§ 16. Dr. Kingasked the Minister of Education if he will now permit urban local education authorities to include in their building programmes new schools for the elimination of remaining all-age schools.
§ Mr. Geoffrey LloydI would ask the hon. Member to await the White Paper.
§ Dr. KingIs the Minister aware that the one thing the House agrees about in education is that the first and most urgent reform is to get rid of all-age schools if we are to have real secondary education for our children? Is he also aware that there are still twenty authorities where over 20 per cent. of the children are being educated in all-age schools? While the rural programme which his predecessor 1087 started means in time the abolition of all-age schools in the countryside, there are still towns where over 40 per cent. of the children are still in all-age schools.