§ Mr. PriorTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what guidance his Department has issued to local education authorities on the future of rural village schools. [44485]
§ Mr. ByersI refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Selby (Mr. Grogan) on 26 February 1998,Official Report, column 364.
Our announcement of 28 February 1998, made it clear that all proposals to close rural schools would be called in for decision by the Secretary of State and that there would be a presumption against the approval of proposals to close such schools.