Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Inflation

Monday 16 January 2023 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Schools face global inflationary pressures
  • School funding will increase by 2 billion next year and the year after
  • Core schools budget will increase by 2 billion in 2023-24 and 2024-25

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Tan Dhesi Lab Slough
Education Economy
Context

Inflationary pressures are affecting schools, causing concerns about budget constraints. The questioner inquires about the government's assessment regarding these impacts.

Question

What recent assessment has her Department made of the impact of inflation on (a) school budgets and (b) the costs to parents associated with the school day?

Answer from Gillian Keegan

Schools are facing global inflationary pressures. The Prime Minister has pledged to halve inflation, and school funding will increase by £2 billion next year as well as the year after that. This will be the highest real-terms spending on schools in history, totalling £58.8 billion by 2024-25. In 1997, school funding stood at £35 billion, so we will deliver a 68% increase in cash terms. The Government have also announced further support for parents worth £26 billion next year.

Answered
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Q2 Tan Dhesi Lab Slough
Education
Context

Schools face challenges in recruiting and retaining teachers, alongside budget constraints that have led some schools to cut extracurricular activities. The questioner seeks assurance on measures to ensure these opportunities for children are not lost.

Question

In addition to having grave concerns about recruiting and retaining teachers, schools in Slough and across our country continue to struggle with their budgets, with a quarter of primary school senior leaders reporting that they have had to cut outings and trips due to budgetary constraints. How will the Government ensure that children do not miss out on these vital opportunities?

Answer from Gillian Keegan

Significant additional investment in core schools funding was announced in the autumn statement. The core schools budget will increase by £2 billion in 2023-24 and 2024-25, to be paid into schools' bank accounts in April.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer addresses additional funding but does not specifically address how this will prevent cuts to school trips and outings.

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