Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he has had with the National Education Union on the working conditions of teaching and associated staff in the last 12 months.

The Department’s Ministers and officials have been regularly meeting with the National Education Union (NEU), other unions and representative bodies to discuss the working conditions of teachers and associated staff.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education wrote to the NEU, inviting them to build on the constructive discussions that have taken place in recent weeks and move into formal talks on pay, conditions and reform to resolve the current trade dispute.

It is disappointing the NEU has refused this serious offer and has not called off strikes.