Damian Hinds hopes to revive the Social Mobility Commission within weeks with the appointment of new commissioners following the mass resignation of its board.

The education secretary told MPs he expects to be able to announce those chosen for the roles in October.

His remarks came after Labour asked for guarantees that vacancies on the government-sponsored body would be filled ahead of the first anniversary of the walkout.

The four commissioners, including chairman Alan Milburn, quit in December 2017 with a broadside at the government for failing to give "due priority to the social mobility challenge facing our nation".

Dame Martina Milburn, who has spent more than a decade with the Prince's Trust, was announced as Mr Milburn's replacement in July.

Speaking in the Commons this afternoon, shadow education secretary Angela Rayner said: "It's now nine months since the entire commission resigned in despair.

"Can the secretary of state guarantee the new commission will be appointed before a full year has passed?"

Mr Hinds reiterated the commission's chairwoman has been appointed, adding: "I expect to be able to announce appointments for the commissioners in October."

Ms Rayner pressed further on social mobility concerns, adding: "This summer the Conservative Party were concerned about an unseen social mobility crisis following the departure of the foreign secretary. As a Telegraph headline asked, 'With no old Etonians in cabinet, where will the talent come from?'

"So perhaps the secretary of state can help answer that question before confirming he has accepted our call to ditch the prime minister's scheme to spend £20 million ferrying a few hundred pupils up to 30 miles a day by taxi to get to their nearest grammar school.

"And will he now tell us that he accepts our point that he should reinvest the savings to reverse the cuts to school transport for all?"

Mr Hinds replied: "She deftly connects a couple of disparate aspects there.

"There are many different angles to our social mobility approach. Our focus on social mobility is in every phase of every education.

"We have seen a narrowing of the attainment gap between the rich and the poor of at least 10 per cent in the early years, primary school, in secondary school and in entry into higher education."

Mr Hinds praised education staff for helping to achieve this.