Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to (a) sell or (b) transfer the site of Parkfield school in Hurn when it closes in July; and whether the premises will be retained for educational use.

The freehold site is currently owned by the Reach South Academy Trust, and this will be transferred to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, on behalf of my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, on termination of the funding agreement, when the school closes permanently.

The department will always aim to recover assets and identify alternative educational or other public sector uses for sites in such circumstances. It is only when this is not possible that we retain the option to sell the site for a commercial return. All options are currently being explored.