§ Mr. JackTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what(a) proposals and (b) reports he has received in the last 12 months from Lancashire County Council in connection with their plans to reorganise education provision for those with special needs or severe learning difficulties; and if he will place copies of them in the Library. [140385]
§ Jacqui Smith[holding answer 29 November 2000]: Lancashire Local Education Authority published a document, "Review of Special School Provision in Lancashire", in May this year. Consultation on this document ended on 31 August. If, as a result of consultation, the authority decides to reorganise any of its special needs provision, it will have to publish formal proposals. A statutory two-month period will follow, during which objections to the proposals may be submitted to the authority. Responsibility for deciding school reorganisation proposals transferred from the Secretary of State to local School Organisation Committees on 1 September 1999.
Copies of the Lancashire consultation document can be obtained from the local education authority.