§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines his Department offers to local education authorities on the closure of small schools.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsGuidance is given in Welsh Office Circular 30/81 issued to local education authorities on 20 July 1981.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales how many schools with (a) fewer than 15 pupils, (b) between 15 and 20 pupils, (c) between 20 and 24 pupils, (d) between 25 and 29 pupils and (e) over 30 pupils have been closed by each local education authority in Wales in each year since 1970.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsComprehensive information in the form requested is not available. A figure for the total number of nursery and primary schools closed could be misleading; many closures occur as part of wider schemes of reorganisation or amalgamation which can incorporate the establishment of new schools. During the period January 1970 to January 1986 there was a net increase of 17 maintained nursery schools and a net reduction of 194 maintained primary schools in Wales.