In line with normal practice I would like to inform the House that while in the summer recess, my Department provided an indemnity to the Church Commissioners for England, in order to secure a lease arrangement on its site for CET primary school, Westminster, from September 2013 until 31 March 2017.

Such an indemnity would normally be notified in advance to Parliament but since the need was identified during recess, officials wrote to Margaret Hodge as Chair of the Committee of Public Accounts, copied to my hon. Friend Mr Stuart as Chair of the Education Select Committee on 21 August 2013, informing them of the proposed indemnity.

I inform the House today of the indemnity provided and a departmental minute, which sets out the detail of the indemnity, has been laid in both Houses.