Neil O'Brien Portrait

Neil O'Brien

Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston

2,378 (4.7%) majority - 2024 General Election

First elected: 8th June 2017

Shadow Minister (Education)

(since November 2024)

1 APPG membership (as of 28 Mar 2025)
Leasehold and Commonhold Reform
3 Former APPG memberships
India, Loneliness, Psephology
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
15th Jan 2025 - 11th Feb 2025
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
8th Sep 2022 - 13th Nov 2023
Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill
15th Jun 2022 - 11th Jul 2022
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
19th Sep 2021 - 6th Jul 2022
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
16th Sep 2021 - 19th Sep 2021
Standing Orders
1st Nov 2017 - 6th Nov 2019
Science and Technology Committee (Commons)
11th Sep 2017 - 21st Jan 2019
Science and Technology Committee
11th Sep 2017 - 21st Jan 2019
Science, Innovation and Technology Committee
11th Sep 2017 - 21st Jan 2019


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Neil O'Brien has voted in 133 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
View All Neil O'Brien Division Votes

Debates during the 2024 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Catherine McKinnell (Labour)
Minister of State (Education)
(82 debate interactions)
Janet Daby (Labour)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
(40 debate interactions)
Stephen Morgan (Labour)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
(33 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Department for Education
(344 debate contributions)
Home Office
(7 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Neil O'Brien's debates

Harborough, Oadby and Wigston Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Petition Debates Contributed

Prevent independent schools from having to pay VAT on fees and incurring business rates as a result of new legislation.


Latest EDMs signed by Neil O'Brien

2nd September 2024
Neil O'Brien signed this EDM on Monday 2nd September 2024

Social Security

Tabled by: Rishi Sunak (Conservative - Richmond and Northallerton)
That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, praying that the Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment Regulations 2024 (S.I., 2024, No. 869), dated 22 August 2024, a copy of which was laid before this House on 22 August 2024, be annulled.
81 signatures
(Most recent: 10 Sep 2024)
Signatures by party:
Conservative: 75
Independent: 3
Democratic Unionist Party: 2
Scottish National Party: 1
View All Neil O'Brien's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Neil O'Brien, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Neil O'Brien has not been granted any Urgent Questions

Neil O'Brien has not been granted any Adjournment Debates

Neil O'Brien has not introduced any legislation before Parliament

Neil O'Brien has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
1 Other Department Questions
5th Feb 2025
To ask the Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed Project Spire on (a) church parishes and (b) the maintenance of historic church buildings.

Project Spire is important missional activity. The anticipated impact on parishes is an increased understanding of historic links with enslavement, which exist in many parts of the Church of England, and possible ways to share, discuss and respond.

Funding for Project Spire will be sourced entirely from the Endowment Fund managed by the Church Commissioners. None of the money from parish income, or that is given to a parish church, will be used for this fund. Therefore, no direct financial impact is anticipated for parishes.

Contested heritage guidance has been developed that may support churches in considering contested monuments within churches, but this work is not part of Project Spire, which exists to respond to links between the historic endowment of the Church and enslavement.

13th Feb 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the number of (a) employments and (b) employees was by (i) UK, (ii) EU and (iii) non-EU nationality in each month since July 2014.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman Parliamentary Question of 13th of February is attached.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
20th Nov 2024
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the outputs from the Transformed Labour Force Survey will be published.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon. Gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 20 November is attached.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
30th Aug 2024
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Government Communications Service spent on filming content for Ministers’ social media channels in each of the last five years.

Government Departments are responsible for their own social media content. The Government Communications Service does not provide a central resource for this. The Cabinet Office employs two digital officers who are responsible for producing social media content, including videos, for the Department's policies and in support of the Department's Ministers.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
30th Aug 2024
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much his Department spent on communications in the last year for which data is available.

Cabinet Office Communications total spend (pay and non-pay) was £2,988,971.49 in FY 23/24, and it has a total budget (pay and non-pay) of £2,460,684.00 in FY 24/25.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
18th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to safeguard intellectual property for the UK following the collapse of Reaction Engines.

