HC Deb 31 January 1967 vol 740 cc74-5W
Sir E. Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) which authorities have submitted statements called for in Circular 10/65, giving detailed proposals for all schools during a period of three years from September 1967; which of these authorities have submitted estimated costs necessary for the implementation of their proposals; what is the amount involved; and which authorities have not submitted interim proposals for the period 1967 to 1970;

(2) which authorities have complied with Circular 10/65, submitting long-term plans for a system involving abolition of all existing schools in favour of comprehensive schools, including proposals for voluntary schools and referring to the integration of direct grant schools; which authorities have indicated the cost of implementing their individual schemes and what amount is involved; and which have submitted plans which retain either selection or separatism or both, by examination or by other methods.

Mr. Crosland

The available information is as follows:

Formal plans (in the majority of cases both long and, where practicable, short term) have been received from 118 of the 162 local education authorities in England and Wales. 21 plans cover part only of an authority's area and supplementary submissions are expected. I have so far asked four authorities to reconsider their proposals on the grounds that the plans retain selection. Proposals for the reorganisation of voluntary schools are generally still at the stage of local discussion. The position as regards the direct grant schools is as stated in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston-upon-Hull, North (Mr. McNamara) on 19th January. Local education authorities were not requested to estimate the cost of implementing their long-term plans. In the case of short-term plans, the available information is incomplete. The short-term cost of reorganisation does not, for the most part, represent additional programme expenditure. Major projects will be covered by the redeployment of sums already allocated in earlier programmes or by new projects which are justified by normal programme criteria. Minor projects will be met, at the authority's discretion, from the local block allocation for minor projects.—[Vol. 739, c.103.]