#NWDLabour

EDUCATION SECRETARY DODGES MP’S QUESTIONS ON FUNDING FOR NEW ACADEMY

Two weeks ago Pat Glass MP tabled an urgent written Parliamentary question for the Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, to ask if the funding of £26 million pounds to build a new academy school in Consett , allocated by the previous Labour government,  would still be going ahead. The question should have been answered by the Secretary of State by the 16th June.

However, pat has heard nothing.  She has not even been sent so much as a holding reply from the Secretary of State to acknowledge receipt of her question.

Today Pat was forced to table another motion to ask the Secretary of State if he plans to respond to her previous question. This is due to be answered next week.

Pat also wrote to Mr Gove on the same subject in her first few days in Parliament but has yet to receive any response.

Pat said:

“This is a serious matter for the children and young people in North West Durham and their families. We are talking about children’s futures here and I am very disappointed that the Secretary of State has decided not to give this issue the time and thought that it deserves. “

“The way that he has dismissed this issue proves that neither he nor the coalition government care about the people of North West Durham and the North East as a whole. “

She added:

“The fact that Gove is so clearly dodging the question makes me wonder, what has he got to hide?”

A number of factors led Pat to become alarmed and concerned over the future of Consett Academy. The Lib-Dem//Tory Coalition government are undertaking a review of Labour’s recent spending decisions and the academy falls into this category. The Conservatives are committed to cutting £4.5 billion from Labour’s Building Schools for the Future Fund (BSF). The bulk of the funding for Consett Academy was to be drawn from this. It has also been widely documented that the Prime Minister, Rt Hon David Cameron, stated he will target the North East specifically for cuts in public expenditure. This warning has rung true so far with the Condem axe on public spending falling disproportionately in the North East.

If you would like any further information on this matter or to arrange an interview, please contact Shelley Phelps on 07834818489 or Shelley.phelps@parliament.uk

Notes to editors

1.    Parliamentary questions are tools that can be used by Members of Parliament to seek information

or to press for action. They oblige Ministers to explain and defend the work, policy  decisions and

actions of their Departments.

2.    Pat tabled a written Parliamentary Question for a named day response. The exact text of the question is below.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to change the allocation of £26 million pounds to build a new academy in North West Durham constituency under the Building Schools for the Future programme.