The Government recognises that the UK’s aerospace and space industry is world-leading. Although the Government cannot comment on individual commercial cases, where appropriate officials will work with companies and administrators to consider how best to retain valuable Intellectual Property in the UK.

Sarah Jones
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
18th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will increase the fines available through section 38 of the London Local Authorities Act 1990.

Local Authorities are responsible for enforcement and central Government has no current plans for legislation that can be used to amend these fees.

Justin Madders
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
30th Aug 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much his Department spent on communications in the latest year for which data is available.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT), including spend by predecessor Department for International Trade (DIT), spent £24,299,000 on communications in financial year 2022-2023 as reported in the Department’s annual report and accounts, available on GOV.UK.

This spend has supported DBT’s strategic efforts to promote the UK’s international trade agenda and achievements, position it as a destination for inward investment, and boost export promotion.

Justin Madders
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
4th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what data his Department holds on the number of bidirectional chargers for electric vehicles that have been installed.

Bidirectional chargers for electric vehicles to enable them to export as well as import energy from their batteries is an emerging technology area. It will enable electric vehicle drivers to sell electricity back to the grid, as well as power their homes or business. This can save money for electric vehicle drivers and will contribute to delivering this Government’s clean energy superpower mission.

Whilst Government does not currently hold data on the total number of bidirectional chargers installed, over 650 were installed in homes and workplaces across the UK as part of the UK vehicle to grid innovation programme which ran from 2017 to 2022. Ongoing UK government funded innovation is supporting the further development and deployment of this important technology.

Michael Shanks
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
30th Aug 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much his Department spent on communications in the last year for which data is available.

For the financial year 2023/24 the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spent £7.6m on communications including payroll and advertising.

Michael Shanks
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
10th Sep 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to page 6 of the policy document entitled Statement of Levelling Up Missions, published on 25 January 2024, whether it remains his Department's policy that levels of public investment in research and development outside the Greater South East will increase by at least 40% by 2030.

This public R&D regional investment target is committed to in legislation via the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023.

Increasing productivity right across the UK is fundamental to our mission to kickstart economic growth. Through our Industrial Strategy and the development of Local Growth Plans, we will build on local strengths to ensure that public and private R&D investment right across the UK helps local places to reach their potential.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
30th Aug 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much his Department spent on communications in the last year for which data is available.

In financial year 2023/2024 the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) spent a total of £8,316,561.37 on communications. This is inclusive of £3,516,253.54 which are payroll related costs for staff who work in the Communications Directorate.

The DSIT Communications Team is responsible for all communications conducted by the department and its Ministers to help inform, promote and explain departmental policies through traditional and new media channels. This includes a number of paid-for marketing campaigns such as those designed to encourage uptake of R&D funding made available through Horizon Europe and campaigns to build skills required for the jobs of the future.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
16th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to set out the future of the Listed Places of Worship Grants Scheme before its current funding ends on 31 March 2025.

On the 22nd of January, I was pleased to announce that the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme would continue from March 2025 to March 2026. Further details can be found here in the Written Statement.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
18th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when her Department plans to make an announcement on the future of the Listed Place of Worship Grant Scheme.

Departmental settlements have been set following the Budget announcement on October 30. Individual programmes will now be assessed during the departmental Business Planning process.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
30th Aug 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much her Department spent on communications in the last year for which data is available.

Communications supports the government in delivering for the public, ensuring information is shared widely and effectively, informed by data and using a broad range of channels. In DCMS, an in-house team delivers communications with a limited supporting budget, used for example to help deliver campaigns that reach members of the public who don’t frequently engage with traditional media. In addition, internal communications ensures staff are informed and engaged - a proven driver of productivity - in support of delivering government and departmental priorities.

Spend on communications for the Department for Culture, Media & Sport during the 2023/24 financial year was £552,010.27 as outlined below:

Communications spending for FY 2023/24

Media monitoring and services

£242,753.55

Campaigns

£156,121.22

Research & Evaluation

£107,775.00

Digital services & equipment

£20,510.50

Internal Communications

£24,850.00


To note, the figures for 2023/24 are still being audited and so could be subject to change. The Annual Report and Accounts to be published in November 2024 post audit.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
14th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much and what proportion of (a) primary and (b) secondary schools' expenditure was on staff in each of the last three years.

