Mr. Jim Callaghanasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools will be taken out of use in the United Kingdom in the years 1978–79 and 1979–80 as a result of the falling birthrate.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonIn 1978 approval was given to proposals by local education authorities in England to cease to maintain 77 primary schools and 13 secondary schools, of which 28 are due to close in the school year 1978–79 and nine in 1979–80. Although an important factor, it is not possible to ascribe these closures to the decline in pupil numbers in every case. I regret that information is not available about closures in these years as a result of earlier approvals.
Mr. Jim Callaghanasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools in the Greater Manchester metropolitan county will be taken out of use in the years 1978 to 1980 as a result of the falling birthrate.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonApproval has been given for the closure of two secondary and 13 primary schools in the area of the Greater Manchester metropolitan county between September 1978 and September 1980. Although the most important reason for most of these closures is the decline in pupil numbers, it is not possible in every case to ascribe the closure to this single cause.