Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to her oral statement of 17 July 2017 on school funding, Official Report, column 565, what the efficiencies are within the free schools programme that make up the £280 million of saving up to 2019-20.

In delivering the free school programme, including the plans for a further 140 free schools announced at the last Budget, we will work more efficiently to release savings of £280 million up to 2019-20. This will include working more collaboratively with local authorities to provide free schools where there is a shortage of places – so that 30 of the 140 schools are delivered through the local authority free school route rather than the central free schools route.

We will announce further details in due course.