Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department provides to academy trusts on how to demonstrate comparable pricing for alternative energy contracts.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department is currently drafting and finalising guidance for academy trusts which includes definitions of what constitutes comparable pricing and value where they are seeking to benchmark their energy costs with the Energy for Schools route. This guidance will be published prior to the effective date for the 2026 Academy Trust Handbook, which is 1 October 2026.
The department’s approach is to support academy trusts in simplifying and securing value for money from energy procurement, while retaining flexibility to use alternative routes where they can demonstrate pricing comparable to that available through the department’s Energy for Schools service or a department approved energy deal. The department expects trusts to continue to act in accordance with their broader responsibilities to achieve value for money and effective stewardship of public funds. The guidance will include definitions of what constitutes comparable pricing and value where they are seeking to benchmark their energy costs.
The department carried out a pilot prior to full implementation of Energy for Schools. This involved benchmarking actual energy usage data and pricing provided by individual schools and Government Commercial Agency (formerly Crown Commercial Services), comparing 12 months' worth of a school’s historic invoices with what a school would have paid under the department’s contract for the same period. Recent benchmarking has demonstrated that a typical primary school can save £4,900 a year and a typical secondary school £23,200 through the department’s deal.
The department’s policy is to support trusts in simplifying and securing value for money by making available the department's Energy for Schools service and department approved energy deals. At the same time, it continues to permit alternative procurement routes where trusts can demonstrate comparable pricing or value. The requirement does not prevent trusts from seeking alternative suppliers or procurement arrangements and allows trusts to access the wider energy market where competitive pricing can be evidenced.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
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 energy procurement guidance on the ability of academy trusts to leverage price competition.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department is currently drafting and finalising guidance for academy trusts which includes definitions of what constitutes comparable pricing and value where they are seeking to benchmark their energy costs with the Energy for Schools route. This guidance will be published prior to the effective date for the 2026 Academy Trust Handbook, which is 1 October 2026.
The department’s approach is to support academy trusts in simplifying and securing value for money from energy procurement, while retaining flexibility to use alternative routes where they can demonstrate pricing comparable to that available through the department’s Energy for Schools service or a department approved energy deal. The department expects trusts to continue to act in accordance with their broader responsibilities to achieve value for money and effective stewardship of public funds. The guidance will include definitions of what constitutes comparable pricing and value where they are seeking to benchmark their energy costs.
The department carried out a pilot prior to full implementation of Energy for Schools. This involved benchmarking actual energy usage data and pricing provided by individual schools and Government Commercial Agency (formerly Crown Commercial Services), comparing 12 months' worth of a school’s historic invoices with what a school would have paid under the department’s contract for the same period. Recent benchmarking has demonstrated that a typical primary school can save £4,900 a year and a typical secondary school £23,200 through the department’s deal.
The department’s policy is to support trusts in simplifying and securing value for money by making available the department's Energy for Schools service and department approved energy deals. At the same time, it continues to permit alternative procurement routes where trusts can demonstrate comparable pricing or value. The requirement does not prevent trusts from seeking alternative suppliers or procurement arrangements and allows trusts to access the wider energy market where competitive pricing can be evidenced.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the value for money of the Energy for Schools route compared with alternative compliant procurement approaches.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department is currently drafting and finalising guidance for academy trusts which includes definitions of what constitutes comparable pricing and value where they are seeking to benchmark their energy costs with the Energy for Schools route. This guidance will be published prior to the effective date for the 2026 Academy Trust Handbook, which is 1 October 2026.
The department’s approach is to support academy trusts in simplifying and securing value for money from energy procurement, while retaining flexibility to use alternative routes where they can demonstrate pricing comparable to that available through the department’s Energy for Schools service or a department approved energy deal. The department expects trusts to continue to act in accordance with their broader responsibilities to achieve value for money and effective stewardship of public funds. The guidance will include definitions of what constitutes comparable pricing and value where they are seeking to benchmark their energy costs.
