, including where private schools have closed. Where local authorities are experiencing difficulties in ensuring there are enough school places for children that need them, the department will offer support and advice.
The department provides capital funding through the Basic Need grant to support local authorities to provide school places, based on their own pupil forecasts and school capacity data. They can use this funding to provide places in new schools or through expansions of existing schools.
Surrey County Council has been allocated just below £43 million to support the provision of new mainstream school places needed over the current and next two academic years, up to and including the academic year starting in September 2026.
Hampshire County Council has been allocated just over £22.2 million to support the provision of new mainstream school places needed over the current and next two academic years, up to and including the academic year starting in September 2026.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number of children who have moved from independent to state schools as a result of applying VAT to independent schools in Surrey.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department has made no separate estimate of the number of pupils in individual local authority areas who have left the independent school system as a result of VAT on school fees.
The government predicts that, in the long-term steady state, there will be 37,000 fewer pupils in the private sector in the UK as a result of the removal of the VAT exemption applied to school fees. This represents around 6% of the current private school population.
Of the expected 37,000 pupil reduction in the private sector, the government estimates an increase of 35,000 pupils in the state sector in the steady state following the VAT policy taking effect, with the other 2,000 consisting of international pupils who do not move into the UK state system, and domestic pupils moving into homeschooling. This state sector increase represents less than 0.5% of total UK state school pupils, of which there are over 9 million. This movement is expected to take place over several years.
The impact on individual local authorities will interact with other pressures and vary between authorities. Every year many pupils move between schools, including between the private and state-funded sectors.
Local authorities routinely support parents who need a state-funded school place, including where private schools have closed. Where local authorities are experiencing difficulties in ensuring there are enough school places for children that need them, the department will offer support and advice.
The department provides capital funding through the Basic Need grant to support local authorities to provide school places, based on their own pupil forecasts and school capacity data. They can use this funding to provide places in new schools or through expansions of existing schools.
Surrey County Council has been allocated just below £43 million to support the provision of new mainstream school places needed over the current and next two academic years, up to and including the academic year starting in September 2026.
Hampshire County Council has been allocated just over £22.2 million to support the provision of new mainstream school places needed over the current and next two academic years, up to and including the academic year starting in September 2026.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will issue guidance to home educator parents on the steps they will need to take to meet new requirements set out in the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
As part of the Children Not in School measures, the department will publish statutory guidance outlining the steps that local authorities and parents need to take to comply with the new provisions. This guidance will be consulted on, ensuring families have sufficient time to feed in, understand and prepare for any requirements.
To engage effectively during the passage and future implementation of the Children in School measures, the department has set up implementation fora to engage with home-educating parents, stakeholders and local authorities.
Through round-table discussions and direct engagement with home-educating communities, we have sought to understand the concerns and priorities of families who choose to educate their children at home.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions her Department has had with home educator parents on the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
As part of the Children Not in School measures, the department will publish statutory guidance outlining the steps that local authorities and parents need to take to comply with the new provisions. This guidance will be consulted on, ensuring families have sufficient time to feed in, understand and prepare for any requirements.
To engage effectively during the passage and future implementation of the Children in School measures, the department has set up implementation fora to engage with home-educating parents, stakeholders and local authorities.
Through round-table discussions and direct engagement with home-educating communities, we have sought to understand the concerns and priorities of families who choose to educate their children at home.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of reports that Springer Nature has restricted access to academic articles in China on (a) human rights, (b) democracy and (c) other politically sensitive topics.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government is absolutely committed to, and will continue to protect, academic freedom.
The department recognises the concerns of overseas interference in the academic sector and regularly works with colleagues from across government, the Office for Students, and other stakeholders to ensure that overseas influence does not interfere with academic freedom and related policies.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to ensure that local authorities have (a) fair and (b) timely procedures for processing EHCPs.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The department wants to deliver better life chances for all, through a system which works for all.
The department knows that parents have struggled to get the right support for their children, particularly through a long and difficult education, health and care (EHC) plan process. The department will work across the sector to provide support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision (AP) and their families. The department is committed to taking a community-wide approach, improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools and AP settings, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.
The department wants to ensure that EHC plan applications are processed promptly and plans are issued as quickly as possible where required, so that children and young people can access the support they need. The department has listened to parents, schools and local authorities and is reflecting on what practice could be made consistent nationally.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department is taking steps to provide support to people who were subject to forced adoption between 1940 and 1970.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
I have the deepest sympathy with everyone affected by historic forced adoption. The practice was abhorrent and should never have taken place. Moreover, the treatment that women experienced during this time was very wrong.
Following the report of the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR), ‘The Violation of Family Life: Adoption of Children of Unmarried Women 1949-1976 (2022)’, regulations were amended in 2023 to make it easier for adults to access adoption support. These amendments were widely welcomed.
The department is also currently funding the Adoption England project Improving Adoption Services for Adults (IASA) which is designed to maintain relationships and access to better support for adopted adults, including those adopted between 1940-1970.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to support the families of neuro divergent children while an education, health and care plan is being agreed.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The department is aware that the number of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in England continues to rise, and that parents have struggled with getting the right support for their children, particularly through a sometimes long and difficult education, health and care plan process.
This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with SEND or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department is committed to taking a community-wide approach, to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools and to ensuring that special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, and I will work with families and education and care experts to deliver this in the best interests of our children.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of SEND provision in Surrey and Hampshire; and what steps she plans to take to support local authorities in those areas to improve delivery of SEND services.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The department is continuing to support and challenge Surrey and Hampshire to improve the delivery of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services.
The last local area SEND inspection by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for Surrey was in September 2023. The department’s regional team has put in place systems to track outcomes against the areas for improvement that were identified by inspectors and to track the progress made by children and young people with SEND. Surrey County Council are committed to working closely with the department to improve services.
Surrey County Council entered into a Safety Valve agreement with the department in March 2022. Safety Valve agreements were established under the previous government with the aim of improving the effectiveness of local authority high needs systems and ensure their long-term financial sustainability.
Hampshire were last inspected under the previous Ofsted and CQC framework in March 2020. As with all local areas, the department has continued to provide support to Hampshire through a regional case lead, who seeks regular assurances on the adequacy of SEND provision. Hampshire will be assessed under the new Ofsted and CQC Area Inspection Framework, with all local authorities due to be inspected by the end of 2027.
Hampshire is taking part in the Delivering Better Value (DBV) in SEND Programme. The DBV in SEND Programme, which is currently under review, was established under the previous government with the aim of helping local authorities provide more effective SEND services by meeting the needs of children and young people at an early stage and with the right level of support.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will publish all (a) papers and (b) assessments on the potential impact of charging VAT on independent schools' fees on (i) SEND provision, (ii) local authorities and (iii) state schools.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government is working to carefully consider the impact of charging VAT on independent schools’ fees. This government will undertake appropriate analysis and assessment to support this process.