Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Mel Stride Excerpts
Monday 4th March 2013

(11 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Michael Gove Portrait Michael Gove
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I am reliably informed by the Department that in this financial year £25.2 million has been allocated to Sheffield in the early intervention grant. [Interruption.] It is a 3.9% increase on last year.

Mel Stride Portrait Mel Stride (Central Devon) (Con)
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T8. I congratulate my right hon. Friend on his progress with free schools, but may I urge him to go further and faster in opening up free school provision by bringing in profit-making enterprises paid by results and focused on the parts of the country where educational achievement is weakest and where free school take-up is scarce?

Michael Gove Portrait Michael Gove
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My hon. Friend is right. Free schools are making a significant difference in driving up standards in every part of the country from Merseyside to the Mendips. I am absolutely committed to making sure that everyone who is committed philanthropically to supporting state education is given the chance to do so.