Overall core revenue funding for schools totals almost £61.6 billion for the 2024/25 financial year. At the Autumn Budget 2024, the government announced an additional £2.3 billion for mainstream schools and young people with high needs for the 2025/26 financial year, compared to 2024/25. This means that overall core school funding will total almost £63.9 billion in 2025/26. Each school has autonomy to allocate their budgets, including for their staff, to best meet the needs of their pupils to ensure they have the best opportunities in life.

The latest three years of published data for schools’ spending relates to the 2020/21, 2021/22 and 2022/23 financial years. Our estimates in the table below for the proportions of expenditure for teachers and support staff have been compiled by combining published expenditure data sets from academies, which budget by academic year, and local authority maintained schools, which budget by financial year. We have not included cash expenditure data as combining financial and academic year data on school expenditure for different types of schools is less robust for estimating expenditure amounts than it is for estimating proportions. The pattern of expenditure in both 2020/21 and 2021/22 was affected by COVID-19.

Financial year

Primary schools

Secondary schools

Proportions of expenditure in 2020/21

Teachers: 50.6% Support staff: 33.0%

Teachers: 59.1% Support staff: 23.8%

Proportions of expenditure in 2021/22

Teachers: 49.0% Support staff: 32.8%

Teachers: 57.4% Support staff: 23.8%

Proportions of expenditure in 2022/23

Teachers: 48.1% Support staff: 33.1%

Teachers: 55.7% Support staff: 24.0%

Further data on schools’ expenditure in the years following the 2022/23 financial year will be published in due course.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
6th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will list all (a) statutory and (b) non-statutory guidance issued to schools and colleges since 4 July 2024, along with the dates on which the guidance was issued.

The information requested can be found in the attached spreadsheet.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
6th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will list the (a) name and (b) URN of all currently open state schools alongside the (i) URN, (ii) Establishment number and (iii) name of the predecessor institutions for each.

Information on all open and closed establishments in England is published on the Get Information about Schools (GIAS) service, which can be accessed here: https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/. Files available to download include information for all establishments (including name, URN and type of school) as well as a file with links to any predecessor or successor establishment. The files can be found here: https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Downloads.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
6th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average proportion of students was obtaining the equivalent of (a) Grade 5 or better and (b) Grade 4 or better in GCSE (i) English and (ii) Maths in each Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index decile in each year since 2010.

The information is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

However, the department publishes the percentage of pupils achieving grades 4/5 or above in English and mathematics GCSEs by Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index (IDACI) deciles.

Data back to 2014/15 is published in the annual key stage 4/GCSE and equivalent statistical releases, which are available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-gcses-key-stage-4. To find data by IDACI, see 'pupil residency and school location tables'.

Reformed GCSEs using the 9-1 grading scale were first introduced in 2016/17 with most GCSEs exams using the scale by 2018/19.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
21st Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 14 February 2025 to Question 28587 on Schools: Standards, how many and what proportion of the schools expected to experience mandatory intervention will be (a) academised and (b) rebrokered.

The department expects twice as many mandatory interventions in schools, through both structural intervention and targeted regional improvement for standards and excellence (RISE) interventions. This is expected to total around 370 schools experiencing mandatory intervention averaged annually over the next three years, based on the pattern of Ofsted inspections in recent years and the number of schools already meeting proposed intervention criteria. Over the past three years, the numbers of maintained schools and academies placed in an Ofsted category of concern were roughly equal, and we anticipate a similar picture in future years.

The government’s consultation on school accountability reform proposes a better and faster approach to intervention in all schools, regardless of whether they are maintained schools or academies.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
21st Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the predicted cost of children looked after is in 2024-25; and what proportion of this is allocated to unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.

In 2023/24, local authority gross expenditure on children's and young people's services was £14.8 billion. Over half of that expenditure was on services for children looked after, which is a total of £8.1 billion (54.9%).

