Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many buildings are (a) owned and (b) leased by (i) the Department for Education, (ii) Ofsted, (iii) Ofqual, (iv) the Education and Skills Funding Agency, (v) the Standards and Testing Agency and (vi) the Teaching Regulation Agency for use by staff of those organisations as of 10 October 2022.

The Department (incorporating the Education and Skills Funding Agency, the Standards and Testing Agency and the Teaching Regulation Agency) does not own buildings for use by its staff. The Department, via the Government Property Agency as its asset manager, leases a total of thirteen sites (in multi-tenanted buildings) for use by its staff.

Both Ofqual and Ofsted manage their own respective estates. They have, however, advised that they do not own any building for use by their staff. Ofsted lease seven sites in multi-tenanted buildings. Ofqual use the Government Property Agency as their asset manager and lease one floor in a multi-tenanted building.

Two of the regional offices (Sheffield and Darlington) have photovoltaic (PV) panels that are not in operation, but works are underway to repair and update them. The department is currently undertaking a feasibility study to determine if PV panels can be installed at our London office.

One of Ofsted’s leases, a Government Property Agency hub in Birmingham, has solar panels which are the responsibility of the landlord. Ofqual leases one floor in a multi-tenanted building, via the Government Property Agency. This does not have solar panels installed.