Written questions by Smith.

Whether her Department subsidises inspections of independent schools undertaken by Ofsted.

Ofsted inspects around 50% of the 2,496 (July 2025) registered private schools in England. There is disparity between the fees charged for inspections and full cost recovery. Private school inspections carried out by Ofsted cost around £6.5 million per annum (2024/25), whilst only around £2.2 million will be recovered from fee income.Government policy is that costs associated with inspections by government bodies should be recoverable. This will reduce the need for government subsidy. The government is considering options to close the gap.

How much funding her Department has provided for the (a) running of the Independent Schools Inspectorate and (b) cost of inspections undertaken by that inspectorate in each financial year since March 2015.

The department does not provide funding to the Independent Schools Inspectorate, and does not cover the cost of inspections undertaken by the inspectorate.

What the average pay was for headteachers in (a) primary and (b) secondary school in the maintained sector in each of the last five years.

Information on the school workforce is published in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical publication, which is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.The following link provides the full-time equivalent median average salary for head teachers in local authority maintained primary schools, local authority maintained secondary schools and total state-funded schools in England, as at November each year, for the academic years 2019/20 to 2023/24: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/1a07b1b4-e474-4cf7-1e4d-08dd2d8a762c.

If she will publish a breakdown of the total number of trustees of schools multi-academy trusts that received remuneration either as a member of staff as well as a trustee, or in their capacity purely as trustee in excess of (a) £120,000, (b) £130,000, (c) £140,000 and (d) £150,000 including employer pension contributions in each of the last five years.

The department collates and publishes data annually in the academies sector annual report and accounts on the number of academy trusts with an individual staff member whose emoluments are above £100,000. The data is available in the attached spreadsheet and can also be accessed in the reports published on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/academies-sector-annual-reports-and-accounts.Emoluments include salary, employer pension contributions and other benefits received during the year. These are reported in bandings of £100,000 to £150,000 and over £150,000.The academies sector annual report and accounts also publishes information on all trustee remuneration, including pension contributions. This covers bandings including £120,000 to £130,000, £130,000 to £140,000, £140,000 to £150,000, and £150,000 and over. The data is available in the attached spreadsheet and can also be accessed in the reports published on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/academies-sector-annual-reports-and-accountsThe department also publishes an annex alongside the academy sector accounts listing academy trusts paying one or more staff member remuneration of £150,000 in that year.The academies sector annual report and accounts is drawn from academy trusts’ accounts data. The report for 2022 to 2023 will be published shortly and the deadline for academy trusts to submit data for 2023 to 2024 to the department is 28 January 2025.As referenced in response to Question 21323, academy trusts must publish pay information in their annual audited accounts and on their website. The Academies Sector Annual Report and Accounts includes an annex, annex E in the most recently published set, listing all the academy trusts that paid at least one member of staff in excess of £150,000.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 January 2025 to Question 21323 on Multi-academy Trusts: Pay, if she will take steps to collate a table with the total number of academy trusts reporting (a) one, (b) two and (c) three or more members of staff or trustees whose total remuneration was in excess of £150,000 for each of the last five years.

The department collates and publishes data annually in the academies sector annual report and accounts on the number of academy trusts with an individual staff member whose emoluments are above £100,000. The data is available in the attached spreadsheet and can also be accessed in the reports published on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/academies-sector-annual-reports-and-accounts.Emoluments include salary, employer pension contributions and other benefits received during the year. These are reported in bandings of £100,000 to £150,000 and over £150,000.The academies sector annual report and accounts also publishes information on all trustee remuneration, including pension contributions. This covers bandings including £120,000 to £130,000, £130,000 to £140,000, £140,000 to £150,000, and £150,000 and over. The data is available in the attached spreadsheet and can also be accessed in the reports published on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/academies-sector-annual-reports-and-accountsThe department also publishes an annex alongside the academy sector accounts listing academy trusts paying one or more staff member remuneration of £150,000 in that year.The academies sector annual report and accounts is drawn from academy trusts’ accounts data. The report for 2022 to 2023 will be published shortly and the deadline for academy trusts to submit data for 2023 to 2024 to the department is 28 January 2025.As referenced in response to Question 21323, academy trusts must publish pay information in their annual audited accounts and on their website. The Academies Sector Annual Report and Accounts includes an annex, annex E in the most recently published set, listing all the academy trusts that paid at least one member of staff in excess of £150,000.

If she will publish (a) the number and (b) a list of trust names of academy trusts in which the highest paid member of staff including employer pension contributions was paid (i) more than £200,000, (ii) more than £250,000, (iii) more than £300,000, (iv) more than £350,000 and (v) more than £400,000 in the last 12 months.

The department collates and publishes data annually in the academies sector annual report and accounts on the number of academy trusts with an individual staff member whose emoluments are above £100,000. The data is available in the attached spreadsheet and can also be accessed in the reports published on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/academies-sector-annual-reports-and-accounts.Emoluments include salary, employer pension contributions and other benefits received during the year. These are reported in bandings of £100,000 to £150,000 and over £150,000.The academies sector annual report and accounts also publishes information on all trustee remuneration, including pension contributions. This covers bandings including £120,000 to £130,000, £130,000 to £140,000, £140,000 to £150,000, and £150,000 and over. The data is available in the attached spreadsheet and can also be accessed in the reports published on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/academies-sector-annual-reports-and-accountsThe department also publishes an annex alongside the academy sector accounts listing academy trusts paying one or more staff member remuneration of £150,000 in that year.The academies sector annual report and accounts is drawn from academy trusts’ accounts data. The report for 2022 to 2023 will be published shortly and the deadline for academy trusts to submit data for 2023 to 2024 to the department is 28 January 2025.As referenced in response to Question 21323, academy trusts must publish pay information in their annual audited accounts and on their website. The Academies Sector Annual Report and Accounts includes an annex, annex E in the most recently published set, listing all the academy trusts that paid at least one member of staff in excess of £150,000.

What information her Department collects on the pay of multi-academy trust chief executives.

The Academy Trust Handbook sets out the requirements for academy trusts on executive pay, including reporting and publication. Academy trusts must:Publish their annual audited accounts, including the number of employees whose benefits exceeded £60,000 in £10,000 bandings and the total employee benefits paid to key management personnel.Publish on their website the number of employees whose benefits exceeded £100,000, including salary, employers’ pension contributions, other taxable benefits and termination payments.The department collates and publishes academy trust pay data in the Academy Sector Annual Report and Accounts, which also includes an annex (annex E in the most recently published set) listing all the academy trusts which paid at least one member of staff in excess of £150,000 and which is accessible here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/academies-sector-annual-reports-and-accounts.

Whether Ministers in her Department have met with representatives of the alcohol industry since July 2024.

Details of Ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Data for the period of July to September 2024 will be published in due course.

If she will take steps to provide additional funding to Social Work England for the provision of additional fitness to practice final hearings.

The department has provided additional funding of £7.1 million to Social Work England to clear the backlog of legacy cases inherited from the previous regulator. The department continues to look at ways to provide additional support to reduce cases currently at final hearing stage.

What steps her Department is taking to mitigate the impact of delays to fitness to practice final hearings on (a) the public and (b) social workers.

To mitigate the impact of delays to fitness to practice final hearings on the public and social workers, the department and Social Work England have made changes to legislation for operational efficiencies. In addition, the department has provided additional funds of £7.1 million to Social Work England to clear the backlog of legacy cases inherited from the previous regulator.The department and Social Work England continue to work together to reduce delays to fitness to hearings through increasing the number of hearings held wherever possible.