# Education Select Committee

The Education Select Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The remit of the committee is to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Department for Education and any associated public bodies.
The chair of the committee until 2024 was Robin Walker MP. Previous chairs include Robert Halfon MP (2017-2022), Neil Carmichael (2015–17) and Graham Stuart MP (2010–2015).

## Current membership

On 5 September 2024, nominations for the role were opened with the candidates being Labour MPs Sharon Hodgson, Marie Tidball and Helen Hayes. Hayes was elected. The full membership as of 29 October 2024 is:
| Member | Party | Constituency |
| Helen Hayes MP (Chair) | Labour | Dulwich and West Norwood |
| Jess Asato MP | Labour | Lowestoft |
| Sureena Brackenridge MP | Labour | Wolverhampton North East |
| Caroline Johnson MP | Conservative | Sleaford and North Hykeham |
| Amanda Martin MP | Labour | Portsmouth North |
| Darren Paffey MP | Labour | Southampton Itchen |
| Manuela Perteghella MP | Lib Dems | Stratford-on-Avon |
| Mark Sewards MP | Labour | Leeds South West and Morley |
| Patrick Spencer MP | Conservative | Central Suffolk and North Ipswich |
| Marie Tidball MP | Labour | Penistone and Stocksbridge |
| Caroline Voaden MP | Lib Dems | South Devon |

## 2019-2024 Parliament

The chair was elected on 27 January 2020, with the members of the committee being announced on 2 March 2020.
| Member | Party | Constituency |
| Robert Halfon MP (Chair) | Conservative | Harlow |
| Fleur Anderson MP | Labour | Putney |
| Apsana Begum MP | Labour | Poplar and Limehouse |
| Jonathan Gullis MP | Conservative | Stoke-on-Trent North |
| Tom Hunt MP | Conservative | Ipswich |
| Dr Caroline Johnson MP | Conservative | Sleaford and North Hykeham |
| David Johnston MP | Conservative | Wantage |
| Ian Mearns MP | Labour | Gateshead |
| Lucy Powell MP | Labour Co-op | Manchester Central |
| David Simmonds MP | Conservative | Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner |
| Christian Wakeford MP | Conservative | Bury South |

### Changes 2019-2024

Occasionally, the House of Commons orders changes to be made in terms of membership of select committees, as proposed by the Committee of Selection. Such changes are shown below.
| Date | Outgoing Member & Party | Outgoing Member & Party | Constituency | → | New Member & Party | New Member & Party | Constituency | Source |
| 11 May 2020 | | Fleur Anderson MP (Labour) | Putney | → | | Dawn Butler MP (Labour) | Brent Central | Hansard |
| 11 May 2020 | | Lucy Powell MP (Labour and Co-op) | Manchester Central | → | | Kim Johnson MP (Labour) | Liverpool Riverside | Hansard |
| 21 September 2020 | | Dawn Butler MP (Labour) | Brent Central | → | | Fleur Anderson MP (Labour) | Putney | Hansard |
| 13 July 2021 | | Fleur Anderson MP (Labour) | Putney | → | | Mohammad Yasin MP (Labour) | Bedford |
| 7 September 2021 | | Jonathan Gullis MP (Conservative) | Stoke-on-Trent North | → | | Nicola Richards MP (Conservative) | West Bromwich East | Hansard |
| 19 October 2021 | | David Johnston MP (Conservative) | Wantage | → | | Miriam Cates MP (Conservative) | Penistone and Stocksbridge | Hansard |
| 19 October 2021 | | David Simmonds MP (Conservative) | Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner | → | | Brendan Clarke-Smith MP (Conservative) | Bassetlaw | Hansard |
| 15 March 2022 | | Brendan Clarke-Smith MP (Conservative) | Bassetlaw | → | | Caroline Ansell MP (Conservative) | Eastbourne | Hansard |
| 15 March 2022 | | Christian Wakeford MP (Labour) | Bury South | → | | Anna Firth MP (Conservative) | Southend West | Hansard |
| 29 March 2022 | | Nicola Richards MP (Conservative) | West Bromwich East | → | | Angela Richardson MP (Conservative) | Guildford | Hansard |
| 25 October 2022 | | Dr Caroline Johnson MP (Conservative) | Sleaford and North Hykeham | → | | Andrew Lewer MP (Conservative) | Northampton South | Hansard |
| 27 October 2022 | | Robert Halfon MP (Chair, Conservative) | Harlow | → | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | Hansard |
| 8 November 2022 | | Tom Hunt MP (Conservative) | Ipswich | → | | Flick Drummond MP (Conservative) | Meon Valley | Hansard |
| 16 November 2022 | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | → | | Robin Walker MP (Chair, Conservative) | Worcester | Hansard |
| 29 November 2022 | | Angela Richardson MP (Conservative) | Guildford | → | | Nick Fletcher MP (Conservative) | Don Valley | Hansard |
| 13 March 2023 | | Kate Osborne MP (Labour) | Jarrow | → | | Mohammad Yasin MP (Labour) | Bedford | Hansard |
| 22 January 2024 | | Miriam Cates MP (Conservative) | Penistone and Stocksbridge | → | | Vicky Ford MP (Conservative) | Chelmsford | Hansard |
| 30 April 2024 | | Apsana Begum MP (Labour) | Poplar and Limehouse | → | | Gen Kitchen MP (Labour) | Wellingborough | Hansard |
| 30 April 2024 | | Kim Johnson MP (Labour) | Liverpool Riverside | → | | Jess Phillips MP (Labour) | Birmingham Yardley | Hansard |

