HC Deb 31 January 2000 vol 343 cc423-4W
Mr. Bob Russell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the impact of the private finance initiative on reductions in numbers of school playing fields. [107165]

Jacqui Smith

Section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 prevents local authorities and governing bodies from disposing, or changing the use, of school playing fields, without the prior consent of the Secretary of State. Section 77 applies also where such disposal or change of use is required as part of an approved PFI scheme.

PFI and other Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) encourage schools to make the most of their assets in collaboration with the private sector and in the interest of their pupils. That interest is not served by selling off those playing fields which children need for sport. Indeed, many PPP proposals are specifically aimed at upgrading school sports facilities.

Mr. Bob Russell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of school playing fields are capable of sustaining minimum standards of seven hours a week use. [107158]

Jacqui Smith

The information requested is not collected centrally.

Mr. Bob Russell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many private finance initiative schemes for schools have involved the sale of parts of school playing fields. [107157]

Jacqui Smith

Contracts have been awarded on eight schools' projects in England under the Private Finance Initiative, six of which are for building projects covering new or replacement single schools and two of which are for Local Education Authority-wide service contracts. None of these schemes has involved the sale of parts of school playing fields.

Mr. Bob Russell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to review Circular 3/99, relating to the protection of school playing fields. [107162]

Jacqui Smith

The Government will review Circular 3/99, "The Protection of School Playing Fields", during the Spring, with a view to announcing any changes in June.

Mr. Bob Russell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what discussions have taken place with national bodies with expertise in related matters since the issuing of Circular 3/99. [107160]

Jacqui Smith

The three national bodies cited in Circular 3/99, "The Protection of School Playing Fields", are the National Playing Fields Association, the Central Council of Physical Recreation (CCPR) and Learning through Landscapes. Since the Circular was published on 7 June 1999, Ministers have met with the CCPR and officials have held several meetings, and corresponded, with all three organisations.

Mr. Bob Russell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many school playing fields or parts of fields have been sold since the issue of Circular 3/99; and if he will make a statement on its impact on sales of playing fields. [107161]

Jacqui Smith

Since the issue of Circular 3/99, the Secretary of State has approved 13 applications to sell areas of land affecting sports pitches at schools. Of these, six involved sports pitches at closed schools and a further three provided new or improved sports facilities including, in one case, a new sports hall. In the four remaining applications, the sales proceeds have all been reinvested for educational purposes.

The introduction in Circular 3/99 of strict criteria against which decisions are made has been a great success. Since the issue of this Circular, the Department has received an average of just five applications a month to dispose or change the use of sports pitches. Not all of these applications involve the loss of a playing field. For example, some are for transfers of ownership or involve acquiring new replacement pitches. Authorities now see how tough our criteria are and generally bring forward only those proposals which make all round sense.