§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the direct grant schools that have opted 394W for independent status; and whether additional time will be provided for schools to do so.
§ Miss Joan LestorDirect grant grammar schools were required to opt for entry to the maintained sector by the end of 1975 if they wished to remain eligible for grant in respect of their intake of pupils next September. Those who did not do so will get no extension of grant, but it remains open to them to seek entry to the maintained sector on the basis provided in Section 13(2) of the Education Act 1944. If they do not do so they will have either to become independent, when grant ceases to be payable in respect of pupils already admitted, or to close. Lists of those which had opted for entry to the maintained sector, and of those which had not, were given in reply to a Question from the hon. Member for the Isle of Ely (Mr. Freud) on 26th January.—[Vol. 904, c.52–55].