MINISTERS last night insisted privately-sponsored city academies were "making big strides" after the controversial programme was attacked by a committee of MPs.

And they pledged to press ahead with the next wave of academies that will see a third open in Middlesbrough this September.

The Labour-dominated education committee heavily criticised the plans for 200 academies across England, saying there was no firm evidence they raised standards.

The committee's report called for no more than 50 until the scheme had been "thoroughly evaluated" - and questioned the £5bn cost.

Of the 17 already up-and-running, two are in Middlesbrough - the Unity City Academy and The King's Academy, which replaced Brackenhoe and Coulby Newham Schools.

A further 40 are under development, including the conversion of the Macmillan City Technology College, in Middlesbrough, which would take the total past the limit of 50 suggested by the committee.

Yesterday, performance tables revealed that most of the 17 existing academies had among the worst test results for 14-year-olds.

The committee's report said: "We fail to understand why the Dfes is putting such substantial resources into academies when it has not produced the evidence on which to base the expansion."

Liberal Democrat education spokesman Phil Willis, who has already accused the Government of "blackmailing" councils into setting up academies, described the programme as "a £5bn flop".

Critics of the programme have highlighted how private sponsors can dictate the curriculum and appoint governors, while providing only eight per cent of the £25m cost.

The King's Academy is run by Wearside car dealer and evangelical Christian Sir Peter Vardy.

Pointing to improved GCSE results compared to the predecessor schools, a Dfes spokesman said: "Academies are making big strides in a very short space of time."