## 2017-2019 Parliament

The chair was elected on 12 July 2017, with the members of the committee being announced on 11 September 2017.
| Member | Party | Constituency |
| Robert Halfon MP (Chair) | Conservative | Harlow |
| Lucy Allan MP | Conservative | Telford |
| Michelle Donelan MP | Conservative | Chippenham |
| Marion Fellows MP | Scottish National Party | Motherwell and Wishaw |
| James Frith MP | Labour | Bury North |
| Emma Hardy MP | Labour | Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle |
| Trudy Harrison MP | Conservative | Copeland |
| Ian Mearns MP | Labour | Gateshead |
| Lucy Powell MP | Labour | Manchester Central |
| Thelma Walker MP | Labour | Colne Valley |
| William Wragg MP | Conservative | Hazel Grove |

### Changes 2017-2019

| Date | Outgoing Member & Party | Outgoing Member & Party | Constituency | → | New Member & Party | New Member & Party | Constituency | Source |
| 22 October 2018 | | Michelle Donelan MP (Conservative) | Chippenham | → | | Ben Bradley MP (Conservative) | Mansfield | Hansard |

## 2015-2017 Parliament

The chair was elected on 18 June 2015, with members being announced on 6 July 2015.
| Member | Party | Constituency |
| Neil Carmichael MP (Chair) | Conservative | Stroud |
| Lucy Allan MP | Conservative | Telford |
| Ian Austin MP | Labour | Dudley North |
| Michelle Donelan MP | Conservative | Chippenham |
| Marion Fellows MP | Scottish National Party | Motherwell and Wishaw |
| Suella Fernandes MP | Conservative | Fareham |
| Lucy Frazer MP | Conservative | South East Cambridgeshire |
| Kate Hollern MP | Labour | Blackburn |
| Ian Mearns MP | Labour | Gateshead |
| Caroline Nokes MP | Conservative | Romsey and Southampton North |
| Kate Osamor MP | Labour | Edmonton |

### Changes 2015-2017

| Date | Outgoing Member & Party | Constituency | → | New Member & Party | Constituency | Source |
| 1 February 2016 | Kate Hollern MP (Labour) | Blackburn | → | Catherine McKinnell MP (Labour) | Newcastle upon Tyne North | Hansard |
| 1 February 2016 | Kate Osamor MP (Labour) | Edmonton | → | Stephen Timms MP (Labour) | East Ham | Hansard |
| 22 February 2016 | Caroline Nokes MP (Conservative) | Romsey and Southampton North | → | William Wragg MP (Conservative) | Hazel Grove | Hansard |
| 31 October 2016 | Stephen Timms MP (Labour) | East Ham | → | Lilian Greenwood MP (Labour) | Nottingham South | Hansard |

## 2010-2015 Parliament

The chair was elected on 10 June 2010, with members being announced on 12 July 2010.
| Member | Party | Constituency |
| Graham Stuart MP (Chair) | Conservative | Beverley and Holderness |
| Conor Burns MP | Conservative | Bournemouth West |
| Nic Dakin MP | Labour | Scunthorpe |
| Pat Glass MP | Labour | North West Durham |
| Damian Hinds MP | Conservative | East Hampshire |
| Liz Kendall MP | Labour | Leicester West |
| Charlotte Leslie MP | Conservative | Bristol North West |
| Ian Mearns MP | Labour | Gateshead |
| Tessa Munt MP | Liberal Democrats | Wells |
| Lisa Nandy MP | Labour | Wigan |
| Craig Whittaker MP | Conservative | Calder Valley |

