Tom Morrison

The government has agreed that the department will be compensated for the increase in National Insurance Contributions (NICs) paid by state-funded schools, and work is in progress to determine how much the department will receive for those employers within its remit and how that funding will be distributed. The department will engage with key stakeholders on our approach to the NICs funding and will provide more information as soon as is practicable.

Compensation for the NICs will be additional to the £1 billion increase to high needs funding announced at the 30 October Budget. Due to timing constraints, NICs funding will need to be provided as a separate grant, alongside the dedicated schools grant, in 2025/26.

Bramhall High School is currently in the ‘feasibility’ stage of the School Rebuilding Programme. The feasibility will determine the scope of the project, programme and the budget. Once the feasibility is concluded, the department will procure a contractor to undertake the detailed design of the scheme and secure planning permission.

The department currently anticipates appointing a contractor in spring 2025 with construction beginning from summer 2026.

Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRSs) are currently being prepared across England. Responsible Authorities are developing them in collaboration with other public bodies, planning authorities, local partnerships, landowners and managers, as well as Defra group bodies who are providing specialist local support and helping plan for delivery on the ground. LNRSs will be published by responsible authorities. The first LNRS is expected to be published this year with the remainder following in the first half of 2025. Delivery of LNRSs will be encouraged through a combination of legal duties and incentives.

Ministers, and officials from the Rail North Partnership have regular meetings with Northern's management team to discuss how to improve its current performance across its network.

The Government is investing in transport improvements across our city regions, including Greater Manchester which is receiving over £1 billion through its City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement. In line with the Government’s commitment to devolution, decisions on where to invest this funding, including whether to extend the Metrolink network, rest with Greater Manchester Combined Authority, in partnership with its constituent local authorities.

We are reviewing the New Hospital Programme (NHP) in order to put it on a sustainable footing, including a realistic timetable for delivery, and clarity on the funding required.

The scope of the review is limited to those schemes already within the NHP. However, we recognise the importance of strategic, value for money investments in capital projects, such as new healthcare facilities, significant upgrades, and other targeted capital investments. The Department is currently reviewing capital requirements in line with the Government’s Missions. Any further support for National Health Service trusts seeking new hospital infrastructure will be considered as part of the forthcoming Spending Review.

On 29 July, the Government announced that, as of 1 January 2025, all education services and vocational training provided by a private school in the UK for a charge will be subject to VAT at the standard rate of 20 per cent. This will also apply to boarding services provided by private schools.

All institutions that meet the definition of a private school set out in the draft legislation are within scope of this policy. The draft legislation can be found online here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66a7a1f8a3c2a28abb50d8c1/Private_Schools_Draft_Legislation_-_DIGITAL.pdf

This definition includes music schools, dance schools, Centres for Advanced Training, and tuition centres where they charge fees for full-time education for pupils of compulsory school age. Institutions that charge fees for full-time education suitable for people over compulsory school age but under 19 (such as sixth forms) are also within scope of this policy.

All education services, vocational training, and boarding services provided by institutions that meet this definition of a private school will be subject to VAT, including extracurricular classes. The VAT treatment of Special Educational Needs therapies will depend on the type of therapy and who it is provided by. If the therapy is a means of supporting the education delivered to and is provided by the private school, it will likely be subject to VAT. If it is a type of therapy that qualifies for the health and social care VAT exemptions (for instance, occupational therapy), it will remain exempt from VAT. This policy does not affect the VAT treatment of services provided by an unconnected third-party who carries out their services on a private school’s premises.

The full fees of pupils in receipt of funding through the Music and Dance Scheme will be subject to VAT. The right time to consider any changes to schemes such as the Music and Dance Scheme is at the Spending Review.

The Government does not expect fees to go up by 20% as a result of this policy change, and the Government expects private schools to take steps to minimise fee increases.

Further details on this policy can be found in the technical note published alongside the legislation. The technical note can be found online here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66a7a1bdce1fd0da7b592eb6/Technical_Note_-_DIGITAL.pdf

HMRC will also be publishing bespoke guidance for schools, and holding support sessions to help them understand their liabilities as a VAT-registered business.

This Government wants to ensure that policing has the support that they need so that they can get back to tackling the issues that that matter to the public. That is why we are delivering an additional 13,000 police officers, PCSOs and special constables in neighbourhood policing roles and ensuring every community has a named officer to turn to.

We are considering the implementation of our plans around neighbourhood policing and the growth in neighbourhood officers as a key priority. We are doing this alongside key partners across policing to ensure that we deliver an effective plan that delivers the best service for the public.

This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation, including the banning of trail hunting. Licenses to trail hunt on Ministry of Defence (MOD) land are currently under Ministerial review. To date, no licenses to trail hunt on MOD land have been granted for the 2024-25 hunting season, pending Ministerial review.

My department approved the business case confirming £8.3 million of funding for Cheadle Train Station in 2022. This project forms part of the broader £13.9 million Cheadle Town Deal agreed in March 2021. I am pleased to confirm we will continue to honour existing Town Deal commitments. Officials will continue to work closely with Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council and the Department for Transport to progress the delivery of the Cheadle Train Station project.

The proposed train station in Cheadle forms part of the £13.9 million Cheadle Town Deal agreed by the previous government. All Town Deal business cases have been approved and all funding is fully committed, with the expectation that funding recipients will have invested the entirety of their allocation by March 2026. The Chancellor has set out a path to confirming plans for this year and next at the forthcoming Budget on October 30th. We understand that this will have caused uncertainty about the status of some projects and the challenge that it presents locally; however, this Government must be sure to make responsible decisions on public spending. During this time my officials will continue to work with local authorities and across government to help resolve any delivery issues that may arise, including with the Stockport Council and the Department for Transport (DfT).