Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what underspends are projected in (a) her Department and (b) each of its arms length bodies in (i) this financial year and (ii) the Spending Review period.

As my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, set out in her statement on July 29, the government’s spending audit has identified a forecast Resource Departmental Expenditure Limits (DEL) overspend of £21.9 billion against the plans set out for departments at Spring Budget 2024. This already factors in the Treasury’s assessment of a £7.1 billion fallaway over the course of the year, as set out in Table 1 of ‘Fixing the foundations: public spending audit 2024-25’.

The government has announced £5.5 billion of savings in the 2024/25 financial year, bringing the in-year pressures down to £16.4 billion.