Fair Taxation of Schools and Education Standards Committee

The Labour MP highlights the urgent need for action on childcare, school standards, and ending private schools' tax advantages. She emphasises that after a decade of Conservative governments, there is a crisis in childcare, recovery programme chaos, and significant staff turnover in schools. Phillipson asserts that by asking those with broader shoulders to contribute fairly, such as requiring private schools to pay business rates and VAT, Labour will prioritise children's futures over tax breaks for the wealthy.

Hoare questions why a Select Committee is needed when primary legislation or an amendment to the Finance Bill would be more appropriate to achieve the aspiration of excellence in all schools. He suggests that setting up a committee may not be necessary for such aims.

Gullis asks whether Labour Members on the current Education Committee have proposed similar ideas to its Chair for investigation by the existing Select Committee, questioning the necessity of establishing a new committee.

Hardy provides context from her time on the Education Committee in 2019, where they produced a report highlighting the need for SEND training. She suggests that the funding proposed could be used to implement this training, which has been delayed due to lack of funds and prioritisation of tax breaks.

Stafford argues against Phillipson's proposal by pointing out that private schools have a duty to provide bursaries and scholarships. He warns that the proposed changes could limit access to these educational opportunities for those who rely on financial assistance, potentially harming middle-class families.

Asked about the plans for armed forces families, specifically those with children going to boarding schools due to parental deployment.

Paid tribute to teaching assistants and school support staff, highlighting their role in educating students. Highlighted budget pressures leading to potential reduction of teaching assistants.

Asked about addressing underachievement issues among certain groups, such as young white Protestants who do not receive adequate educational opportunities.

Discussed the stigma associated with mental health in some communities. Suggested early access to mental health provision could help reduce stigma as children grow into adults.

The Government argue against applying VAT to independent schools, stating that it could destabilize the sector without delivering significant financial benefits. The Minister highlights improvements in school ratings since 2010 and mentions cross-sector partnerships between independent and state-funded schools to improve educational outcomes.

Ms. Smith highlighted the challenges faced by schools in Knowsley, where over half of children are failing their maths and English GCSEs. She emphasised the dedication of teachers and teaching assistants despite government underinvestment, noting that 520 out of 564 schools in Lancashire face cuts this year with £24.3 million needed to restore real-terms per pupil funding. Smith also discussed issues specific to small rural schools such as additional costs for PE lessons and meals due to lack of facilities. She further addressed the need to extend free school meals to children living in poverty and stressed the growth in attainment gap between disadvantaged and affluent pupils, highlighting policy choices that impact schools’ ability to meet students' needs.

Rises to express dissatisfaction with the Opposition's motion for a new education Select Committee, noting that few members prioritised this issue. Emphasises his role in canvassing Members across all sides and forming an Education Committee inquiry on careers information and advice. Criticises the lack of engagement from Labour Party members within the existing committee structure. Raises concerns about the financial impact of increasing independent school fees, suggesting it would strain state education resources due to increased demand for places at a time when capacity is already constrained. Calls out the opposition's failure to address childcare pressures adequately and questions their use of 'tax breaks' terminology in this context. Criticises Labour for not having done proper homework on the policy implications for independent schools, especially smaller ones that might go out of business due to higher fees, thereby increasing state education costs further.

Ms Lyn Brown expressed concern over the complacency of the Government towards the situation in schools, particularly highlighting issues such as child poverty and the impact on educational attainment. She cited examples from her constituency of Newham where despite high levels of child poverty, children are achieving well above national averages due to committed teachers and parents. However, she warned that this success is at risk because many headteachers are already operating under deficit budgets or expect to do so soon. Ms Brown also addressed the challenges faced by schools in supporting vulnerable children with special educational needs, highlighting long delays for assessments and insufficient funding for education and health care plans (EHCPs). She raised concerns about the lack of resources preventing early intervention against gang grooming and county lines activities. Additionally, she discussed housing instability affecting 8,363 children in temporary accommodation and food insecurity leading to reliance on school meals as a primary source of nutrition.

Hoare criticises the proposal to tax private schools as a 'windfall tax' that aims to address multiple educational issues but is seen as unrealistic given the distribution across schools. He argues against class envy and divisive policies, emphasising support for state education and collaboration between different sectors.

Byrne highlights the issue of food insecurity among children in Liverpool, West Derby, noting that free school meals improve educational attainment, health, and happiness. He cites evidence from Government pilots showing improved progress in maths and English with universal provision and argues for political leadership to ensure all children have access to nutritious meals.

