To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans he has to help rural schools collaborate in offering diploma courses. (242003)

We know that rural areas face a particular set of challenges and so we have made £23 million available over the next two years to the 40 most rural areas in the country to help drive local solutions and innovation.

This includes:

Funding the post of travel and access coordinator in each of the 40 most rural areas;

Providing £1 million of capital to the 20 most rural areas to help them develop innovative solutions; and

Providing a small amount of funding to support a rural pairing scheme to help the 40 most rural areas share practice and explore solutions together.

We have also appointed a rural adviser to support areas in their delivery of the 14-19 reform programmes.