The department carried out a pilot prior to full implementation of Energy for Schools. This involved benchmarking actual energy usage data and pricing provided by individual schools and Government Commercial Agency (formerly Crown Commercial Services), comparing 12 months' worth of a school’s historic invoices with what a school would have paid under the department’s contract for the same period. Recent benchmarking has demonstrated that a typical primary school can save £4,900 a year and a typical secondary school £23,200 through the department’s deal.
The department’s policy is to support trusts in simplifying and securing value for money by making available the department's Energy for Schools service and department approved energy deals. At the same time, it continues to permit alternative procurement routes where trusts can demonstrate comparable pricing or value. The requirement does not prevent trusts from seeking alternative suppliers or procurement arrangements and allows trusts to access the wider energy market where competitive pricing can be evidenced.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
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 the comparable pricing requirement for alternative energy contracts in the Academy Trusts Handbook on competition between procurement routes.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department is currently drafting and finalising guidance for academy trusts which includes definitions of what constitutes comparable pricing and value where they are seeking to benchmark their energy costs with the Energy for Schools route. This guidance will be published prior to the effective date for the 2026 Academy Trust Handbook, which is 1 October 2026.
The department’s approach is to support academy trusts in simplifying and securing value for money from energy procurement, while retaining flexibility to use alternative routes where they can demonstrate pricing comparable to that available through the department’s Energy for Schools service or a department approved energy deal. The department expects trusts to continue to act in accordance with their broader responsibilities to achieve value for money and effective stewardship of public funds. The guidance will include definitions of what constitutes comparable pricing and value where they are seeking to benchmark their energy costs.
The department carried out a pilot prior to full implementation of Energy for Schools. This involved benchmarking actual energy usage data and pricing provided by individual schools and Government Commercial Agency (formerly Crown Commercial Services), comparing 12 months' worth of a school’s historic invoices with what a school would have paid under the department’s contract for the same period. Recent benchmarking has demonstrated that a typical primary school can save £4,900 a year and a typical secondary school £23,200 through the department’s deal.
The department’s policy is to support trusts in simplifying and securing value for money by making available the department's Energy for Schools service and department approved energy deals. At the same time, it continues to permit alternative procurement routes where trusts can demonstrate comparable pricing or value. The requirement does not prevent trusts from seeking alternative suppliers or procurement arrangements and allows trusts to access the wider energy market where competitive pricing can be evidenced.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to define what constitutes comparable pricing for academy trusts seeking to benchmark their energy costs with the Energy for Schools route.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department is currently drafting and finalising guidance for academy trusts which includes definitions of what constitutes comparable pricing and value where they are seeking to benchmark their energy costs with the Energy for Schools route. This guidance will be published prior to the effective date for the 2026 Academy Trust Handbook, which is 1 October 2026.
The department’s approach is to support academy trusts in simplifying and securing value for money from energy procurement, while retaining flexibility to use alternative routes where they can demonstrate pricing comparable to that available through the department’s Energy for Schools service or a department approved energy deal. The department expects trusts to continue to act in accordance with their broader responsibilities to achieve value for money and effective stewardship of public funds. The guidance will include definitions of what constitutes comparable pricing and value where they are seeking to benchmark their energy costs.
The department carried out a pilot prior to full implementation of Energy for Schools. This involved benchmarking actual energy usage data and pricing provided by individual schools and Government Commercial Agency (formerly Crown Commercial Services), comparing 12 months' worth of a school’s historic invoices with what a school would have paid under the department’s contract for the same period. Recent benchmarking has demonstrated that a typical primary school can save £4,900 a year and a typical secondary school £23,200 through the department’s deal.
The department’s policy is to support trusts in simplifying and securing value for money by making available the department's Energy for Schools service and department approved energy deals. At the same time, it continues to permit alternative procurement routes where trusts can demonstrate comparable pricing or value. The requirement does not prevent trusts from seeking alternative suppliers or procurement arrangements and allows trusts to access the wider energy market where competitive pricing can be evidenced.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to support schools and colleges with (a) implementing the Enrichment Framework and (b) delivering against the Enrichment Entitlement.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department has published a new enrichment framework with clear benchmarks against which schools and colleges can evaluate their own offer and improve provision. Ambassadors have been appointed as experts within their areas, using their expertise to help develop and expand opportunities for young people.