### Changes 2010-2015

| Date | Outgoing Member & Party | Constituency | → | New Member & Party | Constituency | Source |
| 2 November 2010 | Conor Burns MP (Conservative) | Bournemouth West | → | Neil Carmichael MP (Conservative) | Stroud | Hansard |
| 2 November 2010 | Liz Kendall MP (Labour) | Leicester West | → | Bill Esterson MP (Labour) | Sefton Central | Hansard |
| 31 October 2016 | Nic Dakin MP (Labour) | Scunthorpe | → | Alex Cunningham MP (Labour) | Stockton North | Hansard |
| 11 June 2012 | Tessa Munt MP (Liberal Democrats) | Wells | → | David Ward MP (Liberal Democrats) | Bradford East | Hansard |
| 10 September 2012 | Lisa Nandy MP (Labour) | Wigan | → | Siobhain McDonagh MP (Labour) | Mitcham and Morden | Hansard |
| 5 November 2012 | Damian Hinds MP (Conservative) | East Hampshire | → | Chris Skidmore MP (Conservative) | Kingswood | Hansard |
| 4 November 2013 | Charlotte Leslie MP (Conservative) | Bristol North West | → | Dominic Raab MP (Conservative) | Esher and Walton | Hansard |
| 18 March 2014 | Chris Skidmore MP (Conservative) | Kingswood | → | Caroline Nokes MP (Conservative) | Romsey and Southampton North | Hansard |

## Publications
### 2017 - 2019 Parliament

| Date | Title | Government response |
| 8 October 2018 | Sixth Report of the Session 2017–19: The apprenticeships ladder of opportunity: quality not quantity | Awaited |
| 25 July 2018 | Fifth Report of Session 2017–19: Forgotten children: alternative provision and the scandal of ever increasing exclusions | Awaited |
| 13 July 2018 | Fourth Report of Session 2017–19: Appointment of the Chair of the Social Mobility Commission | N/A |
| 9 May 2018 | Third Report of Session 2017–19: The Government’s Green Paper on mental health: failing a generation | Government Response to the Committee’s Third Report of Session 2017–19 |
| 22 March 2018 | Second Report of Session 2017–19: The future of the Social Mobility Commission | Government Response to the Committee’s Second Report of Session 2017–19 |
| 22 December 2017 | First Report of Session 2017–19: Fostering | Government Response to the Committee’s First Report of Session 2017–19 |

### 2015-17 Parliament

| Date | Title | Government response |
| 2 May 2017 | Eleventh Report of Session 2016–17: Primary assessment | Government Response to the Committee’s Eleventh Report of Session 2016–17 |
| 1 May 2017 | Tenth Report of Session 2016–17: Children and young people's mental health—the role of education | Government Response to the Committee’s Tenth Report of Session 2016–17 |
| 25 April 2017 | Ninth Report of Session 2016–17: Exiting the EU: challenges and opportunities for higher education | Government Response to the Committee’s Ninth Report of Session 2016–17 |
| 31 March 2017 | Eighth Report of Session 2016–17: Apprenticeships | Government Response to the Committee’s Eighth Report of Session 2016–17 |
| 28 February 2017 | Seventh Report of Session 2016–17: Multi-academy trusts | Government Response to the Committee’s Seventh Report of Session 2016–17 |
| 24 February 2017 | Sixth Report of Session 2016–17: Appointment of the Chair of the Office for Students | N/A |
| 21 February 2017 | Fifth Report of Session 2016–17: Recruitment and retention of teachers | Government Response to the Committee’s Fifth Report of Session 2016–17 |
| 13 February 2017 | Fourth Report of Session 2016–17: Evidence check: Grammar schools | Government Response to the Committee’s Fourth Report of Session 2016–17 |
| 13 July 2016 | Third Report of Session 2016–17: Social work reform | Government Response to the Committee’s Third Report of Session 2016–17 |
| 7 July 2016 | Second Report of Session 2016–17: Appointment of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills | Government Response to the Committee’s Second Report of Session 2016–17 |
| 5 July 2016 | First Report of Session 2016–17: Careers education, information, advice and guidance | Government Response to the Committee’s First Report of Session 2016–17 |
| 28 April 2016 | Fourth Report of Session 2015–16: Mental health and well-being of looked-after children | Government Response to the Committee’s Fourth Report of Session 2015–16 |
| 20 March 2016 | Third Report of Session 2015–16: Appointment of the Chief Regulator of Ofqual | N/A |
| 24 January 2016 | Second Report of Session 2015–16: Holocaust education | Government Response to the Committee’s Second Report of Session 2015–16 |
| 20 January 2016 | First Report of Session 2015–16: The role of Regional Schools Commissioners | Government Response to the Committee’s First Report of Session 2015–16 |

