To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the financial sustainability of the private school sector.

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the financial sustainability of the private school sector.

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that national price bands for independent school placements distinguish between profiteering and the legitimate costs of high-cost provision, including provision delivered by non-profit specialist schools.

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that national price bands for independent school placements distinguish between profiteering and the legitimate costs of high-cost provision, including provision delivered by non-profit specialist schools.

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of local authority attempts to introduce banding frameworks for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of local authority attempts to introduce banding frameworks for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the number of additional teachers funded in Lincolnshire with the proceeds from VAT on school fees.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the number of additional teachers funded in Lincolnshire with the proceeds from VAT on school fees.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much of the revenue raised from VAT on independent school fees since its introduction was directly spent on state schools per school.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much of the revenue raised from VAT on independent school fees since its introduction was directly spent on state schools per school.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the answer on 12 March 2026 to question 117273, if she will provide financial assistance to schools to accommodate pupils from nearby private schools that have closed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the answer on 12 March 2026 to question 117273, if she will provide financial assistance to schools to accommodate pupils from nearby private schools that have closed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assistance her Department will offer to parents at independent schools that are closing to help them take over the running of the school.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assistance her Department will offer to parents at independent schools that are closing to help them take over the running of the school.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with small private schools on the impact of national living wage increases and teaching pay awards on their financial sustainability.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with small private schools on the impact of national living wage increases and teaching pay awards on their financial sustainability.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of introducing (a) vouchers and (b) tax rebates to parents who send children to independent schools of a value less than the cost to the public purse per year of putting a...

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of introducing (a) vouchers and (b) tax rebates to parents who send children to independent schools of a value less than the cost to the public purse per year of putting a...

To ask His Majesty’s Government how they propose to fund any increase in the numbers of children attending state-funded schools as a result of the decrease in the numbers of children attending private schools.

To ask His Majesty’s Government how they propose to fund any increase in the numbers of children attending state-funded schools as a result of the decrease in the numbers of children attending private schools.

My Lords, private school pupil numbers remain firmly within historical patterns, with no evidence of excessive pressure on the state system. We are confident that the state sector can absorb any additional pupils. To deliver our commitment to the 94% of children who attend state schools, we are increasing school funding by £3.7 billion this year, taking total core school funding to £65.3 billion. By 2028-29, core school funding, including SEND investment, will reach £69.5 billion.

My Lords, private school pupil numbers remain firmly within historical patterns, with no evidence of excessive pressure on the state system. We are confident that the state sector can absorb any additional pupils. To deliver our commitment to the 94% of children who attend state schools, we are increasing school funding by £3.7 billion this year, taking total core school funding to £65.3 billion. By 2028-29, core school funding, including SEND investment, will reach £69.5 billion.

I thank the Minister for responding to my Question, but I am not quite sure about the Answer because, sadly, the facts do not support the Government’s rather spiteful ideology in this matter. The imposition of VAT on school fees means that thousands of hard-working parents who previously invested money in their children’s education, and therefore in the education system as a whole, now cannot afford to, so thousands of children have transferred from private schools to state schools. I am baffled by the statistics that the Minister mentioned, because we know that private schools are closing and that children are moving from private schools to state schools. Is it not the case that while the Government might well be raking in more money in VAT, local education authorities have to bear the cost of educating thousands more children? In spite of what the Minister has said, is it not the case that the Government are not investing in education but taking money out of the education system?

I thank the Minister for responding to my Question, but I am not quite sure about the Answer because, sadly, the facts do not support the Government’s rather spiteful ideology in this matter. The imposition of VAT on school fees means that thousands of hard-working parents who previously invested money in their children’s education, and therefore in the education system as a whole, now cannot afford to, so thousands of children have transferred from private schools to state schools. I am baffled by the statistics that the Minister mentioned, because we know that private schools are closing and that children are moving from private schools to state schools. Is it not the case that while the Government might well be raking in more money in VAT, local education authorities have to bear the cost of educating thousands more children? In spite of what the Minister has said, is it not the case that the Government are not investing in education but taking money out of the education system?

No, that is not true. The noble Baroness is keen on facts and concerned about the closure of private schools, as would anybody be if a school was closing. I hope she will be somewhat reassured by knowing that, while on average 74 private schools have closed per year over the last 20 years, in this last year 59 closed.

No, that is not true. The noble Baroness is keen on facts and concerned about the closure of private schools, as would anybody be if a school was closing. I hope she will be somewhat reassured by knowing that, while on average 74 private schools have closed per year over the last 20 years, in this last year 59 closed.

My Lords, do His Majesty’s Government have in place a monitoring system to look at the numbers of young people with special educational needs accessing private schools? I am deeply worried that when state schools cannot provide that service, parents often then fall upon the private sector.

My Lords, do His Majesty’s Government have in place a monitoring system to look at the numbers of young people with special educational needs accessing private schools? I am deeply worried that when state schools cannot provide that service, parents often then fall upon the private sector.

