§ 15. Mr. Brooksasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will now send a further circular to local education authorities on the policy they are to pursue in fitting direct-grant schools into the emerging pattern of comprehensive secondary education.
§ Mr. CroslandNot at present.
§ Mr. BrooksIs my right hon. Friend satisfied with the somewhat hesitant and even equivocal way in which the negotiations have been conducted in some parts of the country under the terms of Circular 10/65?
§ Mr. CroslandThe picture varies very much between different parts of the country, and, of course, the problem varies very much in its character between different parts of the country. Having laid down our policy in Circular 10/65, that we wanted to see negotiations take place between authorities and the direct grant schools, we would not have been justified n taking a different attitude until the plans asked for under the circular had actually come in.
§ Mr. NeaveIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that some authorities are finding that they are very short of time for consultation in accordance with the circular, and will he be prepared to postpone submission of these schemes in certain cases?
§ Mr. CroslandI certainly would not be prepared to allow a general postponement for authorities as a whole, but any authority has the right under the circular to ask for a postponement. We have already granted postponements in eight cases where we thought there were special difficulties.