Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether sixth form colleges can apply for academy status; and if she will make a statement.
It would be legally possible for a sixth form college to become an academy, but the Department is not currently able to consider applications. This is because we have not yet been able to resolve difficult issues such as the cost of VAT and the handling of existing debts held by sixth form colleges. We are looking at these issues, but cannot promise to solve them.