Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to give the Secretary of State the power to delegate decisions on academy orders to regional schools commissioners; and if so, whether this will be done by secondary legislation.

It is not necessary to give the Secretary of State any power to delegate decisions on academy orders to Regional Schools Commissioners (RSCs). RSCs already exercise the powers and duties of the Secretary of State. This will continue when, subject to the will of Parliament, the powers and duties in the Education and Adoption Bill take effect. For instance, RSCs will exercise the duty to make an Academy order in respect of any maintained school judged to be Inadequate by Ofsted.