Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact on (a) class sizes, (b) teacher recruitment and retention and (c) relations with unions in state schools of the introduction of VAT on education provision in the independent sector.

Education matters and is at the heart of the mission to break down barriers to opportunity. The impact of any tax changes affecting independent schools on the state sector will be carefully considered. The government will complete its analysis once details of the policy changes have been confirmed; this will happen in due course.