Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 1 March 2017 to Question 64751, what the estimated value is of all land acquired to free schools.

A free school is a type of academy and is accountable through the same mechanisms as an academy, principally the funding agreement between the Secretary of State and the academy trust that operates the free school. Many free schools are part of a multi-academy trust (MAT). Free schools are delivering good quality places in areas where these are needed.

The value of academy trusts’ land and buildings recorded in the Education Funding Agency’s most recent annual report is £43.3bn.