Expenditure under the last administration on asylum seeker services for children, within local authority children’s services, increased by 29.7% to £341.7 million in 2023/24. This accounted for 4.2% of the total spend on looked after children.

The asylum seeker services for children spending line is unlikely to capture all expenditure on unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC). This spending line will only capture expenditure related to UASC that has not been recorded in other spending lines. For example, if a UASC is fostered then the associated expenditure will be captured in the ‘fostering services’ spend line by local authorities. These other lines are not disaggregated in the data collection so the department is unable to determine what proportion of fostering spend is spent on UASC.

The relevant data can be accessed here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/la-and-school-expenditure and data guidance and a breakdown of spending categories is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/section-251-2023-to-2024/section-251-financial-data-collection-2023-to-2024-guidance-for-local-authorities-compiling-their-outturn-statement.

In 2024/25, local authorities have planned expenditure on children looked after in gross terms to be £7.8 billion, of which £268.4 million is planned to be spent on asylum seeker services for children. The relevant data can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/planned-la-and-school-expenditure.

Local authorities typically underbudget, so budgets are generally a poor indicator of actual spend, but they are currently the only published data available for 2024/25. For example, local authorities spent £1.5 billion, 23%, more than budgeted for in 2023/24 on looked after children. Gross planned spend on looked after children for 2023/24 was £6.6 billion and the actual spend on looked after children in 2023/24 was £8.1 billion. The relevant data can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/planned-la-and-school-expenditure/2023-24#dataBlock-b3207b9e-46a0-4a1e-8e8a-7bfa46e2241b-tables and here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/la-and-school-expenditure#explore-data-and-files.

Janet Daby
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
21st Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much the Government spent on children looked after in 2023-24; and what proportion of this was on unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.

In 2023/24, local authority gross expenditure on children's and young people's services was £14.8 billion. Over half of that expenditure was on services for children looked after, which is a total of £8.1 billion (54.9%).

Expenditure under the last administration on asylum seeker services for children, within local authority children’s services, increased by 29.7% to £341.7 million in 2023/24. This accounted for 4.2% of the total spend on looked after children.

The asylum seeker services for children spending line is unlikely to capture all expenditure on unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC). This spending line will only capture expenditure related to UASC that has not been recorded in other spending lines. For example, if a UASC is fostered then the associated expenditure will be captured in the ‘fostering services’ spend line by local authorities. These other lines are not disaggregated in the data collection so the department is unable to determine what proportion of fostering spend is spent on UASC.

The relevant data can be accessed here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/la-and-school-expenditure and data guidance and a breakdown of spending categories is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/section-251-2023-to-2024/section-251-financial-data-collection-2023-to-2024-guidance-for-local-authorities-compiling-their-outturn-statement.

In 2024/25, local authorities have planned expenditure on children looked after in gross terms to be £7.8 billion, of which £268.4 million is planned to be spent on asylum seeker services for children. The relevant data can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/planned-la-and-school-expenditure.

Local authorities typically underbudget, so budgets are generally a poor indicator of actual spend, but they are currently the only published data available for 2024/25. For example, local authorities spent £1.5 billion, 23%, more than budgeted for in 2023/24 on looked after children. Gross planned spend on looked after children for 2023/24 was £6.6 billion and the actual spend on looked after children in 2023/24 was £8.1 billion. The relevant data can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/planned-la-and-school-expenditure/2023-24#dataBlock-b3207b9e-46a0-4a1e-8e8a-7bfa46e2241b-tables and here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/la-and-school-expenditure#explore-data-and-files.

Janet Daby
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
10th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many people started apprenticeships at level (a) 2, (b) 3, (c) 4, (d) 5, (e) 6 and (f) 7 in each public service in each year since 2015.

Apprenticeship level was not collected by the previous government as part of the public sector data return.

The latest data on public sector apprenticeship new starts for the years it was collected can be found in the links below.

2023/24 financial year: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/680d7c76-ab1a-4fea-d82c-08dd4a33315d.

