Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions has he had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on trends in the level of absences of (a) teaching and non-teaching staff and (b) pupils in schools as a result of covid-19.

The Department for Education and the Department for Health and Social Care are working together closely to monitor COVID-19 related absence trends for both pupils and staff in schools. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, have regular discussions across a range of issues related to the COVID-19 outbreak. There has been a shared government priority throughout the COVID-19 outbreak to keep nurseries, schools and colleges open and reduce disruption to education.

The number and proportion of pupils in state-funded schools absent for COVID-19 since the start of the academic year can be found on Explore Education Statistics. The published data has been tabulated here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/c95bbdf9-07e2-407e-8741-da6e00c837df. Similarly, the number and proportion of teaching and non-teaching staff absent for COVID-19 since the start of the academic year can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/76767b09-1e9d-4871-bd10-4273aef84140.