§ Lord Melchettasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they agree that local education authorities who have first and middle schools, with pupils transferring at 8+, and some primary schools with pupils transferring at 11+, should continue to close primary schools in order to maintain the number of pupils atttending middle schools, and whether they will make a statement.
§ Lord EltonIt is for local education authorities, in consultation with the governors of voluntary aided and special agreement schools, to take a view on such matters in the light of local circumstances and the preferences of parents. Where statutory proposals are required to effect changes and these fall to the Secretary of State for Education and Science to decide, he considers them on their individual merits in the1250WA light of the educational interests of the pupils concerned, local circumstances including any objections, and the expenditure factors involved.