HC Deb 20 July 1998 vol 316 c419W
Mrs. May

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if businesses contributing in cash or in kind to education action zones will be prevented from entering into any form of preferred trading agreements with the schools in those zones, or with the Education Action Forum; and how such arrangements will be monitored. [51307]

Mr. Byers

Education Action Forums must secure best value in any contract they enter into. We will be issuing guidance to them on how to do this.

Each Forum will be under a legal duty to send its accounts to the Comptroller and Auditor General. The Comptroller and Auditor General will report on them to Parliament.

Mrs. May

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what criteria he has set for the receipt of contributions in kind from businesses involved in the education action zones. [51303]

Mr. Byers

Each zone will raise £250,000 a year in cash or kind from the private sector.