Contingency Fund Application - Departmental Update

Statement

My honourable friend the Minister of State for School Standards (Will Quince) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement:

I hereby give notice of the Department for Education’s intention to seek an advance from the Contingencies Fund.

This follows the Department’s announcement on 11 March that a new independent Government body will be created to support teachers in delivering excellent curriculum content as part of world class lessons. The body will help every child in the country reach the true height of their potential.

The body is expected to become fully operational from Autumn following a transition phase which will include procurement and development of new resources. The first new resources will be available to teachers by September 2023. The body has been incorporated as Oak National Academy Limited.

Parliamentary approval for additional resources of £2,809,000 and capital of £3,869,000 for this new expenditure will be sought in a Supplementary Estimate for the Department for Education. Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £6,678,000 will be met by repayable cash advances from the Contingencies Fund.

We will seek a movement of funding in budgetary requirements at Supplementary Estimate. Accessing the Contingency Fund allows the Department to manage the expenditure associated with establishing and launching the new body.

I am therefore seeking Parliamentary approval for costs of £6,678,000. The advance will be repaid upon receiving approval of the Supplementary Estimate.