Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much her Department has spent on measures to achieve net zero targets in the last five years.

High and rising school standards are at the heart of this government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life. Ensuring schools have the high quality and sustainable buildings they need is a key part of that.

The department has a critical role to play in all aspects of sustainability, including the drive to achieve net zero and supporting the delivery of the government’s 25 Year Environment Plan and Net Zero Strategy.

Since November 2021, the department has required that all new department-delivered schools will be designed to be net zero carbon in operation, alongside investment to increase green infrastructure and sustainable water management on school sites.

Capital funding is allocated to the school sector each year for improving the condition of the estate and to keep schools safe and operational. Funding can also support projects that improve the energy efficiency, sustainability and resilience to climate change of school buildings. Decisions on which projects to prioritise are primarily taken at a local level.

The department allocated an additional £447 million of capital funding in 2022/23 for schools and sixth form colleges for capital improvements to buildings and facilities, prioritising energy efficiency and supported by guidance for schools on effective approaches.

To make sure that the department is tackling the most urgent need in the school estate, we have committed to rebuilding or significantly refurbishing buildings at 518 schools through the School Rebuilding Programme. New buildings delivered through the programme are designed to be net zero carbon in operation and more resilient to the effects of climate change.

In 2022/23, further education (FE) colleges were allocated £53 million to improve facilities, prioritising energy efficiency. All condition improvement projects receiving departmental grant funding and delivered by FE colleges have been required to consider the 2021 FE Output Specification, which advises how to achieve net zero in operation. FE colleges have also been able to support condition improvement projects that support energy efficiency and sustainability and keep colleges safe and operational.

Schools, as other public bodies, have also been able to access funding from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, which is run by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.