§ Dr. Hampsonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many proposals for the reorganisation of 278W secondary schools have been approved in each year from 1959 to 1974; and what proportion of maintained secondary schools they constituted in each case.
§ Mr. PrenticeBefore the Education Act 1968, proposals to reorganise a secondary school as a comprehensive school did not require the approval of the Secretary of State. It is not possible, therefore, to provide the information requested. Figures for the number of comprehensive schools in England and Wales in operation during the years in question and the proportion of maintained secondary schools they constituted are:
Year (at 1st January) Total Number of Comprehensive Schools Proportion of Maintained Sector Per cent. 1959 111 1.9 1960 130 2.2 1961 138 2.3 1962 152 2.6 1963 175 2.9 1964 195 3.0 1965 262 4.5 1966 387 6.7 1967 508 8.8 1968 748 13.4 1969 962 17.6 1970 1,145 21.8 1971 1,373 26.7 1972 1,591 31.8 1973 1,835 37.8 1974 2,273 48.6