§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if, in respect of those provisions in the Education Bill which permit individual bodies of school governors to make contracts for the supply of educational services to schools with firms outside the public services, she plans to issue guidelines to local authorities and governors as to procedures to be adopted; and if such bodies will be subject to inspection by other statutory bodies. [74284]
§ Mr. MilibandThe Department for Education and Skills will make guidance available on sections 11 and 12 of the Education Act 2002 which allow school governing bodies to form companies to provide services and to procure goods and services. Guidance on purchasing for schools is already available separately from the Department. School companies will operate under the provisions of the Companies Acts and will submit audited accounts to Companies House. The regulations on school companies will provide for a supervising local education authority to receive accounts from the company and to request further information where necessary. School companies will not be subject to inspection by other statutory bodies.