§ Mr. McWilliamTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will ensure that Education Circular 23/94 is amended to require comments on objections to a change of a local education authority education scheme are sent to him as a matter of course and that local education authorities take serious consideration of objections. [22259]
§ Mr. ByersAs Circular 23/94 makes clear, where Local Education Authority (LEA) proposals to reorganise the pattern of educational provision attract statutory objections, those objections and the LEA' s comments on them must be sent to the Secretary of State, who decides all such proposals. All objections and comments on them506W are given serious consideration before any decision is taken. We see no need, therefore, to amend Circular 23/94 to cover this point.