§ 26. Mr. Flanneryasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many education authorities have submitted plans for comprehensive education systems which provide for comprehensive schools existing side by side with grammar schools; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MulleyBy September 1976 24 local education authorities will be completely reorganised on comprehensive lines: a further 16 will be reorganised apart from some voluntary schools. In all other authorities, except Kingston, which has no comprehensive schools, comprehensive and selective schools will co-exist—in the case of 30 LEAs beyond 1980 if present plans are accepted.
The Government remain fully committed to the abolition of selection for secondary education. When the Bill at present before the House becomes law, it will be necessary to re-examine carefully each authority's intentions to ensure not only that they conform to Government 39W policy but presuppose a reasonable time scale and an acceptable deployment of resources.
In considering Section 13 proposals which do not provide for the complete reorganisation of an area I take into account the opportunities open to the local education authority to abolish selection and the compatibility of the proposals, if approved, with complete reorganisation at the earliest possible date.