Academies: Sponsors

Debate between Lord Nash and Lord Lawson of Blaby

Thursday 21st July 2016 Lords Chamber

[Lord Nash]

We have a very clear protocol established with the Civil Service which means that I am not allowed to be involved in any decisions that may directly affect the Future Academies trust.

[Lord Lawson of Blaby (Con)]

My Lords, my noble friend will have shocked the House with his revelation of the massive amount of fraud in local authority maintained schools. What is being done about that?

[Lord Nash]

We constantly try to encourage local authorities to take greater financial oversight of their schools. However, when we find local authority schools failing, they are often failing both financially and educationally; as I mentioned earlier, we have turned many of these schools into sponsored academies.