§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will place a copy in the Library of the guidance he has issued to local education authorities and schools on the compilation of parent registers for opt-out ballot purposes; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. RumboldThe Pupils' Registration (Amendment) Regulations 1988 require every school to maintain an admissions register which includes the name and address of each peson known to the governing body to be a parent of a registered pupil at the school. Sections 60 and 61 of the Education Reform Act 1988 provide for the use of this information where a ballot of parents on grant-maintained status is contemplated or under way. The Department's circular 10/88, and booklet "School Governors: How To Become A Grant-Maintained School", offer guidance on these provisions. Copies of the regulations, the relevant Administrative memorandum, the circular and booklet were sent to every LEA and school last year. The Department also wrote to all chief education officers on 13 February this year, in part about allegations that some 553W LEAs were abusing this information. Copies of each of these documents were placed in the Library of the House on publication.
§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside, of 12 April.Official Report, column 526, whether he has any plans to issue guidance to local education authorities and schools on the information to be made available from parent registers to community charge registration officers.
§ Mrs. RumboldThe Department will shortly be writing to the local authority associations on this subject.
§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent discussions he has held on the rights of access to parent registers.
§ Mrs. RumboldMy right hon. Friend has held no recent discussions on this topic.