§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why his Department has ceased to collect information on the numbers of new primary and secondary schools built annually in England; and how his Department surveys the progress of their construction.
79W
§ Mr. DunnThis information is no longer required for the Department's operational purposes. Local education authorities have a duty to ensure that sufficient schools are provided and progress with the construction of schools in the maintained sector is a matter for them, or, in the case of voluntary aided and special agreement schools, for the voluntary body concerned. The Department continues to maintain a record containing information about school building projects approved by my right hon. Friend.
Expenditure on Assisted Places Scheme (£m financial year) Percentage of total education spending Number of Assisted Pupils (Academic year) Percentage of maintained secondary school population 1981–82 3.022 0.03 4,185 0.11 1982–83 8.691 0.07 8,616 0.23 1983–84 14.995 0.12 13,102 0.36 1984–85 22.152 0.17 17,386 0.49