Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Lord Sharma Excerpts
Monday 16th June 2014

(10 years, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Michael Gove Portrait Michael Gove
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All free school applications go through a rigorous process that is policed by the Department’s due diligence and counter-extremism unit and will ensure that any inappropriate application that is put forward is not accepted.

Lord Sharma Portrait Alok Sharma (Reading West) (Con)
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21. The West Reading Education Network parents’ group is seeking approval to open a single academy trust secondary school next September. The same parents’ group set up the outstanding All Saints junior free school. Does the Secretary of State agree that this is exactly the type of excellent parent-led initiative that everyone in the House should be backing? It certainly enjoys cross-party support in Reading.

Michael Gove Portrait Michael Gove
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I absolutely do agree. It is important to bear in mind that the All Saints school in Reading was outstanding in every category when it was inspected by Ofsted. I look forward to working with my hon. Friend to ensure that the quality of education that Reading parents enjoy continues to improve.