Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton (Labour). It was answered on Wednesday, 26 April 2017.

Education: Design Subjects

Question: My Lords, will the Minister admit that it is shameful that the Government are wasting money on creating new free schools where school places are not needed and cutting the funding for pupils in adjacent schools where the money is needed? The Minister is presiding over a system that is depriving pupils in general because of his and his colleagues’ pet theory about independence.

Answer: I am delighted that the noble Baroness has given me the opportunity to answer that question. Since I have been a Minister for the last four-and-a-half years, 93% of free schools have been created in areas where there is a recognised need for new places. We are spending our money far more efficiently than the previous Labour Government. Despite inflation, we are building schools at least a third more cheaply than Labour’s profligate Building Schools for the Future programme. I constantly face bills from schools built quite recently under that programme, where I have to spend millions rectifying their very poor design.

Secondary information