§ 14. Mr. Kenneth Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in view of the recent announcement of licensed percentage grants for church schools, he will now give an assurance that the future of direct grant schools will be preserved.
§ Mr. RedheadIn my right hon. Friend's statement to the House on 14th February he announced that the Government proposed to widen the scope and increase the rate of Exchequer grant to voluntary aided and special agreement schools. This has no bearing on the future of direct grant schools.
§ Mr. LewisIs the hon. Gentleman aware that some of these direct grant schools are church schools and are among the best in the country? Can he assure us that they will be preserved and that they will not be affected by the comprehensive blanket that the Government are imposing?
§ Mr. RedheadThe Government's wish that voluntary schools should co-operate in the comprehensive policy applies equally to direct grant schools. I would refer the hon. Gentleman to paragraph 39 of the relevant Circular No. 10/65.