§ Lord LEATHERLANDasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the appropriate Minister will meet the Half Term Movement and all relevant education and teaching organisations, to discuss the Movement's paper on achieving the same half term dates in all schools.
§ The MINISTER of STATE, DEPARTMENT of EDUCATION and SCIENCE (Lord Donaldson of Kingsbridge)My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science has no plans to meet the Half Term Movement and other relevant organisations to discuss the Half Term Movement's paper on fixed half term holidays. She has made clear her views on this subject in a recent letter to the Movement.
School holidays are by statute under the control of local education authorities, although subject to the provision of the Schools Regulations 1959. I am sure that education authorities and, where this is their responsibility, the managers or governors or schools, are aware of the inconvenience that may be caused to parents who have children at different schools with different half term holidays. I fear that a centrally determined date would create as many problems as it solved.