§ Mr. Flanneryasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he will take with regard to loan sanctions which have been given under SPAR if any local authority does not 544W comply with the conditions attached to the granting of such sanctions.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonLocal education authorities were informed last December of projects accepted by my right hon. Friend as eligible to start within the resources set aside for reorganisation needs. They were informed also that major projects must be submitted for approval at tender stage. Loan sanction for two of the projects in Tameside, which I understand my hon. Friend has in mind, has been given expressly in the context of the authority's proposals for comprehensive reorganisation and is, of course, subject to the conditions for eligibility, set by the Secretary of State for the Environment in paragraph 28 of his Department's Circular 86/74 and by my right hon. Friend in Circulars DES 13/74 and DES 8/75, being met. Thus failure to meet the conditions under which loan sanction was given, viz. extensions and adaptations to form sixth form colleges, would call into question the validity of the loan sanction under paragraph 6 of the DoE circular. So far as any other projects for secondary education which the authority may submit are concerned, loan sanction would only be forthcoming if their purpose is consistent with Government policy on school organisation.
§ Mr. Michael McGuireasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the statutory authority on which he bases his powers of intervention in respect of school reorganisation, whether such reorganisation is proposed by local authorities following upon changes in local government boundaries, or by church school authorities.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonAll proposals to establish, cease to maintain, or make a significant enlargement or change in the character of county or voluntary schools require my right hon. Friend's approval under Section 13 of the Education Act 1944, as amended. Proposals to establish, enlarge or change the character of county schools, and proposals to cease to maintain county or voluntary schools, are made by the local education authority. Proposals to establish, enlarge or change the character of voluntary schools are made by the governors of those schools.
§ Mr. Michael McGuireasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science 545W by what criteria he judges whether or not proposed changes in school reorganisation will benefit the schoolchildren concerned.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonIn considering proposals made to him under Section 13 of the Education Act 1944, as amended, my right hon. Friend takes into account all relevant factors including the educational opportunities to be offered to the pupils concerned, the use to be made of the resources available, any particular difficulties which may arise—in connection with such matters as staffing, transport and the effect of the proposals on other schools—and any points made
ARCHITECTS EMPLOYED IN THE DEPARTMENT AS AT 1ST JANUARY OF EACH YEAR 1965–76 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 Chief Architect … … — 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Directing Architect … … 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 Superintending Architect … … 3 6 6 7 7 6 6 6 6 5 5 6 Principal Architect … … 13 14 17 21 22 21 20 20 19 20 20 19 Grade I and II … … 17 23 22 20 21 19 23 22 20 17 17 19 TOTAL … … 35 46 48 51 53 50 53 52 49 46 47 49