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Written Question
Special Educational Needs: Finance
Wednesday 29th April 2026

Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional funding has been allocated to local authorities to support pupils with special educational needs in the last three years.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.


Written Question
Teachers: Labour Turnover
Wednesday 29th April 2026

Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many teachers left the profession within five years of qualifying in the most recent year for which data is available.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

Information on the school workforce in England, including the vacancy rate for teaching posts and the retention rate for teachers in state-funded schools, is published in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical publication, which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england/2024.

The teacher vacancy rate for full and part-time posts in secondary schools decreased to 6 per 1,000 teachers in service in November 2024, the latest figures available, from a peak of 8 per 1,000 teachers in November 2023.

Over two thirds (67.7%) of teachers who qualified in 2019/20 were still teaching five years later in 2024/25.


Written Question
Teachers: Vacancies
Wednesday 29th April 2026

Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the vacancy rate is for teaching posts in secondary schools in England.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

Information on the school workforce in England, including the vacancy rate for teaching posts and the retention rate for teachers in state-funded schools, is published in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical publication, which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england/2024.

The teacher vacancy rate for full and part-time posts in secondary schools decreased to 6 per 1,000 teachers in service in November 2024, the latest figures available, from a peak of 8 per 1,000 teachers in November 2023.

Over two thirds (67.7%) of teachers who qualified in 2019/20 were still teaching five years later in 2024/25.


Written Question
Universities: Finance
Wednesday 29th April 2026

Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)

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 financial pressures on universities in England.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.


Written Question
Universities: Finance
Wednesday 29th April 2026

Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support universities with financial sustainability.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.


Written Question
Higher Education: Disadvantaged
Wednesday 29th April 2026

Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many students from disadvantaged backgrounds entered higher education in the most recent academic year.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.


Written Question
Students: Debts
Wednesday 29th April 2026

Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average level of student debt is for graduates who attended institutions regulated by the Office for Students.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.


Written Question
Schools: Ventilation
Wednesday 29th April 2026

Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to improve ventilation and air quality in school buildings.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.


Written Question
Schools: Mental Health Services
Wednesday 29th April 2026

Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the availability of mental health support services for pupils in secondary schools.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.


Written Question
Pupils: Absenteeism
Wednesday 29th April 2026

Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the most recent national rate of persistent pupil absence is in state-funded schools.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.