§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will take steps to ascertain the views of parents of children under the age of 11 years on proposals to introduce a system of selective education within the areas of those local education authorities where no such system currently exists in the maintained sector of secondary education. [2992]
§ Mr. Robin SquireGoverning bodies are best placed to assess local parental demand for the introduction or extension of selection in their schools. The Education Bill proposes that they should be required to consider the issue annually.