Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what economic assessment he has made on the effect on tourism jobs in seaside areas and seaside economies of deregulating school holidays.

The Government is giving more schools greater flexibility to adapt the shape of the school year in the interests of their pupils' education.

Whilst this will extend an existing flexibility to a greater number of schools, our advice will continue to include a clear expectation of schools working with each other and the local authority to coordinate dates to avoid unnecessary disruption to parents and their employers.

The Department has consulted with representatives of the tourist industry. Where schools choose to change their holiday dates, following discussion locally with parents and local businesses, there may well be a positive impact on seaside economies. In areas of high-seasonal employment, for example, small variations to term-dates agreed locally may help parents to holiday outside of peak periods.