Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has admitted she cannot guarantee that schools will remain open during strikes by teachers starting next month.
Ms Keegan said introducing minimum service levels would protect “vulnerable children” in schools, but she hoped that the Government’s anti-strike legislation would not be needed for the teaching profession.
Her comments come after the controversial Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill passed its first hurdle in the Commons on Monday.
It came just hours after the National Education Union (NEU) announced plans to hold seven days of walkouts in February and March in a dispute over pay.
