Education and Inspections Bill

Of course, the Government will argue that no school would have to opt for trust status; it is purely voluntary. However, does the hon. Gentleman share my concerns that there are all sorts of ways in which the Government coerce schools to do what they perceive the Government want? In Birmingham, there are proposals for seven academies. There is no demand for that, but the Tory-Lib Dem controlled LEA is forced to go down that route, because that is the only way that it knows that it will get the desperately needed funding for the schools.