§ Mr. LoveTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many local education authorities in(a) Greater London and (b) the rest of England and Wales are currently unable to offer permanent places to all pupils in secondary schools within their boundaries; what efforts are they making to provide an education to those pupils; what support his Department is providing to them; and if he will make a statement. [144485]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisMy Department does not collect detailed information on the provision of school places by local education authorities in England; education in Wales is a matter for the Welsh Assembly.
It is for local education authorities to ensure sufficient school places to meet demand. They may make emergency arrangements for pupils who cannot 632W immediately be offered permanent school places by, for example, providing temporary tuition or assisting with travel to schools in neighbouring authorities. Where authorities can demonstrate insufficient school places to meet future demand, they may apply to the Department for capital funding to provide additional places. In December, the Government announced allocations of £90.9 million for LEAs in England to provide 43,260 new school places, including £10.9 million for over 4,000 new secondary school places in Greater London.