§ Lord Melchettasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they believe that children educated in small rural primary schools suffer educational disadvantage as a result, and, if so, what number of pupils they consider are needed to ensure such disadvantage is not suffered.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Security (Lord Elton)Small schools, urban and rural, can present their pupils with advantages and disadvantages and the balance depends upon the circumstances of each particular school. When it falls to the Secretary of State for Education and Science to decide statutory proposals to close a small school, he examines each case on its individual merits in the light of the educational interests of the pupils concerned, local circumstances including any objections, and the expenditure factors involved. General advice on school sizes is given in paragraphs 9 to 13 of the Department of Education and Science Circular 2/81 and applies to urban and rural areas in England.