## Chair of the Education Select Committee

| Chair | Chair | Party | Constituency | First elected | Method |
| | Rt Hon Robert Halfon MP | Conservative | Harlow | 12 July 2017 | Elected by the House of Commons |
| | Neil Carmichael MP | Conservative | Stroud | 18 June 2015 | Elected by the House of Commons |
| | Graham Stuart MP | Conservative | Beverley and Holderness | 9 June 2010 | Elected by the House of Commons |
| Previously as Children, Schools and Families Select Committee ||||||
| | Barry Sheerman MP | Labour Co-op | Huddersfield | 12 November 2007 | Elected by the Select Committee |
| Previously as Education and Skills Select Committee ||||||
| | Barry Sheerman MP | Labour Co-op | Huddersfield | 16 July 2001 | Elected by the Select Committee |

### Election results

From June 2010 chairs of select committees have been directly elected by a secret ballot of the whole House of Commons using the alternative vote system. Candidates with the fewest votes are eliminated and their votes redistributed until one remaining candidate has more than half of valid votes. Elections are held at the beginning of a parliament or in the event of a vacancy.
16 November 2022 :
| Candidate | Candidate | 1st round | 1st round | 2nd round | 2nd round |
| Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % | Votes | % |
| | Robin Walker | 217 | 48.1 | 228 | 53.3 |
| | Caroline Ansell | 108 | 23.9 | 124 | 28.4 |
| | David Simmonds | 70 | 15.5 | 84 | 19.3 |
| | Jonathan Gullis | 56 | 12.4 | Eliminated | Eliminated |
| Not redistributed | Not redistributed | | | 15 | 3.3 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 451 | | 436 | |
27 January 2020 :
| Candidate | Candidate | 1st round | 1st round |
| Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Robert Halfon | Unopposed | Unopposed |
12 July 2017 :
| Candidate | Candidate | 1st round | 1st round | 2nd round | 2nd round | 3rd round | 3rd round | 4th round | 4th round | 5th round | 5th round |
| Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % |
| | Robert Halfon | 136 | 23.8 | 141 | 25.1 | 152 | 27.7 | 185 | 35.7 | 261 | 55.1 |
| | Nick Boles | 129 | 22.6 | 137 | 24.4 | 153 | 27.9 | 178 | 34.4 | 213 | 44.9 |
| | Dan Poulter | 109 | 19.1 | 112 | 20.0 | 127 | 23.2 | 155 | 29.9 | Eliminated | Eliminated |
| | Tim Loughton | 101 | 17.7 | 104 | 18.5 | 116 | 21.2 | Eliminated | Eliminated | Eliminated | Eliminated |
| | Stephen Metcalfe | 63 | 11.0 | 67 | 11.9 | Eliminated | Eliminated | Eliminated | Eliminated | Eliminated | Eliminated |
| | Rehman Chishti | 33 | 5.8 | Eliminated | Eliminated | Eliminated | Eliminated | Eliminated | Eliminated | Eliminated | Eliminated |
| Not redistributed | Not redistributed | | | 10 | 1.8 | 23 | 4.0 | 53 | 9.3 | 97 | 17.0 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 571 | | 561 | | 548 | | 518 | | 474 | |
17 June 2015 :
| Candidate | Candidate | 1st round | 1st round | 2nd round | 2nd round |
| Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % | Votes | % |
| | Neil Carmichael | 224 | 37.5 | 294 | 53.8 |
| | Tim Loughton | 191 | 32.0 | 252 | 46.2 |
| | Caroline Nokes | 182 | 30.5 | Eliminated | Eliminated |
| Not redistributed | Not redistributed | | | 51 | 8.5 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 597 | | 546 | |
9 June 2010 :
| Candidate | Candidate | 1st round | 1st round | 2nd round | 2nd round | 3rd round | 3rd round |
| Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % |
| | Graham Stuart | 192 | 36.6 | 210 | 42.2 | 244 | 52.5 |
| | Rob Wilson | 159 | 30.3 | 183 | 36.7 | 221 | 47.5 |
| | Lee Scott | 92 | 17.5 | 105 | 21.1 | Eliminated | Eliminated |
| | Andrew Turner | 82 | 15.6 | Eliminated | Eliminated | Eliminated | Eliminated |
| Not redistributed | Not redistributed | | | 27 | 5.1 | 60 | 11.4 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 525 | | 498 | | 465 | |