Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many pupils at independent schools which are inspected by Ofsted have places that are fully funded by local authorities.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

According to the register of independent schools, there are around 30,000 pupils with identified special educational needs either with or without an education health and care plan attending independent schools inspected by Ofsted, out of a total school population of 9,032,426. This data is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics/2024-25.

The matter of fully funded placements in independent schools is governed by contractual agreements between the individual independent schools and the commissioning local authorities. As such, the department does not collect or hold data on the number of places in independent schools that are fully funded by local authorities.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the total number of pupils with special needs who are being educated at independent schools which are inspected by Ofsted.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

According to the register of independent schools, there are around 30,000 pupils with identified special educational needs either with or without an education health and care plan attending independent schools inspected by Ofsted, out of a total school population of 9,032,426. This data is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics/2024-25.

The matter of fully funded placements in independent schools is governed by contractual agreements between the individual independent schools and the commissioning local authorities. As such, the department does not collect or hold data on the number of places in independent schools that are fully funded by local authorities.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many of the independent schools inspected by Ofsted educate children with special needs.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

According to the register of independent schools, there are around 30,000 pupils with identified special educational needs either with or without an education health and care plan attending independent schools inspected by Ofsted, out of a total school population of 9,032,426. This data is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics/2024-25.

The matter of fully funded placements in independent schools is governed by contractual agreements between the individual independent schools and the commissioning local authorities. As such, the department does not collect or hold data on the number of places in independent schools that are fully funded by local authorities.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have plans to change the role or functions of the Independent Schools Inspectorate.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

There are currently no plans to change the role or functions of the Independent Schools Inspectorate.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the total sum raised so far by the introduction of VAT on independent school fees, and how many extra teachers have been recruited as a result.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

HM Treasury published a Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) on applying VAT to independent school fees.

The TIIN estimates that, accounting for the spending implications of any pupil movement into the state sector, the policy is expected to raise £1.7 billion per annum by 2029/30.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many more teachers are there in England now than on 1 January 2025.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The government has pledged to recruit 6,500 additional teachers across state-funded secondary and special schools, further education (FE) colleges and school-based FE providers during this Parliament. Progress against this pledge is measured using published workforce statistics and uses the 2023/24 academic year as the baseline. The pledge does not include primary schools, where the pupil population has been declining.

The latest published data, show that there were 3,008 more full-time equivalent (FTE) teachers in state-funded secondary and special schools in 2025/26 than in 2023/24, and 1,646 more FTE teachers in FE colleges and school-based FE providers in 2024/25 than in 2023/24.

Taken together, this represents an increase of 4,654 FTE teachers compared with the 2023/24 baseline, equivalent to 71.6% of the government's 6,500 additional teachers pledge.

The 2025/26 FE workforce figures are due to be published in December. Progress figures are published annually through the School Workforce in England and further education workforce official statistics, which is available on GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the net loss of mainstream independent schools since July 2024.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The department monitors the private school sector and publishes data on schools opening and closing through the ‘Get Information about Schools’ service. Between 1 July 2024 and 31 August 2026, 146 private schools closed, of which 114 were mainstream independent schools. This remains within historic norms, as on average, around 75 private schools, including independent special schools, have closed each year over the past 20 years.

Found: Apologies and notices Apologies were received from Lord Hain and Lord Lexden. 2.

Found: Apologies and notices Apologies were received from Lord Hain and Lord Lexden. 2.

Found: Apologies and notices Apologies were received from Lord Lexden, Baroness Sanderson of Welton and Lord

Found: Apologies and notices Apologies were received from Lord Lexden. 2.

Found: Apologies and notices Apologies were received from Lord Lexden. 2.

Found: Apologies and notices Apologies were received from Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee, Lord Hain and Lord Lexden

Found: Apologies and notices Apologies were received from Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard, Lord Lexden and

Found: Apologies and notices Apologies were received from Lord Lexden. 2.

Found: Apologies and notices Apologies were received from Lord Hain and Lord Lexden. 2.

Found: relevant interests to declare Lord Hain • Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 2005-2007 Lord Lexden

The Northern Ireland Scrutiny Committee is undertaking a short follow-up inquiry to examine some of the recent announcements made in the Government’s response to the Committee’s Report Northern Ireland after Brexit: Strengthening Northern Ireland’s voice in the context of the Windsor Framework, published in October 2025, and in Lord Murphy’s Independent Review of the Windsor Framework. The Committee will hear evidence from business stakeholders on the One Stop Shop, the new Northern Ireland Business Stakeholder Group, as well as general issues in relation to business experience and engagement with the Windsor Framework.

The Northern Ireland Scrutiny Committee is conducting an inquiry into Article 2 of the Protocol/Windsor Framework (Article 2 WF), the so-called 'non-diminution of rights' provision.