Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to Spring Budget 2017, when he plans to set out plans for the £5 million fund for transport to selective schools for disadvantaged pupils.

The Department is committed to ensuring every child is able to access a good school place, regardless of background. The new Selective Schools Expansion Fund will create more good school places where there is local demand by supporting the expansion of existing good or outstanding selective schools, where they have proposed compelling plans to increase the representation of students from disadvantaged backgrounds in their local areas.

Children will be eligible for free transport to a selective school if they meet the existing eligibility criteria.

The Department is not, however, taking forward proposals to open new selective schools and, not taking forward plans for free transport specifically for children who are eligible for free school meals who attend their nearest selective school.

Where disadvantaged pupils are not eligible for free transport, schools may wish to consider whether it is appropriate to use pupil premium funding to support transport costs for these pupils.