Asked by: Cameron Thomas (Liberal Democrat - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of resources to support schools to reach net zero.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
I refer the hon. Member for Tewkesbury to the answer of 16 January 2026 to Question 104584.
Asked by: Rachel Gilmour (Liberal Democrat - Tiverton and Minehead)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of support available to schools who wish to decarbonise their buildings but who currently do not have the means to do so.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department recognises that decarbonising the school estate is an important part of meeting the government’s net zero commitments.
The Great British Energy Solar Partnership (GBESP) programme is supporting 250 schools and colleges to decarbonise by investing £100 million on solar panels and other energy efficiency and net zero interventions including LED lighting and electric vehicle chargers.
We are providing support for all schools and colleges to start on their journey towards net zero through our Sustainability Support Programme, which includes an online platform of guidance, tools and resources to help schools plan and deliver climate action available here: https://www.sustainabilitysupportforeducation.org.uk/.
The publicly available Department for Energy Security and Net Zero commissioned schools decarbonisation guidance, along with tools and checklists developed by Energy Systems Catapult can be found here: https://es.catapult.org.uk/tools-and-labs/public-sector-decarbonisation-guidance/developing-your-strategy/schools-resource-hub/. We will be issuing guidance to school settings in spring 2026 to help schools plan future retrofit and adaptation strategies to support decarbonisation and good education outcomes using their estates effectively.
Asked by: Jessica Toale (Labour - Bournemouth West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to decarbonise schools.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department is committed to supporting the UK net-zero carbon targets. Since 2021, the department’s own building standards require that all new school buildings delivered by the department are net-zero carbon in operation and are adapted to climate change.
We are providing support for all schools and colleges to start on their journey towards net-zero via our new online sustainability support for education platform and our climate ambassador programme. Where schools are considering options to become more sustainable, including considering decarbonisation of their energy supply, our ‘Get help for buying’ service provides support to ensure that schemes procured are of high quality and value to the sector. More information can be found here: https://gethelpbuyingforschools.campaign.gov.uk/.
Details of other government funding available to public bodies for sustainability can be found at this website, prepared by the Crown Commercial Service: https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/social-value/carbon-net-zero/funding-and-grants.
Capital funding allocated to the school sector each year can also be used for projects that improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of school buildings, as well as improving the condition of the estate to keep schools safe and operational. The department has allocated £2.1 billion in condition funding for the 2025/26 financial year, which is almost £300 million more than the previous year.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what support will be available to schools to decarbonise following the closure of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
More than £1 billion in public sector decarbonisation funding is still being invested through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) and Integrated Settlements with Greater Manchester and West Midlands Combined Authorities through to 2028. Additionally, the government and Great British Energy committed approximately £80 million to support around 200 schools in England to install rooftop solar panels and complementary technologies. Each school on average could save up to an estimated £25 000 per year.
11 schools have already installed solar panels which is estimated to save £175 000 on their total energy bills. Great British Energy also awarded £10 million in grant funding to mayoral strategic authorities to roll out clean energy projects at the centre of communities. A significant proportion of this will be used for solar panels for schools across England.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support schools in reducing (a) energy bills and (b) carbon footprints.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The department provides tools, guidance and support to help schools manage their spending:
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential carbon savings from equipping all suitable school buildings with solar panels; and what steps they are taking to accelerate the rollout of solar energy across schools in line with net zero commitments.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The education estate has around 55 million square meters of roof area. The department is already working with Great British Energy to harness the opportunity for solar generation by installing rooftop solar panels in this financial year on around 200 schools in an £80 million partnership programme. The first 11 schools are already benefitting from having had panels installed, as we announced on 3 June here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/first-schools-install-great-british-energy-solar-panels.
The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme also supports schools and other public sector bodies with funding to switch to cleaner heating and cut building emissions. Additionally, capital funding allocated by the department to the school sector each year can be used for projects that improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of school buildings, as well as improving the condition of the estate to keep schools safe and operational.
This is just one element of the department’s strategy to ensure that the school estate is sustainable. We are providing support for all schools and colleges to get started on their journey towards net zero via our new online sustainability support for education platform and our climate ambassador programme, Sustainability Support for Education, which can be accessed here: https://www.sustainabilitysupportforeducation.org.uk/.
Asked by: Brian Mathew (Liberal Democrat - Melksham and Devizes)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to retrofit schools to help meet net zero targets.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The department is committed to supporting the UK net zero carbon targets. Since 2021, our own building standards have required that all new school buildings we deliver are net zero carbon in operation and are adapted to climate change.
