Education Committee — hearing of 4 November 2026: transcript & video · Polyfact

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Education Committee

4 November 2026

Contents updated on 4 Nov 2026

Hearing of the Education Committee taking oral evidence from the Secretary of State for Education, Lucy Powell MP, on the work of the Department for Education.

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Education Committee — Work of the Department for Education (evidence from Lucy Powell MP)

15:32

Opening statements

15:32

Helen Hayes MP — introduction to the evidence session

15:32

Lucy Powell — opening statement on role and priorities

15:55

Departmental annual report and accounts delay

17:10

Question on delay to the Department for Education annual report and accounts

17:10

Technical and vocational education reform

18:39

Question from Helen Hayes MP on ensuring new 14–16 technical pathway achieves real parity with academic routes

18:39

Question from Helen Hayes MP on measures of success for vocational GCSE reforms

21:17

Question from Helen Hayes MP on capital, staffing and FE college roles in delivering technical GCSEs

22:48

Question from Helen Hayes MP on AI and assessment of technical qualifications

25:45

16–19 education funding devolution and FE college resources

27:16

Question from Caroline Voaden MP on devolution of 16–19 funding and avoiding a postcode lottery

27:16

Question from Caroline Voaden MP on national accountability for devolved 16–19 funding

30:09

Question from Caroline Voaden MP on increasing funding for further education

31:23

Question from Helen Hayes MP on VAT treatment of FE colleges and Treasury engagement

33:10

Higher education funding, student finance and university financial stability

34:33

Question from Manuela Perteghella MP on university redundancies, course closures and the government’s approach

34:33

Question from Manuela Perteghella MP on early warning and managing university insolvency

37:22

Question from Manuela Perteghella MP on Home Office alignment with the international education strategy

38:48

Ofsted inspection reform, Progress 8 and school accountability

41:27

Question from Sureena Brackenridge MP on Ofsted reforms, secure-fit grading and school context

41:27

Question from Sureena Brackenridge MP on whether secure-fit grading is under review

45:09

Question from Sureena Brackenridge MP on Ofsted’s impact on staff wellbeing and rebuilding trust after Ruth Perry

47:00

SEND system reform and forthcoming legislation

48:42

Question from Sureena Brackenridge MP on timing of SEND legislation and reports of delay

48:42

Question from a Committee member on stakeholder trust and confidence in SEND reforms

51:14

Questions from Mark Sewards MP on appeal rights and accountability for individual support plans

56:06

Question from Manuela Perteghella MP on SEND complaints processes, school-based mediation and burdens on schools

01:01:21

Question from Manuela Perteghella MP on removing tribunal powers to name specific SEND placements

01:03:49

Question from Manuela Perteghella MP on appeal routes against inappropriate SEND placements

01:06:52

Question from Helen Hayes MP on maintaining strong SEND accountability when things go wrong

01:09:03

Question from Intervenant 22 on improving outcomes in alternative provision and preventing NEET

01:10:54

Question from Intervenant 22 on separate consultation for education otherwise than at school and timing

01:13:51

Ofsted inspection reform, Progress 8 and school accountability (cont.)

01:15:32

Question from Intervenant 22 on Progress 8 consultation and publication of changes

01:15:32

SEND system reform and forthcoming legislation (cont.)

01:17:46

Question from Dr Caroline Johnson MP on whether SEND reforms will be fully funded

01:17:46

Higher education funding, student finance and university financial stability (cont.)

01:19:24

Question from Dr Caroline Johnson MP on Plan 2 student loans and lower fees for EU students

01:19:24

Teacher recruitment, retention and support in coastal and disadvantaged areas

01:25:50

Question from Caroline Voaden MP on teacher burnout, recruitment and coastal place-based missions

01:25:50

Falling primary school rolls and Education Estate Strategy

01:35:23

Question from Mark Sewards MP on Education Estate Strategy framework and repurposing surplus primary space

01:35:23

Question from Mark Sewards MP on National Funding Formula and managing finances with falling rolls

01:38:24

Question from Helen Hayes MP on unsustainably small primary intakes and place planning powers

01:40:36

Children’s social care workforce and support for care-experienced children

01:42:04

Question from Darren Paffey MP on a workforce strategy for children’s social care

01:42:04

National curriculum reform, AI and future skills

01:46:19

Question from Peter Swallow MP on preparing pupils for AI, media literacy and future PISA rounds

01:46:19

Free school meals expansion and Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) eligibility

01:49:34

Question from Sureena Brackenridge MP on linking expanded free school meals eligibility to HAF

01:49:34

National curriculum reform, AI and future skills (cont.)

01:51:43

Question from Dr Caroline Johnson MP on reducing curriculum content and impact on aspiration

01:51:43

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Education Committee

4 November 2026

Education Committee Wed, 4 Nov 2026 Actual start 11:45 House of Commons

Follow its sittings

15:32 - 15:55

Speaker 2

Order. Welcome to our oral evidence session of the Education Select Committee this morning. This morning we are hearing from the Secretary of State, Lucy Powell, in her first appearance in front of the Education Select Committee. Welcome Secretary of State, we're glad to have you with us this morning.

I think you'd like to make a short opening statement if that's okay.

15:55 - 16:55

Speaker 1

Yes, if that's okay, thanks so much, Chair. Well, thank you very much for having me, really delighted to be here as a former member of this committee, some of my best years in Parliament, have to say. I have a huge amount of respect for you as the Chair and for the every members of the committee and the work that you do and the reports that you produce. I know what work goes into those and I've studied them closely. I'm absolutely delighted to be the Education Secretary.

I just want to pay tribute to my predecessor Bridget Phillipson as well, who did huge amount of work in terms of child poverty and the early years and we saw some of the results of that recently with a good level of development improvements as well pre pre-school. I've been really clear what my priorities are, having in and around education for a while. You know, we've got to look to the future, we got a duty for our children and young people in this fast-changing world to make sure they've equipped with the skills, knowledge, know-how to navigate the world that they're going into, not the world of the past.

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