Academies Minister bets champagne that schools are wasting money
A Department for Education minister has bet a bottle of champagne for any school where he cannot find waste.
Academies Minister Lord Agnew invited schools to take up his “wager”, but warned he was “like a pig hunting for truffles” when it came to identifying inefficiencies.
Lord Agnew, who founded the Inspiration Trust academy chain in the East of England, was appointed a minister in September 2017.
Appearing at the School and Academies Show in Birmingham this week, he was asked whether there was still further scope for schools to make savings, or whether they just needed more funding.
Lord Agnew said: “I think we’re only just getting warmed up on this, but I have to admit I’m like a pig hunting for truffles when it comes to finding waste in schools.
“I would challenge anyone here, if they want to have a wager with me, that I can’t find some waste in your schools. I will take you on. I will use the teams I’ve got at the DfE to win that wager. If I lose the wager, which is entirely possible, I promise to give you a bottle of champagne and a letter of commendation.”
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