Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to reduce the attainment gaps of five A* to C GCSE grades between secondary schools in the North and the South; and if she will make a statement.

We are committed to ensuring that all children receive a high quality education, regardless of where they attend school. We are, therefore, spending £70 million over this Parliament to reduce the attainment gap, in line with the recommendations in Sir Nick Weller’s report.