12. To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what initiatives his Department is pursuing to increase parental choice of secondary schools. (133964)

The Government are committed to creating a real choice of excellent schools for parents. We have placed new duties on local authorities to plan schools with a view to increasing parental choice and to respond to parents. We have created opportunities for new providers to set up schools through competitions. We have introduced a fairer admissions system, with help for parents to exercise their choices, and we have extended parents’ rights to free school transport.