Oral Answers to Questions

Nick de Bois Excerpts

Monday 21st November 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Gibb]

Local authorities have a duty to ensure that there are sufficient school places for all children of school age in their area and the Government are supporting local authorities in the fulfilment of that duty. Kirklees council received £17.2 million of capital for 2011-12 and a further £0.5 million as a result of the additional £0.5 billion basic need funding that was announced recently. On section 106 funding, the Government are consulting on changes to the community infrastructure levy to make it more responsive to local needs, including the need to ensure that there are enough school places.

[Nick de Bois (Enfield North) (Con)]

12. What steps he is taking to tackle the shortage of primary school places in (a) Enfield North constituency and (b) England.

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

Of the £1.3 billion available to fund additional school places in England, the London borough of Enfield’s share is just under £16 million.

[Nick de Bois]

Enfield council recently announced a strategy to cope with the increasing demand, but it gives no specific consideration or role to free schools. What advice can the Secretary of State give to those interested in setting up free schools who face this purely ideological barrier?