§ 36. Mr. van Straubenzeeasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she plans further to amend the Education Act 1944 so as to replace references to parental choice by recognition of parental wishes.
§ Mrs. Shirley WilliamsI would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave today to Questions from the hon. Members for Leek (Mr. Knox) and Wolverhampton, South-West (Mr. Budgen).
§ Mr. St. John-Stevasasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pupils within the area of the Inner London Education Authority who should have transferred to secondary schools in September 1977, but whose parents declined the allocation of the place made to them, continue to fail to attend school; how many of these have still not been served with school attendance orders; and if she will advise the Inner London Education Authority that such pupils should be given the school of their choice unless it can be shown that unreasonable public expenditure would result.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonI understand from the Inner London Education Authority that of more than 30,000 children due to transfer to secondary schools in September 1977 nearly 98 per cent. were admitted to schools of their first or second preference. 66 of the remaining 700 or so children were not attending school on 9th February. The Authority had served a school attendance order in one of these cases and had started school attendance proceedings in most of the rest. I am sure that all local 191W education authorities are aware of the provisions of Section 37 of the Education Act 1944.