The minister who oversees the academy system is cutting his formal links with the high-profile academy trust he founded.

Lord Agnew’s dual roles at the Department for Education and the Norfolk-based Inspiration Trust had prompted concerns about potential conflicts of interest.

Lord Agnew founded the Inspiration Trust in 2012, and was appointed an education minister in September 2017.

He stepped down as chairman of the academy trust when he joined the government, but remained a trustee and member.

In April, his role at Inspiration was further diluted when two additional members - who have a similar role to company shareholders - were appointed, meaning that Lord Agnew and his wife were no longer listed by Companies House as “persons of significant control” at the organisation.

Concerns raised in Parliament

However, his continued formal involvement in the trust had led to concerns about potential conflicts of interest, which were raised by Labour peer Lord Watson of Invergowrie in the House of Lords.

The DfE has refused to release Lord Agnew’s conflict of interest agreement to Tes under the Freedom of Information Act, and the Office of the Information Commissioner is currently considering an appeal by Tes.

According to the Companies House website, Lord Agnew resigned as a director of the Inspiration Trust yesterday.

He and his wife will also step down as members of the trust, although the Inspiration Trust said this will require changes to its articles of association, which will take place in the coming days.

Lord Agnew said: “I have decided to step down as a trustee and member of Inspiration Trust. Since becoming a minister, I have been unable to give as much attention to the trust as I would prefer.

“I have greatly enjoyed my involvement with Inspiration Trust over the years and wish them every success for the future.”

When asked whether concerns about conflicts of interest played any part in his decision, the DfE said it had nothing further to add to the minister’s statement.

Inspiration Trust chief executive Dame Rachel de Souza said: “We could not have started the trust without Lord Agnew. His passion for education, his organisational acumen, and his steel in challenging the status quo were all essential in establishing the trust as a pioneering family of academies.”