Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of teacher's pay.

The School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) provides independent advice to my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, and my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, on school teachers’ pay and conditions in England.

The STRB’s 30^th report analysed the evidence given by the Department and relevant organisations and made recommendations for teachers’ and school leaders’ pay. The Government responded to the report in Parliament and accepted the recommendations in full for the September 2020 pay award. As a result, teachers received an average pay award of 3.1% this year.

We are currently developing our written evidence to support the STRB’s consideration of the 2021 pay award for teachers. Her Majesty’s Treasury has already published evidence that sets out the rationale for the pause on pay for the majority of public sector workers, including teachers.

The Government will reassess the pay policy ahead of issuing the remit for the 2022-23 pay award, once the economic recovery is established and the impact of COVID-19 on the wider labour market is clearer.