To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on measures to increase the number of people applying to become governors of schools in disadvantaged areas.

The School Governors' One Stop Shop (SGOSS) is a private company with charitable status which is funded by the Department to recruit and place governor volunteers from the business world in schools with vacancies. SGOSS works with local authorities and schools across England and, while it focuses on areas with high vacancy rates, any school or local authority can approach it for help to fill vacancies. Its services are free of charge to schools and local authorities.

The Department is also working with the Education and Employment Taskforce to promote school governance as a volunteering opportunity to companies. Governor volunteers will bring with them a range of skills acquired in the workplace, which will be particularly helpful to governing bodies in all areas, including those which are disadvantaged.