Government officials admitted "concern" yesterday about an academy chain preparing to privatise services at 80 schools during a Commons education committee hearing.

Labour MP Alex Cunningham grilled Department for Education (DfE) officials over the Academy Enterprise Trust's (AET) plan on the first day of an inquiry into academies and free schools.

The Star revealed on Saturday how the trust is offering privateers a £200-400 million contract to run all non-teaching functions.