2022/23 financial year: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/ef860ba0-ea81-4edf-d82d-08dd4a33315d.

2017/18 to 2021/22 financial years: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/81667830-1958-49f0-d82e-08dd4a33315d.

Janet Daby
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
6th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools (a) initially applied to be part of the universal primary school breakfast clubs pilot and (b) subsequently pulled out.

The government is committed to offering a free breakfast club in every state-funded school with primary-aged pupils in England, beginning with the launch of an early adopter scheme in summer term 2025.

Schools were invited to express their interest in taking part by 20 December 2024. A list of participating schools will be published in due course.

Stephen Morgan
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
4th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department's consultation entitled School accountability reform - school profiles, improvement and intervention, page 18, published on 3 February 2025, what estimate she has made of the number of schools which will require a (a) structural intervention and (b) targeted RISE intervention in the next three years.

The department’s consultation document explained that, overall, we expect twice as many mandatory interventions in schools, through both structural intervention and targeted regional improvement for standards and excellence (RISE) interventions. This is expected to total around 370 schools experiencing mandatory intervention averaged annually over the next three years, based on the pattern of Ofsted inspections in recent years and based on the numbers of schools which already meet our proposed eligibility criteria but have not had structural intervention to date.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
27th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupils are enrolled in a National Centre for Computing Education computing hub.

Computing hubs are embedded within individual schools which provide free computing continuing professional development (CPD), met a ministerially approved quality bar and are supported by the National Centre for Computing Education (NCCE). 28 schools in England are currently part of a computing hub.

The support offered by computing hubs is, for the most part, aimed at teachers only. Being enrolled at a school which is also a computing hub does not therefore mean that a pupil is enrolled in, or directly accessing, the computing support the hub offers. The only support from computing hubs which is aimed directly at pupils is hub-run outreach events. In the 2023/24 academic year, over 3,700 young people attended an NCCE outreach event.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
27th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on the total number of pupils who (a) have participated in the National Consortium for Languages Education’s language hubs since they were established and (b) currently use those hubs.

There are currently 15 language hubs across England, typically comprising one lead school, working with seven partner schools and feeder primary schools, in addition to supporting wider networks of schools within their region.

The support offered by language hubs is aimed at schools and teachers only. Being enrolled at a school which is also a language hub does not therefore mean that a pupil is enrolled in, or directly accessing, the languages support the hub offers.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
27th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the annual cost of providing free breakfast clubs in every primary school will be.

The department will fund schools to provide the new breakfast clubs.

The department published its funding methodology alongside guidance for early adopters on 16 January, and it has worked closely with schools on these rates to ensure they were sufficient for the ask.

Funding for national rollout is subject to the next spending review.

Funding rates for schools as part of the national roll out will be informed by learning from early adopters.

Stephen Morgan
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
27th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the cost of providing free breakfast clubs in primary schools in each financial year to 2028-29.

The department will fund schools to provide the new breakfast clubs.

The department published its funding methodology alongside guidance for early adopters on 16 January, and it has worked closely with schools on these rates to ensure they were sufficient for the ask.

Funding for national rollout is subject to the next spending review.

Funding rates for schools as part of the national roll out will be informed by learning from early adopters.

Stephen Morgan
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
27th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of staff in her Department are qualified teachers.

The information on staff teaching qualifications is not centrally held on the department’s HR system. Seeking the information across the department’s full workforce could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Janet Daby
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
20th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether schools delivering free school breakfasts will be allowed to charge for provision outside the free 30 minute entitlement.

This government is committed, through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, to delivering a free breakfast club of at least 30 minutes in every state-funded school with primary-aged pupils in England.

Breakfast clubs boost attainment and attendance, and delivering free universal breakfast clubs will ensure children are set-up to learn. Schools will not be able to charge for the 30-minute funded breakfast club. Schools must not create an expectation that parents have to pay for additional provision in order to access the free 30 minutes, and clubs must be available to all pupils from reception to year 6. Beyond these requirements schools will have discretion to set-up their clubs in a way that works for the families they serve.

