Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Cost of Living: Additional Financial Support for Pupils

Monday 29 April 2024 · 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 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministers meet colleagues from the devolved Governments, but no invitation for the Education Ministers Council from the Scottish Government has arrived yet.
  • The UK Government are providing 108 billion over 2022-23 to 2024-25 to help with the cost of living.
  • The cost of school uniforms, trips, and food are among the most raised concerns by parents according to the National Parents Survey by Parentkind.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Anum Qaisar
Education Economy
Context

The question arises from discussions on providing additional financial support to students in the context of rising living costs.

Question

What recent discussions she has had with her counterparts in the devolved Administrations on the potential merits of providing additional financial support to school pupils in the context of increases in the cost of living?

Answer from Damian Hinds

Ministers normally meet colleagues from the devolved Governments. The Education Ministers Council was due to be hosted by the Scottish Government in late 2023 but no invitation has arrived yet. The UK Government are providing £108 billion over 2022-23 to 2024-25 to help with the cost of living.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Details about recent discussions and specific merits of additional financial support for school pupils

How: No Invitation Has Arrived Yet

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Q2 Catherine McKinnell Lab Newcastle upon Tyne North
Education Benefits & Welfare
Context

Parents expressed concerns about the cost of school uniforms, trips, and food in the latest National Parents Survey by Parentkind.

Question

Among concerns raised by parents in response to the most recent National Parents Survey by Parentkind, the cost of school uniforms, trips and food came up the most. Labour has a plan to cut the cost of school uniforms by limiting the number of branded items, and our free breakfast clubs in every primary school will put money back in parents' pockets while improving attendance and attainment. We have done the Government's homework, and they are still failing families. Will it take a Labour Government to give every child in this country the chances that they deserve?

Answer from Damian Hinds

I appreciate what the hon. Lady says, but we have done things to restrict cost pressures on uniforms. We regularly survey how much uniforms are costing and some of those results are encouraging. We also survey regularly the number of schools that have a second-hand uniform facility available which has improved. When a school trip is part of the national curriculum there should be no charge. Schools make sure they provide inclusivity for all pupils, facilitated by the pupil premium introduced shortly after 2010.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific restrictions on branded items and free breakfast clubs

How: We Have Done Things To Restrict Cost Pressures

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