Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has assessed the potential impact of the proposed executive pay approval process on recruitment to academy trust leadership posts.

The department wants the highest-quality leaders in our schools. However, executive remuneration must demonstrate clear value for money for pupils and parents and remain proportionate to that of individuals undertaking comparable roles in other parts of the public sector.

The evidence shows that, in some cases, executive pay has risen disproportionately compared with the pay of teachers and comparable public sector leaders. That is why the department is taking action to limit pay increases, ensuring that levels of pay and progression are fair, proportionate and aligned to wider public sector pay principles. Tighter controls will mean unjustifiable executive salaries become a thing of the past, helping level the playing field for school staff and drive every pound towards classrooms

The approach reflects a fair and proportionate expectation that higher levels of remuneration should be subject to increased scrutiny, while recognising the size of large academy trusts may warrant remuneration in excess of £174,000.