This new offer will also support parents to have more choices on when to work and will support families with the cost of childcare.

Stephen Morgan
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
20th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether teachers staffing free school breakfast clubs will count as directed time.

From April 2025, up to 750 early adopter schools will be funded to provide access to a free, universal breakfast club lasting at least 30 minutes that includes food. The government has published guidance explaining the role of schools taking part in the breakfast clubs early adopter scheme. Through the early adopters, the department will test and learn what works to shape plans for the national rollout of free and universal breakfast clubs in every primary school. Schools will have flexibility over staffing their clubs and there is no government expectation that schools would need to direct teachers to staff breakfast clubs, decisions will be taken by schools at local level.

The guidance can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/breakfast-clubs-early-adopter-guidance-for-schools-and-trusts-in-england/breakfast-clubs-early-adopter-guidance-for-schools-and-trusts-in-england.

Stephen Morgan
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
20th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2025 to Question 21364 on Further Education and Schools: Employers' Contributions, in which month her Department plans to pay the grant for the cost of national insurance.

Payment dates will be confirmed in due course.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
20th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the cost to local government of implementing the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

The department has conducted initial new burdens impact assessments, in line with normal practice, for measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. Once the new burdens assessments have been finalised, where it is assessed there is a new burden on local government, all additional net costs will be funded by central government in line with the New Burdens Doctrine.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
14th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much her Department granted to the Choir Schools Association through the Music and Dance Scheme in each year since 2010.

The department will announce future funding for the Music and Dance Scheme for the 2025/26 academic year following the conclusion of the Spending Review in the spring. This includes consideration of the grant to the Choir Schools Association for the Choir Schools Scholarship Scheme.

The department has provided a grant of over £216,000 per year for the Choir Schools Scholarship Scheme between 2010 and 2025.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
14th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to continue the grant to the Choir Schools Association in the next academic year.

The department will announce future funding for the Music and Dance Scheme for the 2025/26 academic year following the conclusion of the Spending Review in the spring. This includes consideration of the grant to the Choir Schools Association for the Choir Schools Scholarship Scheme.

The department has provided a grant of over £216,000 per year for the Choir Schools Scholarship Scheme between 2010 and 2025.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
14th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average (a) progress 8 score, (b) attainment 8 score and (c) share of pupils getting grade 5 or above in English and maths was for each ethnic group in each region of England in each of the last eight years.

The average Progress 8 and Attainment 8 overall and for boys and girls by ethnic group are published at the following links:

The average Progress 8, Attainment 8, and percentage of pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and mathematics GCSEs by ethnic group and region are published at the following links:

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
14th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average attainment 8 score (a) overall, (b) for girls and (c) for boys was in each year for which data is available by ethnic group.

The average Progress 8 and Attainment 8 overall and for boys and girls by ethnic group are published at the following links:

The average Progress 8, Attainment 8, and percentage of pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and mathematics GCSEs by ethnic group and region are published at the following links:

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
14th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average progress 8 score (a) overall, (b) for girls and (c) for boys was in each year for which data is available by ethnic group.

The average Progress 8 and Attainment 8 overall and for boys and girls by ethnic group are published at the following links:

The average Progress 8, Attainment 8, and percentage of pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and mathematics GCSEs by ethnic group and region are published at the following links:

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
6th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether there will be future intakes for the development programme for CEOs of multi-academy trusts run with the National Institute of Teaching.

The department has a contract in place with the National Institute of Teaching to deliver the multi-academy trusts CEO development programme to two cohorts of leaders that started their training in February and September 2024 respectively. The current contract runs to March 2026.

The government is committed to supporting the development of school leaders and has announced a review of the National Professional Qualifications (NPQs), which will consider the support needed to meet the current and emerging training needs of leaders. NPQs provide training grounded in the best evidence and practice in education at every leadership level, including for executive leaders.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
3rd Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number of academy schools that do not currently comply with the duty in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to follow the national curriculum.

