HC Deb 12 July 1994 vol 246 cc819-20
9. Mr. Duncan Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools have gone grant maintained.

Mr. Robin Squire

Nine hundred and thirty schools educating well over 500,000 pupils are currently self-governing. A further 125 schools have already been approved for grant-maintained status or have applications in the pipeline.

Mr. Duncan Smith

Is the Minister aware that parents at Whitefield school, which is a special school in my constituency, have voted to go grant maintained as a result of recent legislation giving them the power to do so? Does he agree that, despite the opposition of Labour-controlled local authorities, we should encourage all the other special schools to do exactly the same?

Mr. Squire

My hon. Friend no doubt accepts that I cannot give him from the Dispatch Box this afternoon a firm announcement on the outcome of that positive ballot. With regard to his other comments, I can assure him that we shall endeavour to meet the tight deadlines and guidelines on that particular application as soon as possible. I entirely endorse his recommendation that all schools—special and mainstream—should be considering grant-maintained status as a way forward.

Mr. Steinberg

I thank the Secretary of State for his constant references to the National Union of Teachers: they help us to maintain our high profile. I appreciate his constant mention of the NUT. Does the Minister accept that his predecessor was totally wrong when he said that there would be an avalanche of schools opting out, and that the whole system has now become a complete failure? Why cannot he be magnanimous in defeat and accept the policy as a highly expensive failure?

Mr. Squire

The House and the country will note that the hon. Gentleman writes off one in six secondary school children who are currently being educated in grant-maintained schools—and, of course, the number will be rising in September.