The £22.5 million Enrichment Expansion Programme will work with approximately 400 schools in the most deprived areas of England to support them to meet the benchmarks set out in the enrichment framework. This is alongside a variety of governmental programmes, including upcoming PE and School Sport Partnerships and a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education, as well as National Education Nature Parks, TechYouth, the Cadet Expansion Programme, Erasmus+ and Building Equal Access to Chess in Schools.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s ‘Every Child Can’ programme will deliver £132.5 million for new activities programmes structured around the framework categories, delivered through schools, community programmes, weekend activities and holiday provision.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to support schools and colleges in delivering the Enrichment Benchmarks.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department has published a new enrichment framework with clear benchmarks against which schools and colleges can evaluate their own offer and improve provision. Ambassadors have been appointed as experts within their areas, using their expertise to help develop and expand opportunities for young people.
The £22.5 million Enrichment Expansion Programme will work with approximately 400 schools in the most deprived areas of England to support them to meet the benchmarks set out in the enrichment framework. This is alongside a variety of governmental programmes, including upcoming PE and School Sport Partnerships and a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education, as well as National Education Nature Parks, TechYouth, the Cadet Expansion Programme, Erasmus+ and Building Equal Access to Chess in Schools.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s ‘Every Child Can’ programme will deliver £132.5 million for new activities programmes structured around the framework categories, delivered through schools, community programmes, weekend activities and holiday provision.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of legislative changes to the statutory framework governing religious education.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government has not made assessments about the legislative framework applying to religious education (RE) or the Agreed Syllabus Conference model. We are clear that teaching on RE helps pupils understand the wide range of religions and beliefs, including non-religious beliefs, that exist in our country and the wider world.
The government firmly believes in the importance of religious education (RE). Good quality RE can develop children’s knowledge of the values and traditions of Britain and other countries, and foster understanding among different faiths and cultures.
The Curriculum and Assessment Review (CAR) recommended that government should explore including RE in the national curriculum, contingent on sector consensus. The sector group has reached a consensus, as such DfE will consult on a draft RE curriculum in line with the national curriculum consultation in September.
Any definitions used in the CAR were a matter for the independent review itself.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment has her Department made of the effectiveness of the Agreed Syllabus Conference model established under the Education Act 1944.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government has not made assessments about the legislative framework applying to religious education (RE) or the Agreed Syllabus Conference model. We are clear that teaching on RE helps pupils understand the wide range of religions and beliefs, including non-religious beliefs, that exist in our country and the wider world.
The government firmly believes in the importance of religious education (RE). Good quality RE can develop children’s knowledge of the values and traditions of Britain and other countries, and foster understanding among different faiths and cultures.
The Curriculum and Assessment Review (CAR) recommended that government should explore including RE in the national curriculum, contingent on sector consensus. The sector group has reached a consensus, as such DfE will consult on a draft RE curriculum in line with the national curriculum consultation in September.
Any definitions used in the CAR were a matter for the independent review itself.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment has her Department made of the contribution of religious education to a child’s learning.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government has not made assessments about the legislative framework applying to religious education (RE) or the Agreed Syllabus Conference model. We are clear that teaching on RE helps pupils understand the wide range of religions and beliefs, including non-religious beliefs, that exist in our country and the wider world.
The government firmly believes in the importance of religious education (RE). Good quality RE can develop children’s knowledge of the values and traditions of Britain and other countries, and foster understanding among different faiths and cultures.
The Curriculum and Assessment Review (CAR) recommended that government should explore including RE in the national curriculum, contingent on sector consensus. The sector group has reached a consensus, as such DfE will consult on a draft RE curriculum in line with the national curriculum consultation in September.
Any definitions used in the CAR were a matter for the independent review itself.