§ Mr. Gordon BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the number of(a) village schools closed since 1979 and (b) the capital spending on local authority schools falling within metropolitan areas, in each year since 1979 at constant prices.
§ Mr. Dunn[holding answer 10 June 1988]: In the period from 1979 to 1987, 590 primary and 27 secondary schools in rural areas were approved for closure as a result of proposals published by local education authorities under section 12 of the Education Act 1980 which were either approved by my right hon. Friend or his predecessors or determined by the local education authorities. Local education authorities have a statutory duty to implement all such proposals which have been approved or determined.
The gross capital expenditure on schools by metropolitan district councils (excluding Greater London) in England is as follows:
Year Expenditure at 1986–87 Prices (£000s) 11986–87 82,350 1985–86 96,242 1984–85 97,639 1983–84 99,278 1982–83 107,628 1981–82 86,268 1980–81 129,475 1979–80 124,297