Direct Grant Schools (Hansard, 6 May 1975)

§ 4. Sir G. Sinclair
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many letters of protest against the phasing out of direct grant schools he has received since his statement on 11th March.

§ 9. Mr. Tim Renton
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many representations he has received objecting to his proposals concerning direct grant schools ; and what has been the nature of his replies.

§ Mr. Armstrong
My right hon. Friend has received about 650 letters from individuals and organisations. The replies explain that the Government's decision follows from their commitment to end selection for secondary education.

§ Sir G. Sinclair
Will the lion. Gentleman realise how widespread have been the alarm and despondency among the thousands of parents all over the country who have heard about his circular of 1st May spelling out in detail how the direct grant schools will be forced to close or be taken into the public sector? Does he accept that those who seek a disciplined and hard-working schooling for their children are being forced to accept at short notice a complete change of their whole planning of their children's education? Will he also accept that some of the details in that circular are not yet even worked out to give a proper reassurance to the parents and the staffs of those schools, especially teachers who are faced —[HON. MEMBERS: "Too long."]

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. A supplementary question of this length is not tolerable.

§ Mr. Armstrong
We set out clearly in our election manifestos our proposals with regard to direct grant schools. Since then we have had a good number of consultations and negotiations. I do not believe that any governing body can be unaware of Government policy. We are not anxious to close any school. We are inviting schools to come into the maintained sector. It is the system of direct grant schools to which we are opposed, because it would perpetuate selection.

§ Mr. Christopher Price
Is my hon. Friend aware that the mere asking for a declaration of intent from the direct grant schools will, in the view of many Labour Members, make the work of many local authorities which want to get on with the job of comprehensive education more difficult, and that from that point of view he is being too soft in the matter? What guarantees has he that these declarations of intent will be honoured?

§ Mr. Armstrong
We must find the correct balance. I do not think that we have left any direct grant school's governing body in any doubt that we are determined to end the direct grant system. On the other hand, we have responsibility to the individual children and their educational interests. That is always taken into account by the present Government. Therefore, we are asking for a statement in principle. In my negotiations with the local authorities they have appreciated the definite statements we have made.

§ Mr. Renton
Is not the Minister's decision on this matter blatantly political rather than educational? Is he aware of the deep distress that the decision has caused to many of my constituents with children at the Brighton and Hove High? In view of the very high standard of education at the direct grant schools, will he, even now, seek to persuade his right hon. Friend to alleviate the distress by changing his mind?

§ Mr. Armstrong
I remind the hon. Gentleman that education is much more than the passing of examinations. It is about life in the community. In the words of the independent Donnison Report, the direct grant schools are more exclusive than the maintained grammar schools. We want to get rid of selection. The hon. Gentleman's suggestion that we should review our decision would go against our genuine belief that the education of all our children depends on abolishing selection in the secondary sector.

§ Mr. Watkinson
Will my hon. Friend confirm that the Government have decided to begin phasing out at the end of August next year direct grant for those schools which do not wish to come within the maintained system? How will the phasing-out take place, and at what pace?

§ Mr. Armstrong
A copy of the circular letter of 1st May which has gone to all direct grant schools is in the Library, and I invite my hon. Friend's attention to the details there. I confirm that we intend to begin the phasing out in September of next year.

§ Mr. St. John-Stevas
By what authority did the Secretary of State send out this nine-page demand to the governors of direct grant schools? He was threatening them that they must bow to his will, without any authority from the House, under regulations which have not been laid before the House and which the House has had no opportunity of passing upon. Does not this constitute a breach of the rule of law and contempt of the House?

§ Mr. Armstrong
The hon. Gentleman should not get carried away by reading the leaders in the Daily Telegraph.The truth is that the letter was sent to the schools as a direct result of negotiations 1195 we have had with the Direct Grant Schools Committee, which asked for full details of my right hon. Friend's intentions. It is now well aware of his intention to carry out this policy, and it asked for details as to how it would be done. There is no question of threats or anything else. It is a clear statement of the Government's policy.

§ Mr. St. John-Stevas
In view of that very unsatisfactory reply, Mr. Speaker, may I ask for your ruling on whether the document constitutes a contempt of the House?

§ Mr. Speaker
If the hon. Gentleman is raising a serious point, perhaps he will raise it at the end of Questions.

§ Sir G. Sinclair
In view of the unsatisfactory nature of those replies, I shall ask your permission to raise this matter on the Adjournment, Mr. Speaker.

§ 11. Miss Fookes
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, in formulating his plans for phasing out the direct grant schools, he will bear in mind the needs of parents seeking denominational education and Service families requiring boarding education.

§ Mr. Armstrong
Details of our proposals for phasing out the direct grant arrangements were sent to the schools and local education authorities on 1st May. They make clear our hope that as many of the schools as possible, including denominational schools and boarding schools, will enter the maintained system as non-selective schools.

§ Miss Fookes
Is the hon. Gentleman aware that most of these parents want the schools to remain as they are?

§ Mr. Armstrong
I am aware that most of those parents choose this kind of education. I can understand parents making that choice but I have never been able to understand why they insist that children of average and below-average ability ought not to be educated alongside their own children.

§ Mr. Evelyn King
Whatever the hon. Gentleman's views about direct grant schools—perhaps he will drop that argument for a moment—may I ask him at least to accept, and this comes from someone representing a Service consti- 1196 tuency, that there is a huge problem particularly with boys whose parents reside overseas, and not only in the forces? Is he aware that the result of his policy will be to reduce boarding-school provision to a dangerously low level? Does he wish such children to go to private schools? If not, will he state positively rather than negatively what his policy is?

§ Mr. Armstrong
We have no evidence that there will be a reduction in the number of boarding places for the children of Service men. We are in negotiation with the denominational schools and the boarding schools about the future. We are concerned about children who have real boarding need. We do not think that our present policy will affect them.