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1302857

registered interest
date	16/03/2021
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Schools: Uniforms
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of categorising all school uniform as zero rated for VAT: and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Christchurch
tabling member printed	Sir Christopher Chope
uin	169786
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/03/2021 answer text <p>Estimates of the number of children with the measurements requested are not available.</p><p> </p><p>The UK is one of only two countries within the OECD to maintain a zero rate for children’s clothing, which costs £2 billion per year. Expanding this to include all school uniforms would come at a cost to the Exchequer, and would require reductions in spending or tax rises elsewhere.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has no plans to review the VAT treatment of children’s clothing.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 169785 question first answered 22/03/2021 11:47:37 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	242 label Biography information for Sir Christopher Chope

1299226

registered interest
date	03/03/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Uniforms
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of how much parents spend on average on school uniform, per (a) primary and (b) secondary pupil in the state-maintained sector each year.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	162541
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2021 answer text <p>The Department commissioned the Cost of School Uniform report in 2015: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/436576/RR474_Cost_of_school_uniform.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/436576/RR474_Cost_of_school_uniform.pdf</a>. This report found that the average expenditure for a school uniform at primary school was £192.14 for boys and £201.04 for girls. For secondary pupils, the average costs were £231.01 for boys and £239.93 for girls.</p><p>No school uniform should be so expensive as to leave pupils or their families feeling unable to apply to the school of their choice. The Government is supporting the current Private Members' Bill (Guidance about the Cost of School Uniform) which was introduced to Parliament on 5 February 2021, to make our guidance on the cost considerations for school uniform statutory.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 12/03/2021 12:41:05 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1280063

registered interest
date	25/01/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Uniforms
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the value for money of sole-supply arrangements for school uniforms.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	142858
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2021 answer text <p>The Department has not carried out an assessment of the value for money of sole supply arrangements. The Department publishes guidance for schools on school uniform. Our guidance is clear that when deciding how to source school uniform, the governing body should give highest priority to the consideration of cost and value for money for parents. The governing body should be able to demonstrate how best value has been achieved. The guidance also recommends that schools avoid exclusive single-supply contracts unless a regular competitive tendering process is run to secure best value for parents. The Department believes that this approach provides the right balance to secure open and transparent arrangements and good value for money.</p><p>The Government is supporting the Education (Guidance about Costs of School Uniforms) Private Members' Bill to enable us to issue statutory guidance on the cost of school uniform. The Department’s existing guidance on cost considerations will form the basis for the new statutory guidance.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 02/02/2021 16:39:26 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1274941

registered interest
date	08/01/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Uniforms
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate the Government has made of the average annual cost of school uniform.
tabling member constituency	Northampton South
tabling member printed	Andrew Lewer
uin	134545
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/01/2021 answer text <p>The Department commissioned the Cost of School Uniform report in 2015 which found the average total expenditure on school uniform for the 2014/15 school year was £212.88.</p><p>The Government is supporting the Education (Guidance about Costs of School Uniforms) Private Members’ Bill to enable us to put our guidance on the cost of school uniform on a statutory footing. The Department’s existing guidance on cost considerations will form the basis for the new statutory guidance.</p><p>Second-hand uniform and swap schemes can increase both affordability and sustainability of school uniform. The Government would therefore like to see second-hand school uniform made available for parents at all schools to acquire from the school directly or from a local, established, scheme.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 134546 question first answered 18/01/2021 14:56:11 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4659 label Biography information for Andrew Lewer

1274942

registered interest
date	08/01/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Uniforms
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if the Department will take steps to encourage second-hand uniform shops and uniform swap schemes.
tabling member constituency	Northampton South
tabling member printed	Andrew Lewer
uin	134546
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/01/2021 answer text <p>The Department commissioned the Cost of School Uniform report in 2015 which found the average total expenditure on school uniform for the 2014/15 school year was £212.88.</p><p>The Government is supporting the Education (Guidance about Costs of School Uniforms) Private Members’ Bill to enable us to put our guidance on the cost of school uniform on a statutory footing. The Department’s existing guidance on cost considerations will form the basis for the new statutory guidance.</p><p>Second-hand uniform and swap schemes can increase both affordability and sustainability of school uniform. The Government would therefore like to see second-hand school uniform made available for parents at all schools to acquire from the school directly or from a local, established, scheme.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 134545 question first answered 18/01/2021 14:56:11 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4659 label Biography information for Andrew Lewer

