Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many free schools have closed in each year for which data is available.

There are currently 393 free schools open. Since 2010, eight free schools have closed. and one closure is planned for summer 2018. The primary objective of the department when making a decision to close a school is to ensure the best possible educational outcomes for pupils and to secure value for money for the taxpayer.