Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact on industrial relations and service provision of a 3.5 percent pay increase recommendation to the School Teachers Pay Review Body for 2023-24, as set out in her Department's evidence document of 21 February 2023.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, continues to work with Cabinet colleagues to seek a fair and reasonable resolution to the pay dispute with teachers. She has made a serious offer to the leaders of the National Education Union (NEU) to pause the planned strikes so that we can talk about pay, conditions and reforms. The NEU, however, refused to call off strike action last week, once again causing disruption to families and thousands of children who missed out on their education.

Teacher pay is set by the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) and the Government respects its independence. The Government published its written evidence to the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) on 21 February 2023, giving views and input to help them form their recommendations for teachers’ pay. This evidence sets out how a 3.5% overall award, which includes raising starting salaries to £30,000, would be manageable within schools’ budgets, on average. The Department recognises that this year this judgment is particularly finely balanced, with the possibility that changing conditions, such as an improvement to energy prices, might allow schools to accommodate a higher award.

The Department has asked the STRB to carefully consider this evidence setting out the Department’s views on a fair pay award for teachers, the recruitment and retention challenges, and the impact that pay rises will have on schools’ overall budgets.

The Government values the independent advice of the STRB and the final pay award decisions for the 2023/24 academic year will be determined in light of the STRB’s recommendations.

Pay rises for teachers in the 2023/24 academic year must strike a careful balance between recruiting and retaining the best teachers and recognising their vital importance, alongside considering both affordability for schools and the wider economic context.

The Secretary of State has been clear that her offer to the NEU still stands. It is in the best interests of children, parents, and teachers for the NEU to take up her offer an engage in talks on all areas of their dispute.