§ 15. Mr. Fletcher-Cookeasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will reconsider his decision not to assist the promoters of the St. Aldhelm's Roman Catholic primary school at Turton, Lancashire.
§ Mrs. Shirley WilliamsThe promoters have already been told that we shall keep the project under review, but I cannot hold out much hope for its approval while spare places exist in nearby schools.
§ Mr. Fletcher-CookeDoes the hon. Lady realise that Catholic parents are leaving this growing residential area because they see no hope of places for their children in a Catholic school anywhere nearby? Does he think that it is a proper alternative to offer Catholic children that they should go to the local undenominational county school?
§ Mrs. WilliamsThe hon. Gentleman will appreciate that one of the difficulties is to provide extra denominational places where a surplus of places is available, but because there is expected to be an increase in population in this area, we hope before long to be able to consider further accommodation for a school, and we will certainly bear in mind the particular denominational need to which the Question referred.