Edinburgh schools: MP Christine Jardine raises impact of VAT on private education at Prime Minister's Questions

She asked how the Capital’s schools were expected to cope with an influx of pupils displaced from the private sector when many of them were already full.

Lib Dem Christine Jardine acknowledges her victory in Edinburgh West at the election count. | SWNS

Sir Keir was making his debut at the weekly Commons question session following Labour’s July 4 election victory.

Ms Jardine, who was re-elected as Lib Dem MP for Edinburgh West, said: "I'm sure he will want to reassure the many parents and teachers in Edinburgh West who have expressed concerns about the implication for our state education system in Scotland of the VAT increase in independent fees, which he proposes.

"Edinburgh City Council , led by the Labour Party, have produced five-year projections which show we do not have capacity in the city to accommodate pupils who may leave the independent sector.

"Moreover, how will he ensure that the VAT raised in Scotland from those fees can be reinvested in already hard-pressed Scottish education?"

Sir Keir replied: "I do obviously understand the aspiration that parents who work hard and save hard have for their children that they send to private school. But every parent has that aspiration, whichever school they go to.

"And I am determined that we will have the right teachers in place in our state secondary schools to ensure that every child, wherever they come from, whatever their background, has the same opportunity, and I do not apologise for that."

Ms Jardine said afterwards that estimates suggest one in four pupils in Edinburgh attend independent schools, with the Scottish Council of Independent Schools suggesting VAT on fees could shrink the sector by up to 13 per cent. She said: “I was disappointed to see the Prime Minister refuse to address the concerns of many parents and teachers in Edinburgh West about the impact of his plans for fees on our community.

“After 17 years of failure on education under the SNP, the last thing pupils and parents need is more disruption from this ill-conceived idea.

“The council has been clear that our schools are already fit to burst. They cannot afford a surge in enrolment if parents move their parents to the state sector.

“There must be a clear plan to boost funding for our schools and provide our pupils, parents and teachers with the schools, facilities and opportunities they deserve.”