To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps are being taken to improve co-operation between academies and the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust; and what assessment he has made of those levels of co-operation. (153830)

The Department has no evidence of lack of co-operation between academies and the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT), and we receive many positive endorsements of the support given by the SSAT from academies.

Recent reports by the National Audit Office and PricewaterhouseCoopers have commented favourably on the support given to academies by the SSAT.