Oral Answers to Questions

Lord Bellingham Excerpts

Monday 21st January 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Laws]

I would be delighted to accept that invitation, and I assure my hon. Friend that we are acting to make sure that there is equal treatment of students regardless of which institution they are in between the ages of 16 and 19.

[Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk) (Con)]

14. What plans he has to encourage the setting up of further academies.

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

The Department is working to ensure that as many good and outstanding state schools as possible have the opportunity to sponsor other schools. We have created a sponsor capacity fund to ensure that just such a change can take place.

[Mr Bellingham]

I refer my right hon. Friend to the excellent progress being made by King’s Lynn academy. Will he join me in paying tribute to the principal Craig Morrison and his team, who have put in place a new reinvigorated ethos and put real pride into the school? Is it not an excellent example of why the academies programme should be rolled out and will he join me in visiting the school in the not-too-distant future?