Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure sufficient state school places are available following the imposition of VAT on private schools.

In line with research from the independent Institute for Fiscal Studies the government does not anticipate the ending of the VAT exemption that private schools enjoy to prompt notable movement into the state sector, and any movement is expected to take place over several years. This research is attached and can also be found here: https://ifs.org.uk/publications/tax-private-school-fees-and-state-school-spending.

There is significant spare capacity in existing state schools. The department collects pupil forecasts and school capacity data from local authorities annually through the school capacity survey and this data shows that in May 2023, 11.7% of primary capacity and 11.5% of secondary capacity was unfilled nationally, meaning school places are available in many parts of the country. The department will monitor demand and capacity using its normal processes and continue to work with local authorities to meet any pressures.