Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to rebuild the school estate in the Lewes constituency.

The department is investing almost £3 billion per year in capital maintenance by 2034/35 to improve the condition of the school and college estate, rising from £2.4 billion in 2025/26. East Sussex has been allocated almost £5.4 million for 2026/27 to invest in improving the condition of its maintained schools, including those in Lewes. Academy trusts and voluntary aided bodies also have access to capital funding.

Alongside this, the department is also investing almost £20 billion in the school rebuilding programme through to 2034/35. Over 500 schools are already in the programme, with over 80% in delivery. The department will select a further 250 schools by early 2027.

The department’s new renewal and retrofit programme, backed by over £700 million to 2029/30, will improve the condition of school and college buildings and increase resilience to climate change so that buildings last for decades to come and are net zero ready.