Education is a necessity, not a luxury; the proposed changes to VAT and charitable status for private schools are ideologically driven and would negatively impact the independent sector. Independent schools contribute significantly to the economy (£16.5 billion) and provide 328,000 jobs. They save taxpayers £4.4 billion annually by avoiding state-funded places. The motion would exacerbate competition for school places in already strained areas like Bassetlaw. Worksop College exemplifies beneficial partnerships between independent schools and local state schools. Removing charitable status could lead to financial instability, potentially causing closures and reducing access to bursaries for less affluent families.

Ms Emma Hardy criticised the current Chair of the Education Committee for giving a partisan speech instead of holding the Government to account. She dismissed the idea that preventing independent schools from being charities would cause them all to close, pointing out that private school fees are rising while enrolment numbers continue to increase. She thanked schools and teachers in her constituency for their work beyond education, particularly highlighting Chiltern Primary School's community support programme. Emma Hardy highlighted the importance of prioritising investment in special educational needs (SEND) training for teachers and emphasised the value of oracy skills in all schools, not just private ones.

The speaker criticises the Labour party's proposal to establish an Education Committee 2.0, arguing that it is wrong to portray parents who choose private education as rich and that the current Chair of the Education Committee does a good job despite his different views from Labour. He emphasises the ideological reasons behind the debate and mentions the financial burden on taxpayers due to school closures in some areas. Gullis also points out the challenges faced by new teachers and highlights the success of Conservative initiatives in raising educational standards.

Supports Jonathan Gullis's argument, pointing to PISA tables showing a decline in literacy and maths skills under Labour. She argues that before applying their policies, the Opposition should focus on getting the basics right.

She argues that the choice of private schools by parents is often due to state schools' inability to meet complex educational needs and provide a range of extracurricular activities. She highlights disparities in pupil-teacher ratios and access to counselling services, emphasising the financial disparity with private school fees being £6,500 more than state school funding per pupil on average. She endorses collaboration between private and state schools as exemplified by Feltham College's partnership model.

In an intervention, she supports Wilson’s emphasis on education being a fundamental right rather than a charitable act. She calls for greater collaboration between private and state schools to enhance public education quality.

She criticises the motion as distracting from core educational issues such as children's outcomes, suggesting it stems from ideological opposition to private schooling rather than practical improvements. She argues that taxing private schools could disrupt the educational system by forcing 615,000 students into state schools without guaranteeing financial benefits and potentially costing billions in additional funding. She advocates for reform focused on improving public education through extended school days and curricula reforms.

Committed to improving school standards, Janet Daby highlighted that over 8,000 children in her constituency are living in poverty. She praised the efforts of schools and staff who go beyond their roles to support children's needs. The per-pupil funding has decreased by 8% in nine years according to the House of Commons Library, while Education Secretary's block funding saw a 1.7% increase. Daby emphasised that stretched school budgets risk lowering educational outcomes. She advocated for increased funding and better access to free school meals to combat child poverty.

In an intervention, Margaret Greenwood echoed Janet Daby's concerns about special educational needs and disability provision in schools. Greenwood cited primary headteachers who highlighted the lack of increase in banding for special schools since 2013 despite rising costs and increasing demand, urging the government to prioritise these children's support.

Mr Hunt expressed his respect for the current chair of the Education Committee and criticised the motion as being both puzzling and politically motivated. He argued that the proposal would harm independent schools and potentially increase class sizes in state schools, stressing the importance of a constructive dialogue rather than antagonism between sectors. He shared his personal experience attending an independent school due to learning disabilities and highlighted how such environments can provide necessary support for neurodiverse students. Mr Hunt emphasised the need for better funding formulas and advocated for clearer policies that reward good SEND practices in schools.

Ms Johnson questioned whether Labour's proposed motion would extend beyond taxing private schools to cover other forms of education such as tuition for maths, music, dance, or football coaching.

Toby Perkins raised a point of order questioning whether Members with children in independent schools should declare their personal interest before speaking on the topic of fair taxation for education.

Critiques the Labour party's policy proposal, arguing it will not save money and might exacerbate inequalities in education. He mentions that private schools educate only 7% of the country yet dominate leading professions. He points out the lack of substantial education policies from the Labour party over the past three years.

Defends the motion, thanking teachers and staff for their work during challenging times. He highlights the challenges faced by state schools and the importance of raising educational standards. He criticises the Conservative government's record on education over the past decade and proposes ending tax breaks for private schools to invest in public schools.

Asks specific questions about Labour's plans for using money raised from ending tax breaks for private schools, particularly regarding teacher recruitment.

The Minister highlighted the government’s achievements in improving education standards. He noted that the phonics screening check has led to a significant increase in the percentage of six-year-olds achieving expected reading standards, from 58% in 2012 to 82% by 2019. He also pointed out improvements in mathematics scores and school ratings under government initiatives. The Minister questioned Labour's commitment to maintaining rigorous educational standards.

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