Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 4 September 2018 to Question 168014 on Academies, whether academy schools that are in deficiency can be considered for education authority oversight.

Financial accountability for academies is founded on a clear framework which is regulated by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA).

The ESFA has a robust intervention strategy to ensure, where financial concerns are identified, that appropriate and proportionate action is taken swiftly. The ESFA will intervene in a way that is proportionate to the risk and preserves the effective education of children.

The department is satisfied that these arrangements provide robust financial oversight for academy trusts and we have no plans to change them.