The department is also providing support for all schools and colleges to start on their journey towards net zero via our new online ‘Sustainability support for education’ platform and our climate ambassador programme. Where schools are considering options to become more sustainable, including considering decarbonisation of their energy supply, our ‘Get help buying’ service provides support to ensure that schemes procured are of high-quality and value to the sector. More information can be found at: https://gethelpbuyingforschools.campaign.gov.uk/.
Capital funding allocated to the school sector each year can also be used for projects that improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of school buildings, as well as improving the condition of the estate to keep schools safe and operational. The department has allocated £2.1 billion in condition funding for the 2025/26 financial year, which is £300 million more than the previous year.
In addition, we are working with Great British Energy, as part of their solar programme, and investing a total of £80 million to install solar and other related interventions in 200 schools and colleges in areas of deprivation.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to decarbonise schools in order to meet the emission reduction targets by 2035.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The department is committed to supporting the UK net-zero carbon targets. Since 2021, the department’s own building standards require that all new school buildings delivered by the department are net-zero carbon in operation and are adapted to climate change.
Additionally, the department recently announced the £80 million Great British Energy Solar Accelerator Programme, in partnership with GB Energy, that will install solar and other technologies, such as electric vehicle (EV) chargers, in 200 targeted schools and colleges, prioritising those in areas of deprivation, to start in 2025/26.
The department is providing support for all schools and colleges to start on their journey towards net zero via our new online sustainability support for education platform and our climate ambassador programme. Where schools are considering options to become more sustainable, including considering decarbonisation of their energy supply, our ‘Get help for buying’ service provides support to ensure that schemes procured are of high-quality and value to the sector. More information can be found at: https://gethelpbuyingforschools.campaign.gov.uk/.
Details of other government funding available to public bodies for sustainability, prepared by the Crown Commercial Service can be found at: https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/social-value/carbon-net-zero/funding-and-grants.
Capital funding allocated to the school sector each year can also be used for projects that improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of school buildings, as well as improving the condition of the estate to keep schools safe and operational.
The department has allocated £2.1 billion in condition funding for the 2025/26 financial year, which is £300 million more than the previous year.
Asked by: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative - Chester South and Eddisbury)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to decarbonise schools.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The department is committed to supporting the UK net-zero carbon targets. Since 2021, the department’s own building standards require that all new school buildings delivered by the department are net-zero carbon in operation and are adapted to climate change.
Additionally, the department recently announced the £80 million Great British Energy Solar Accelerator Programme, in partnership with GB Energy, that will install solar and other technologies, such as electric vehicle (EV) chargers, in 200 targeted schools and colleges, prioritising those in areas of deprivation, to start in 2025/26.
The department is providing support for all schools and colleges to start on their journey towards net zero via our new online sustainability support for education platform and our climate ambassador programme. Where schools are considering options to become more sustainable, including considering decarbonisation of their energy supply, our ‘Get help for buying’ service provides support to ensure that schemes procured are of high-quality and value to the sector. More information can be found at: https://gethelpbuyingforschools.campaign.gov.uk/.
Details of other government funding available to public bodies for sustainability, prepared by the Crown Commercial Service can be found at: https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/social-value/carbon-net-zero/funding-and-grants.
Capital funding allocated to the school sector each year can also be used for projects that improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of school buildings, as well as improving the condition of the estate to keep schools safe and operational.
The department has allocated £2.1 billion in condition funding for the 2025/26 financial year, which is £300 million more than the previous year.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help decarbonise schools.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The department is committed to supporting the UK net zero carbon targets. Since 2021, our own building standards require that all new school buildings we deliver are net zero carbon in operation and are adapted to climate change.
The department is providing support for all schools and colleges to start on their journey towards net zero via our new online sustainability support for education platform and our climate ambassador programme. Where schools are considering options to become more sustainable, including considering decarbonisation of their energy supply, our ‘Get help for buying’ service provides support to ensure that schemes procured are of high quality and value to the sector. More information can be found at: https://gethelpbuyingforschools.campaign.gov.uk/.
Additionally, the department recently announced the £80 million Great British Energy Solar Accelerator Programme in partnership with GB Energy that will install solar and other technologies such as electric vehicle chargers in 200 targeted schools and colleges, prioritising those in areas of deprivation, to start in the 2025/26 financial year.
Details of other government funding available to public bodies for sustainability, prepared by the Crown Commercial Service can be found at: https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/social-value/carbon-net-zero/funding-and-grants.
Capital funding allocated to the school sector each year can also be used for projects that improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of school buildings, as well as improving the condition of the estate to keep schools safe and operational.
The department has allocated £2.1 billion in condition funding for the 2025/26 financial year, which is £300 million more than the previous year.