Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions Ministers in her Department have had with sixth form colleges on VAT exemption and linking with Academies since May 2010.

Ministers have had numerous discussions with sixth form colleges about VAT exemption since May 2010.

Any sixth form college can collaborate with an academy or academy chain. To create a more formal link, sixth form colleges can apply to become an academy sponsor. Since May 2010, fourteen sixth form colleges have expressed an interest in becoming an academy sponsor.