Schools: Free Schools

Lord Hamilton of Epsom Excerpts

Wednesday 14th May 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord Nash]

The primary responsibility rests with the governors who entered into the contract with IES. I know, because I have been involved in this, that they are monitoring the company closely to ensure that performance improves.

[Lord Hamilton of Epsom (Con)]

My Lords, in view of the hostility to free schools that we hear from both Liberal Democrats and the party opposite, does this mean that if by some extraordinary misfortune—it is very unlikely—we ended up with a Lib-Lab coalition, we would see a return to bog standard comprehensives?

[Lord Nash]

Or, worse, the situation that we have in Wales. The party opposite seems to have gone remarkably quiet on free schools recently and I can only assume therefore that, reluctantly, qui tacet consentire.