§ Mr. Hayhoeasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science under what circumstances a local education authority can withdraw financial aid from a maintained school; and what alternative facilities must then be provided for the children affected.
§ Mr. ArmstrongA local education authority under a duty to maintain a school as a county or voluntary school must carry out that duty unless and until it is terminated in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Education Acts. It is open to an authority to submit to my right hon. Friend proposals under Section 13 of the Education Act 1944, as amended, to cease to maintain a county or voluntary school. The authority must give public notice of such proposals, providing the opportunity for objections in accordance with the Act. It is then for my right hon. Friend to decide, in the light of all relevant circumstances, including the availability of alternative school places for any pupils who would otherwise have attended the school in question, whether or not to approve the proposal.
The managers or governors of a voluntary school may not discontinue their school except in accordance with the provisions of Section 14 of the 1944 Act, but if they do so the duty of the local 84W education authority to maintain it as a voluntary school is extinguished. Here again one of the relevant factors would be the availability of alternative places for pupils.