Oral Answers to Questions

Gareth Thomas Excerpts

Monday 24th March 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Laws]

We do not believe that. Indeed, local community schools are expanding right across the country; the difference between the situation under this Government and under the previous Government is that they have the money to do so.

[Mr Gareth Thomas (Harrow West) (Lab/Co-op)]

11. What plans he has for regional school commissioners.

[The Secretary of State for Education (Michael Gove)]

Regional schools commissioners will act on my behalf to support the national schools commissioner.

[Mr Thomas]

The Secretary of State will recognise that Al-Madinah and IES UK Breckland schools have not been the greatest advert for his policy agenda. How will these rather Soviet-sounding commissioners help to ensure that academy chains and free schools are properly overseen so that no more children have their education damaged in future?

[Michael Gove]

I have nothing against anything that is redolent of a better past in Russia. In fact, the Office of the Schools Commissioner was introduced by the previous Labour Government. We are merely building on it to ensure that we have great head teachers and others who can ensure that the superb innovation that is occurring in academies, free schools and community schools across the country is supported, and that wherever school failure occurs we can take swift and rapid action.