Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has had discussions with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) Northern Ireland's Department of Education on the potential funding implications of the Independent Review of Education in Northern Ireland, published on 13 December 2023.

The Government welcomes the publication of this long-awaited report, which delivers on a commitment agreed to in the New Decade, New Approach Agreement. We will take time to consider the findings of the report, however, we are clear that education, its funding and any potential transformation or reform of education in Northern Ireland are matters that a restored Northern Ireland Executive should be gripping.