Commenting on a Public Accounts Committee report into Academy schools, PAC member and Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson Layla Moran said:

“The Conservatives’ ideological obsession with academies has cost the taxpayer dear.

“Despite there being no evidence that converting a school to an academy improves attainment, the Government are shamefully ploughing on regardless and are willing to ask the taxpayer to pick up the cost when companies running academy schools fail or decide that it is not worth their while to continue.

“Education ministers must now put a plan in place to make sure that academy sponsors are required to improve learning and opportunities for young people, and are held to account for how they spend taxpayers’ money.”