Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of requiring teaching and school staff to receive coivd-19 vaccinations.

Vaccines are the best way we can protect ourselves and help keep children and young people in face-to-face education.

People aged 18 years and over, and those aged 16 years and over who are at risk (including health and social care workers) will be offered a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. All eligible staff and students aged 12 and over are encouraged to take up the offer of the vaccine, including boosters where eligible.

However, unless an employee is unable to do their role as a result of being unvaccinated, which is unlikely to be the case in schools, then employers cannot set vaccination status as a condition of employment.

The government currently has no plans to make vaccinations mandatory for teachers in schools or colleges.