This House of Lords Library briefing provides information on the Home Education (Duty of Local Authorities) Bill 2017-19, a private member's bill introduced by Lord Soley (Labour), ahead of its second reading in the House of Lords on 24 November 2017.
Home Education (Duty of Local Authorities) Bill [HL] (157 KB , PDF)
The Bill would create a duty for local authorities to monitor the educational, physical and emotional development of children receiving elective home education in England and Wales, and for a parent to register home-educated children with the local authority.
Home Education (Duty of Local Authorities) Bill [HL] (157 KB , PDF)
In its manifesto ahead of the 2024 general election, the Labour Party stated that if elected it would remove the current exemption from VAT and business rates for independent schools. The impact of this measure has been debated; some estimate a net benefit to the government of £1.3bn to £1.5bn, while others argue it could result in a net cost.
In recent years, many universities have faced financial challenges. This has been attributed to several factors, including the impact of inflation on the real-terms value of tuition fee income from undergraduates, a dependence on international student numbers and increases in the cost of living. These challenges have led to some universities reducing their education provision and staffing allocations.
The House of Lords Education for 11–16 Year Olds Committee argued in a report published in 2023 that “urgent change” was needed in 11–16 education, including revising the curriculum, reducing the volume of exams at 16 and reforming school performance measures. The House of Lords is due to debate the report on 26 July 2024. The Labour government has launched a review of the curriculum and the assessment system, due to report in 2025.
