Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reason there is a 15-day turnaround period for her private office to respond to urgent requests from hon. Members for a meeting with her.

There is no fifteen day turnaround period when handling requests for meetings. Under normal circumstances, urgent requests from hon. Members for a meeting with the Secretary of State are dealt with in a timely manner.

In this instance, the hon. Member’s office contacted the Department’s National Helpline but was not put through to the Secretary of State’s Private Office.

Officials have apologised to the hon. Member’s office for this, and for the delay that resulted, and officials have assured me that it will not happen again.