Scheduled Event -
Thursday 17th September
-
Add to calendar
View Source
Lords -
Debate - Main Chamber
Impact of VAT and other tax changes on independent schools
MP:
Lord Lexden
Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 17 Sep 2026
Independent Schools: Tax Changes
"My Lords, as is customary, I thank all speakers. The contributions today have been, I think, for the most part, especially powerful, with many rooted in personal experience. We have had almost total unanimity of voice about the devastating impact on independent schools of the education tax. It was notable …..."Lord Lexden - View Speech
View all Lord Lexden (Con - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Independent Schools: Tax Changes
Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 17 Sep 2026
Independent Schools: Tax Changes
"My Lords, in the autumn of 2024, when I was in better health, I introduced two debates on the imposition of VAT on independent school fees, due to come into effect on 1 January 2025. Most speakers in those debates referred to the grave difficulties independent schools and the families …..."Lord Lexden - View Speech
View all Lord Lexden (Con - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Independent Schools: Tax Changes
Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 17 Sep 2026
Independent Schools: Tax Changes
"That this House takes note of the impact of VAT and other tax changes on independent schools since 1 January 2025...."Lord Lexden - View Speech
View all Lord Lexden (Con - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Independent Schools: Tax Changes
Written Question
Wednesday 16th September 2026
Asked by:
Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
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.
Written Question
Wednesday 16th September 2026
Asked by:
Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
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.
Division Vote (Lords)
20 Jul 2026 - Social Housing Bill [HL] -
View Vote Context
Lord Lexden (Con) voted Aye
- in line with the party majority
and in line with the House
One of
146 Conservative Aye votes vs
0 Conservative No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 232 Noes - 146
Division Vote (Lords)
20 Jul 2026 - Social Housing Bill [HL] -
View Vote Context
Lord Lexden (Con) voted Aye
- in line with the party majority
and against the House
One of
145 Conservative Aye votes vs
0 Conservative No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 162 Noes - 220
Division Vote (Lords)
5 Jan 2026 - Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill -
View Vote Context
Lord Lexden (Con) voted Aye
- in line with the party majority
and against the House
One of
149 Conservative Aye votes vs
0 Conservative No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 168 Noes - 178
Division Vote (Lords)
5 Jan 2026 - Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill -
View Vote Context
Lord Lexden (Con) voted Aye
- in line with the party majority
and in line with the House
One of
148 Conservative Aye votes vs
0 Conservative No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 210 Noes - 131