If a young person has an education, health and care plan that identifies a private school for them, their parents will not be impacted by VAT on private school fees. Equally, most children with special educational needs and disabilities are educated in the state system. It is in order to improve the outcomes of our state system that this Government are committed to reforming our SEND system to make sure that all pupils will be able to access the support that they need within it.

If a young person has an education, health and care plan that identifies a private school for them, their parents will not be impacted by VAT on private school fees. Equally, most children with special educational needs and disabilities are educated in the state system. It is in order to improve the outcomes of our state system that this Government are committed to reforming our SEND system to make sure that all pupils will be able to access the support that they need within it.

My Lords, is it not the case that the opposition party cried that this would have a damaging effect on state schools? From the facts that the Minister has just read out, it is clear that is not the case. Have the Opposition apologised or suggested that the extra money going to secondary schools in the state sector should be removed and given back to people who are in a better position to maintain their child’s education?

My Lords, is it not the case that the opposition party cried that this would have a damaging effect on state schools? From the facts that the Minister has just read out, it is clear that is not the case. Have the Opposition apologised or suggested that the extra money going to secondary schools in the state sector should be removed and given back to people who are in a better position to maintain their child’s education?

No, the Opposition have not apologised, and nor would I necessarily expect them to. That will not stop me continuing, as I think my noble friend has invited me, to identify the facts of the situation as opposed to the rhetoric from the noble Baroness opposite. I am sure that noble Lords will be interested to know that the number of pupils in private schools is still higher than it was in 2021-22 and before the pandemic. As I said, the latest school census data reveal that pupil numbers remain firmly within the historical patterns seen for over 20 years, while private schools have continued to open, even after the Government’s announcement about ending tax breaks: 79 schools have opened since July 2024. The average between 2014 and 2023 was 75 private schools opening each year. The average was 75 and the numbers in the last year were 79.

No, the Opposition have not apologised, and nor would I necessarily expect them to. That will not stop me continuing, as I think my noble friend has invited me, to identify the facts of the situation as opposed to the rhetoric from the noble Baroness opposite. I am sure that noble Lords will be interested to know that the number of pupils in private schools is still higher than it was in 2021-22 and before the pandemic. As I said, the latest school census data reveal that pupil numbers remain firmly within the historical patterns seen for over 20 years, while private schools have continued to open, even after the Government’s announcement about ending tax breaks: 79 schools have opened since July 2024. The average between 2014 and 2023 was 75 private schools opening each year. The average was 75 and the numbers in the last year were 79.

My Lords, the Chancellor said that every single penny of the money raised from this new VAT would be ring-fenced for state education, but the Prime Minister subsequently said that the decision to levy VAT on private school fees has allowed the Government to invest in housing. Will the Minister please confirm whether every pound of the money raised is going into better education for state-funded pupils?

My Lords, the Chancellor said that every single penny of the money raised from this new VAT would be ring-fenced for state education, but the Prime Minister subsequently said that the decision to levy VAT on private school fees has allowed the Government to invest in housing. Will the Minister please confirm whether every pound of the money raised is going into better education for state-funded pupils?

The Treasury’s analysis of this policy suggested that it would be able to raise around £1.8 billion a year by the 2029-30 financial year. As I identified in my first Answer, in this year alone we are increasing the amount of money that is going into our core schools budget by £3.7 billion. I think that demonstrates that, yes, we are investing every pound of that £1.8 billion in the £3.7 billion by which we have increased the core schools budget. That is before we get on to talking about the pay increase that we have been able to provide for our teachers to keep them in our schools, the investment that we are making in special educational needs and disabilities, and the capital funding that will enable schools to have both the condition and the places necessary for the 94% of pupils who have their education in the state system.

The Treasury’s analysis of this policy suggested that it would be able to raise around £1.8 billion a year by the 2029-30 financial year. As I identified in my first Answer, in this year alone we are increasing the amount of money that is going into our core schools budget by £3.7 billion. I think that demonstrates that, yes, we are investing every pound of that £1.8 billion in the £3.7 billion by which we have increased the core schools budget. That is before we get on to talking about the pay increase that we have been able to provide for our teachers to keep them in our schools, the investment that we are making in special educational needs and disabilities, and the capital funding that will enable schools to have both the condition and the places necessary for the 94% of pupils who have their education in the state system.

Has the Minister witnessed what I and some of my acquaintances have witnessed, which is a failure of social engineering because very rich parents and many foreign parents can still afford private schools but a larger number of the middle class and the less well-off will be going to state schools, hence a much bigger chasm between the privately educated and the state educated?

Has the Minister witnessed what I and some of my acquaintances have witnessed, which is a failure of social engineering because very rich parents and many foreign parents can still afford private schools but a larger number of the middle class and the less well-off will be going to state schools, hence a much bigger chasm between the privately educated and the state educated?