Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to written statement 1163, on what grounds the Government approved the Eton Star academy projects in Dudley and Oldham.

All free school projects were evaluated in line with consistent criteria focusing on assessing the need for places and value for money. This included considering whether projects would provide a distinctive local offer and whether they would risk negatively impacting other local schools or colleges.