Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to increase access to free period products within schools.

No-one should be held back from accessing education due to their period, which is why the department has launched the period products scheme to provide girls and women with period products when they need them in their place of study. Since its launch in January 2020, 99% of secondary schools and 94% of 16-19 organisations have placed an order using the scheme. The department is also encouraging more primary schools to order products, with 75% having placed orders so far.

The period product scheme is available to all state-maintained schools and 16 to 19 education organisations in England and has been extended to July 2024. To make sure organisations have access to a wide range of period products in the most cost-effective and efficient way, the department has a contract with Personnel Hygiene Services Limited. This allows organisations to order period products and have them delivered when they need them.