HC Deb 05 April 1989 vol 150 cc184-5
8. Mr. Macdonald

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received concerning schools opting out in Scotland.

Mr. Rifkind

As at 4 April 85 representations had been received on the descriptive paper "Self-Governing Schools", which we published in December 1988. These have been made available on a public file.

Mr. Macdonald

Does the Secretary of State agree that one of the major objections to the concept of opt-out schools has come from parents and from groups who are concerned that such schools will no longer cater for children with special educational needs? Does he acknowledge the grounds for such concern and will he undertake, before the opting-out Bill leaves this House, to come forward with amendments that will ensure that opt-out schools will be unable, at any time in the future, to shift the responsibility for such children?

Mr. Rifkind

We all agree that schools that provide for special needs have a particular role in the community. The hon. Gentleman will be aware that my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Stirling (Mr. Forsyth) has given assurances in Committee with regard to those schools that provide for special needs.

Mr. Allan Stewart

In the past there has been a great deal of interest in the question of Catholic single-sex schools. Does my right hon. and learned Friend agree that, recently, there have been positive expressions of interest from the Church of Scotland and from the Islamic community about using the new legislation? Would my right hon. and learned Friend or my hon. Friend the Minister be favourably disposed in principle, to a meeting with some of those interested at an appropriate time? On an equally positive note will my right hon. and learned Friend congratulate the Labour party on its recent conversion to the principle of parental majority?

Mr. Rifkind

I am always happy to congratulate the Labour party though, sadly, such occasions do not arise very often.

The basic principle to which the Government attach importance is the need to respond to the wishes of parents in the community and the right of parents to influence the kind of education that their children receive. That is a fundamental aspect of any democratic society and it is on that basis that we respond to initiatives that are occasionally brought before us.

Mr. McLeish

Is the Secretary of State aware of the comments by Mrs. Julie Collis of the Scottish Parent Teachers Council who said, in a recent edition of The Times Educational Supplement that the Government's handling of the Self-Governing Schools Etc. (Scotland) Bill had left parents breathless and that she found it disgusting? Why is it that an organisation funded by the Government should feel so aggrieved about a major piece of legislation?

Mr. Rifkind

I read that extract from The Times Educational Supplement. I think that Mrs. Collis was concerned as to the pace of the consideration of the Bill in Committee. At the moment we are on clause 7 of the Bill, but according to the hon. Gentleman's press release issued earlier today, it appears that it is the desire of the Labour party that we should be on clauses 13 and 14 shortly. It looks as though the Labour party is anxious to make even quicker progress on this Bill than we are.