HC Deb 05 March 1991 vol 187 cc127-9W
Mr. Clifford Forsythe

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applicants are at present on the Housing Executive waiting list in categories A1, A2, A3, A4, B1, B2 and B3 in(a) Antrim borough council area and (b) Mossley district office area in Newtownabbey.

Mr. Needham

This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and I am advised by its chief executive that the information requested is as follows:

(2) how many applicants there are for new places at Ballycloughan primary school for the academic year beginning September; how many of these applications have been approved; what is the planned enrolment at Ballycloughan school in September; what proposals there are to provide for increased enrolments at Ballycloughan school; whether parental choice to send children to Ballycloughan school will be respected; and if he will make a statement about future enrolments at this school.

Dr. Mawhinney

The enrolments were as follows:

Number
January 1987 42
January 1988 44
January 1989 45
January 1990 51
January 1991 53

The South-Eastern education and library board, in consultation with the school's board of governors, is responsible for the determination of the enrolment number and admission criteria for Ballycloughan primary school.

I understand that 23 children sought admission to the school for September 1991; 18 have been offered places and 15 have accepted. The enrolment planned for September 1991 is 63.

The enrolment of a school is limited by its physical capacity. Ballycloughan primary school is oversubscribed for admissions in September 1991 and the school's admission criteria has been applied to determine which children should be admitted. The criteria give priority to children for whom Ballycloughan primary school is the nearest primary school or who have a brother or sister already enrolled.

It is intended that part IV of the Education Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 will be brought into operation for primary schools in September 1992. This will require the Department of Education, in consultation with boards of governors, to determine an enrolment and admissions number for all primary schools, it is not possible to say at this stage what future enrolments at Ballycloughan primary school will be. Under open enrolment generally, parents will have the opportunity to express their preference as to the school they wish their children to attend.