Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans his Department has to reduce its staffing levels on a (a) headcount and (b) full-time equivalent basis by directorate in line with the objective to reduce the overall size of the civil service by 91,000 posts; and whether he has had recent discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on those plans.

As announced in late spring, my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, and Cabinet, have tasked the Civil Service with bringing its workforce back to 2016 numbers over the next three years, meaning a reduction of around 91,000 roles.

The department and our executive agencies, like every other civil service department, is involved in this work and the number of people we have working in the department is under review.

No decisions have been made at this point. Any decisions will be made in line with the department’s priorities and its commitment to protect service levels.