§ Mr. Cyril D. TownsendTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the effects of the Greenwich judgment on the selection of schools.
§ Mr. Fallon[pursuant to the answer 28 January 1992]My right hon. and learned Friend has now reviewed the evidence submitted by the London Boroughs Association 663W and individual local education authorities about the effects of the Greenwich judgment on school admissions in 1991. That evidence does not suggest that authorities have faced sufficiently serious practical problems to justify a change in the law to allow authorities' previous practice of giving priority in school admissions to those who live within their areas. My right hon. and learned Friend does not therefore propose to pursue such a change in the law.
The needs of local authorities to incur capital expenditure in order to discharge their responsibility to ensure that sufficient school places are available to meet the needs of their own residents will, however, continue to be recognised in the allocation of borrowing authority for such expenditure.
We will be writing to those who submitted evidence, and to the local authority associations, to inform them of my right hon. and learned Friend's decision.