Asked by: Josh Babarinde (Liberal Democrat - Eastbourne)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to ensure that (a) teachers and (b) school staff receive adequate pay.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
Teachers’ pay is set through an independent, statutory process each year, and the 2025/26 process is currently underway. The School Teachers’ Review Body will assess written and oral evidence from government and organisations representing schools and the teaching profession, amongst a range of other factors, when making its recommendations.
The School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document, which sets out the statutory requirements for teachers' pay and conditions within maintained schools in England, is then updated, following consultation, to include all accepted recommendations.
We are currently legislating, via the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, to extend the statutory teacher pay framework to include academy trusts. Bringing academy schools and alternative provision academies into a more flexible statutory framework will mean all prospective and current school teachers in state schools would benefit from a transparent, guaranteed core pay and conditions offer, which is subject to scrutiny and consultation through the pay review process, rather than some or all of their terms and conditions differing based on the school’s administrative structure.
This year’s pay round follows the 2024/25 pay award of 5.5%. This substantial award recognises our hard working school teachers and leaders, and demonstrates this government’s commitment to resetting the relationship with the sector, and delivering opportunity and growth.
We also recognise the vital role that school support staff play in children’s education and the smooth running of schools. That is why we have set out our plans to reinstate the School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB) through the Employment Rights Bill, which was introduced in Parliament on 10 October 2024.
The SSSNB will be tasked with establishing a national terms and conditions handbook and fair pay rates for support staff, as well as advising on training and career progression routes.
Most school support staff are currently employed on National Joint Council for local government services pay and conditions. The 2024/25 pay award for these employees, a flat cash uplift of £1,290, was recently agreed.
Asked by: Josh Babarinde (Liberal Democrat - Eastbourne)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of providing kettles in prison on (a) prisoner and (b) staff welfare.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Small travel kettles have been allowed in prisoners’ possession for many years. HM Prison & Probation Service is aware of the risk of assaults by throwing of boiling water and works constantly to mitigate and reduce these risks.
All prisons carry out regular risk assessments relating to safety and security and implement associated safe systems of work. If a specific risk is identified in relation to use of a kettle, or intelligence is received that one may be used in an assault, the kettle will be withdrawn until it is assessed that it is safe to return it.
Asked by: Josh Babarinde (Liberal Democrat - Eastbourne)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many assaults involving boiling water have been recorded within prisons in the last 12 months.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Josh Babarinde (Liberal Democrat - Eastbourne)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to prevent large vacant (a) retail and (b) leisure units in town centres from remaining empty.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is fully committed to tackling the issue of persistent vacancy in town centres and rejuvenating our high streets. High Street Rental Auctions (HSRAs) came into effect on 2 December 2024 and are a new permissive power for local authorities in England to auction the lease of commercial high street property (including retail and leisure units) that has been vacant for longer than 12 months in a 24-month period.
Furthermore, through the English Devolution Bill, we will introduce a strong new ‘right to buy’ for valued community assets. This measure will empower local communities to reclaim and revitalise assets that are important to them such as empty shops, pubs, and community spaces, helping to improve our high streets and eliminate the blight of vacant premises.