Baroness Barran (Con)

My Lords, it will not surprise the Minister to know that I agree entirely with the amendments tabled in the name of my noble friend Lord Moynihan to ensure fairness and clarity in the treatment of private schools in relation to means-tested fee assistance and business rates. My noble friend was so eloquent and knowledgeable about the benefits of sport to all children. I am sure all across the Committee agree that he gave brilliant examples of both the physical and the mental health benefits. As someone who avoided sport at all costs in school and came to it later in life, I agreed with him and felt slightly guilty as I listened. By preventing these schools being classified as private schools, the amendment highlights the value of their contribution and safeguards them from financial disadvantage. As my noble friend put so clearly, it would allow them to make sure that the sporting opportunities they offer can continue to grow, since they are so vital for our communities. Amendment 69 addresses the valuation of sports facilities in relation to non-domestic rates and would ensure that the inclusion of sports facilities, which play such a crucial role in the development of young people, does not unfairly increase the business rates burden on schools. I am worried that the Minister will say that this amendment goes against the spirit of the legislation, so I am going to try a different approach to convince him both that this may amendment be one to focus on and to accept my noble friend’s suggestion to meet in order to try to find a way through. First, as my noble friend said very clearly, whether we are talking about grass-roots local sport for someone as untalented and unable to hit a ball as I was or sport at the highest possible level, these schools provide opportunities in a way that we do not see widely in our communities. Secondly, my noble friend was clear about the importance of dual use for both local pupils in the wider community who do not attend the school and those who do attend the school. The last thing I would stress is that the Minister has spoken on several occasions about the importance of raising money to invest in our state schools and the 93% of children who attend them. However, if we sat down to do the maths and tried to work out what it would cost to bring our state schools up to anywhere near the standard of what they can access in their local independent schools, I think we would find that, in capital terms, it is many times the amount that will be raised from VAT and the £70 million through this Bill. I urge the Minister to take up my noble friend’s invitation to explore this issue and see whether we can find a way through. It is entirely reasonable to raise the bar and encourage independent schools to offer that dual use to make sure that their local communities benefit. Whether you take it from that perspective or a purely financial perspective, these amendments deserve great attention from the Minister.