§ 26. Sir G. Sinclairasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he will take to ensure that local authorities are guided by his undertaking, given in the House of Commons on 27th October 1975, Official Report column 1191, that capitation grants in respect of children presently in direct grant schools will continue until these children complete their secondary education; and whether this includes children studying in direct grant schools up to A level.
§ Mr. MulleyCapitation grants will continue to be paid until the children leave their present schools in the ordinary way. The great majority of them will no doubt stay up to A level. The Government's intention is that the ending of the direct grant system should not involve any avoidable upset of an individual child's education. I have no doubt that local education authorities will observe the same principle in relation to children for whom they have taken free places at direct grant schools.