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Education and Inspections Bill

I hesitate before saying that I share the right hon. Gentleman’s anger, but I do think it a matter of considerable concern that in all our constituencies—certainly in mine—this lack of choice dogs many constituents. Provisions in the Bill such as free transport will help to provide such choice, but the biggest guarantor of the educational choice and diversity that we want to see is the record levels of investment that we are putting into our schools. On new clause 56, which is entitled ““Abolition of surplus places rule””, as I said, there is no such rule. Let me reaffirm something that my predecessor made clear on Second Reading. No school will be forced to acquire a trust or to become a foundation school. New clauses 21 and 53, proposed by the Conservatives, are designed to place duties on the Secretary of State and local authorities to encourage schools to become trust schools. There is a danger that such statutory duties could lead to an undue amount of pressure being applied. We firmly believe that trust status has to be a decision freely entered into by a governing body. The only exception is for failing schools, where local authorities will be able to use their new intervention powers to force collaboration. However, we do not accept new clause 62, tabled by the hon. Member for Reading, East (Mr. Wilson), which would allow the Secretary of State to impose a change of foundation status. It has to be a local decision that meets local needs.