Schools: Academies

Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall Excerpts

Monday 27th October 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord Nash]

Where we receive an instance of fraud we immediately investigate. The EFA has investigated 35 cases of fraud in academies in two years. That compares with 191 reported in maintained schools over one year. If we feel that there are causes for concern we will inform the police or, in more minor cases, introduce a financial notice to improve.

[Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall (Lab)]

My Lords, can the Minister tell the House how many of the cases of fraud that have been alleged were uncovered by investigation by his department or by Ofsted, and how many by whistleblowers?

[Lord Nash]

I do not have the exact answer to that question, but it is likely that a high proportion of all cases of fraud, whether in academies or in local authority maintained schools, will be uncovered by whistleblowers.