Oral Answers to Questions

James Wild Excerpts

Monday 28th April 2025 Commons Chamber

[Mr Richard Holden (Basildon and Billericay) (Con)]

5. What assessment she has made of the potential impact of increased school costs on the adequacy of school funding for 2025-26.

[James Wild (North West Norfolk) (Con)]

8. What estimate she has made of the potential impact of increases in employer’s national insurance contributions on the number of teachers employed in schools.

[Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst (Solihull West and Shirley) (Con)]

10. What estimate she has made of the potential impact of increases in employer’s national insurance contributions on the number of teachers employed in schools.

--- Later in debate ---

[Catherine McKinnell]

The Government are committed to supporting teachers to stay in the profession and to thrive, which is why we accepted the schoolteachers pay review body 2024-25 recommendation in full, implementing a 5.5% pay award. That means that teachers and school leaders have had a combined increase of 17% over the last three years. We really need some humility from Conservative Members about where these problems stem from.

[James Wild]

Headteachers are warning that the gap in funding to cover the Chancellor’s jobs tax is equivalent to losing more existing teachers than the Government are planning to recruit. I have heard that message loud and clear from headteachers on my recent school visits, and unfunded pay awards will just make this worse. Why is the Education Secretary not standing up for our schools?

[Catherine McKinnell]

This Labour Government have made some tough decisions to fix the foundations of our economy and our public services. We make no apologies for doing what the last Government failed to do while in office. The extra money from national insurance contributions means we can protect key educational priorities. The Conservatives should be honest: what would they cut to pay for our schools?