Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Integrated Education: Northern Ireland

Wednesday 24 April 2024 · 4 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Sarah Jones inquired about the status of Fresh Start funding for integrated education in Northern Ireland, noting that only 7% of schoolchildren attend integrated schools.
  • Sarah Jones also questioned the Minister about engaging with the Northern Ireland Executive to discuss expanding early years education and childcare entitlements.
  • Theresa Villiers raised concerns about shelved plans for Forge Integrated Primary School to replace portacabins with permanent buildings, alongside similar issues at nine other integrated schools.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Sarah Jones Lab Croydon West
Education Northern Ireland
Context

The MP recently visited Forge Integrated Primary School and met with school representatives expressing concerns about the lack of guaranteed funding for their expansion plans.

Question

I travelled with colleagues to Northern Ireland two weeks ago, and we visited Forge Integrated Primary School and met lots of very fine children. In 2015, £150 million of Fresh Start funding was earmarked for integrated education in Northern Ireland. What does the Minister say to those schools that were expecting this funding but have found that it is no longer guaranteed?

Answer from Steven Baker

The House may not know that only 7% of schoolchildren in Northern Ireland can be said to be attending an integrated school. The period over which Fresh Start funding was released would have ended at the end of March 2025, so we have repurposed £150 million of that funding to provide additional flexibility to the Northern Ireland Executive in respect of that funding stream and schools.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The lack of guaranteed funding for expansion plans was not directly addressed; instead, the Minister provided context on repurposing funds without commitment to restoring them specifically.

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Q2 Sarah Jones Lab Croydon West
Northern Ireland Children & Families
Context

The newly re-formed Executive faces an important task of improving early years education and childcare. There is more generous entitlement to free childcare in England and Northern Ireland due to actions by this Government.

Question

An important item in the in-tray of the newly re-formed Executive is early years education and childcare. Thanks to the actions of this Government, we now have more generous entitlement to free childcare in England and Northern Ireland. Will he discuss with the Executive how Northern Ireland might be levelled up on childcare, including by using revenue-raising measures?

Answer from Steven Baker

My right hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise this issue and I am grateful to her for putting it on the agenda. Certainly we will engage with the Executive on this point. She is right to mention revenue raising. It is a fact that the Executive need to both transform public services and improve revenue raising, so that everything in Northern Ireland can be delivered on a sustainable basis.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The question was about levelled up childcare but the answer focused on broader discussions about transforming public services and improving revenue raising without specific commitments to childcare.

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Q3 Theresa Villiers Con
Education
Context

The school is disappointed that the Fresh Start agreement funds have been repurposed and their plans to replace portacabins with buildings have been shelved.

Question

I also recently visited the Forge Integrated Primary School in Belfast. I saw their much-needed and developed plans to replace their portacabins with buildings, answering their need for extra capacity. The school is disappointed that the plans have been shelved, along with projects at nine other integrated schools. Education is devolved, but money had been earmarked for such projects by the UK Government under the 2015 “Fresh Start” agreement. Does the Secretary of State understand why teachers, pupils and parents are so disappointed that those plans have been shelved? Does he have any plans to restore them?

Answer from Steven Baker

I hear the hon. Lady. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I understand people's concerns and we too have visited schools; I certainly have and I think my right hon. Friend has too.

Not addressed: The Minister expressed understanding but did not address whether there are plans to restore shelved projects or provide a specific explanation for the disappointment.

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Q4 Fleur Anderson Lab Putney
Education Northern Ireland
Context

The Government have made funds available for schools converting to integrated status, and the Minister has expressed readiness to engage with the new Education Minister.

Question

What recent discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the expansion of integrated education in Northern Ireland.

Answer from Steven Baker

The Government remain committed to supporting integrated education in Northern Ireland and have already made funds available to support more schools than ever to convert to integrated status. I and my noble Friend Lord Caine look forward to engaging with the new Education Minister, Paul Givan, to make progress on this important issue.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not specify any recent discussions but mentioned ongoing commitment and future engagement without concrete details of past meetings.

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