1229211

registered interest
date	28/08/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Uniforms
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) quality, (b) sustainability and (c) cost considerations are prioritised in school uniform policy.
tabling member constituency	Stoke-on-Trent North
tabling member printed	Jonathan Gullis
uin	82550
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/09/2020 answer text <p>It is for the governing body of a school (or in the case of academies, the academy trust) to decide whether there should be a school uniform policy and what it should be.</p><p>To support them to do this, the Department has issued best practice guidance, which can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform</a>. This makes clear that high priority must be given to cost considerations.</p><p>Governing bodies should be able to demonstrate that they have obtained the best value for money from suppliers. Governing bodies should also consider the available supply sources and year round availability of the proposed uniform.</p><p>The Government supports the recently introduced Private Members’ Bill to ‘Make provision for guidance about the cost aspects of school uniform policies’, which will place a duty on the Secretary of State to issue statutory guidance pertaining to cost aspects of school uniform policies.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 82551 82552 question first answered 16/09/2020 16:58:32 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4814 label Biography information for Jonathan Gullis

1229212

registered interest
date	28/08/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Uniforms
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the importance of maintaining school autonomy when developing policy on school uniform.
tabling member constituency	Stoke-on-Trent North
tabling member printed	Jonathan Gullis
uin	82551
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/09/2020 answer text <p>It is for the governing body of a school (or in the case of academies, the academy trust) to decide whether there should be a school uniform policy and what it should be.</p><p>To support them to do this, the Department has issued best practice guidance, which can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform</a>. This makes clear that high priority must be given to cost considerations.</p><p>Governing bodies should be able to demonstrate that they have obtained the best value for money from suppliers. Governing bodies should also consider the available supply sources and year round availability of the proposed uniform.</p><p>The Government supports the recently introduced Private Members’ Bill to ‘Make provision for guidance about the cost aspects of school uniform policies’, which will place a duty on the Secretary of State to issue statutory guidance pertaining to cost aspects of school uniform policies.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 82550 82552 question first answered 16/09/2020 16:58:33 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4814 label Biography information for Jonathan Gullis

1229213

registered interest
date	28/08/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Uniforms
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the importance of ensuring school uniform retailers maintain year-round availability of uniform to pupils.
tabling member constituency	Stoke-on-Trent North
tabling member printed	Jonathan Gullis
uin	82552
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/09/2020 answer text <p>It is for the governing body of a school (or in the case of academies, the academy trust) to decide whether there should be a school uniform policy and what it should be.</p><p>To support them to do this, the Department has issued best practice guidance, which can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform</a>. This makes clear that high priority must be given to cost considerations.</p><p>Governing bodies should be able to demonstrate that they have obtained the best value for money from suppliers. Governing bodies should also consider the available supply sources and year round availability of the proposed uniform.</p><p>The Government supports the recently introduced Private Members’ Bill to ‘Make provision for guidance about the cost aspects of school uniform policies’, which will place a duty on the Secretary of State to issue statutory guidance pertaining to cost aspects of school uniform policies.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 82550 82551 question first answered 16/09/2020 16:58:33 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4814 label Biography information for Jonathan Gullis

1205600

registered interest
date	19/06/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Uniforms
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance his Department provides on the creation of school uniform policies to ensure they are not discriminatory against any ethnic group.
tabling member constituency	Manchester, Gorton
tabling member printed	Afzal Khan
uin	61791
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/06/2020 answer text <p>In formulating its school uniform policy, a school must consider its obligations not to discriminate unlawfully under equality law.</p><p>The Department provides guidance to help schools understand how the Equality Act affects them and how to fulfil their duties under the Act. The guidance makes clear to schools that decisions related to appearance, including on hair, must be made in accordance with their responsibilities under the Equality Act.</p><p>Our guidance on school uniform also advises schools to take on board the views of parents and pupils, and states that policies should be flexible enough to accommodate the different needs of students.</p><p>In making decisions about its school uniform policy, and all other policies, a school must have regard to its obligations under the Human Rights Act 1998, the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty.</p><p>The school uniform guidance is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform</a></p><p>The Equality Act guidance is available here:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equality-act-2010-advice-for-schools" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equality-act-2010-advice-for-schools</a></p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 61790 question first answered 29/06/2020 16:23:40 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4671 label Biography information for Afzal Khan

1196005

registered interest
date	15/05/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Uniforms
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he had with local authorities on the adoption of school uniforms in schools across South Yorkshire.
tabling member constituency	Rother Valley
tabling member printed	Alexander Stafford
uin	47501
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/05/2020 answer text <p>It is for the governing body of a school (or the academy trust, in the case of academies) to decide whether there should be a school uniform, and if so, what it should be. It is also for the governing body or academy trust to decide how the school uniform should be sourced. To support them to do this the Department issues best practice guidance which can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform</a>.</p><p>Our guidance is clear that the Department strongly encourages schools to have a school uniform and recognises the valuable role it can play in contributing to the ethos of a school and setting an appropriate tone.</p><p>The Government is pleased to support the Private Members' Bill, Education (Guidance about Costs of School Uniforms) Bill, in order to make our guidance on the cost considerations for school uniform statutory at the earliest opportunity. This guidance will further support governing bodies in their decisions regarding school uniform policies.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 26/05/2020 16:27:49 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4866 label Biography information for Alexander Stafford