I refer the hon. Member for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston to the answer of 29 July 2024 to Question 1038.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
3rd Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools will have to change their uniform policy to comply with the provisions in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

School uniforms can play a valuable role in creating a sense of common identity among pupils and reducing visible inequalities. However, too many schools require high numbers of branded uniform items costing families hundreds of pounds. That is why the department has introduced legislation to limit the number of branded items of uniform and PE kit that schools can require, to bring down costs for parents and remove barriers from children accessing sport and other school activities.

The department does not routinely collect school-level data on uniform requirements. However, based on the department’s 2023 Cost of School Uniforms Survey of parents, we estimate that one third of primary schools and seven in ten secondary schools will have to remove compulsory branded items from their uniforms to comply with the new limit. Many schools will only have to remove one or two items, although those with excessive numbers of branded items will have to remove more.

This research report can be accessed at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66e2b4df6cc3c902a6e6fbcc/DfE_Cost_of_School_Uniform_Survey_Report.pdf.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
3rd Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of academy schools' facilities to comply with the duty in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to follow the national curriculum.

Every child deserves a cutting-edge curriculum taught by expert, qualified teachers, which sets them up with the knowledge and skills they need to achieve throughout life. The Bill will require all state schools to teach the reformed national curriculum, giving parents certainty of the high quality education their children will receive.

Many academies already choose to follow the national curriculum and have the facilities they need to deliver it. The department will not commence the new requirement until a reformed national curriculum is introduced following the advice of the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review. This will give all teachers and all schools, including academies, sufficient time to plan and prepare for the changes, including developing their facilities as needed.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
3rd Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number of schools that will be impacted by the extension of statutory pay and conditions arrangements to Academy teachers in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

There are currently 11,245 academies in England that would be in scope of the measure in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
19th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether compensation for schools and colleges from changes to employer National Insurance contributions will be paid via a grant or the detailed schools grant.

The department will receive compensation in recognition of the increase in National Insurance Contributions paid by state-funded schools and colleges. That compensation will be additional to the £2.3 billion increase for schools announced at the Autumn Budget 2024. Due to timing constraints, it will be provided as a separate grant for schools, outside the dedicated schools grant in the 2025/26 financial year.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
18th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will list each open converter academy with its (a) date of conversion to academy status, (b) Unique Reference Number, and (c) previous Unique Reference Number where different.

As of 1 November 2024, there are 7,671 open converter academies. Their names, unique reference numbers, open dates and unique reference numbers of predecessor schools, where applicable, is detailed in the attached spreadsheet.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
18th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to reply to the consultation on Guidance for Schools and Colleges: Gender Questioning Children.

The department is currently reviewing the draft non-statutory guidance for schools and colleges on gender questioning children, in addition to draft guidance on relationships and sex education and health education.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has been clear that children’s wellbeing must be at the heart of this guidance and, as such, the government is looking carefully at the consultation responses, discussing with stakeholders and considering the relevant evidence, including the Cass Review which has since been published, before setting out next steps.

We expect the results of the consultation and our response to be published on GOV.UK in 2025.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
18th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will list each open sponsored academy with (a) its date of conversion to sponsored status, (b) its Unique Reference Number, and (c) the Unique Reference Number of its predecessor school.

As of 1 November 2024, there are 2,753 open sponsored academies. Their names, unique reference numbers, open dates and unique reference numbers of predecessor schools, where applicable, is detailed in the attached spreadsheet.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
18th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on research projects undertaken by the Institute of Fiscal Studies on behalf of her Department on labour market returns by degree subject in each year since 2022.

Since 2022, the department has commissioned one research project, undertaken by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), that includes evidence about labour market returns to undergraduate degrees by degree subject. This is described below.

In 2023, the department put out to open tender a research project called, ‘Developing an earnings metric to assess the quality of higher education (HE) provision’. The IFS bid for and were awarded this project. This project included modelling of graduate earnings by degree subject and HE provider. Its purpose was to produce a report advising on options for how graduate earnings could be used by the Office for Students as part of their regulatory activity. This work began in November 2023 and the report was delivered to the department in September 2024. The report has not yet been published but will be in the future.

Janet Daby
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)