§ Mr. St. John-Stevasasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, in view of the lateness with which she has rejected permission to some local authorities over their applications to support pupils in September 1978 at non-maintained schools, if she will review that decision with a view to postponing the change until, September 1979 by which time alternative places could be found.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonNo. My right hon. Friend will of course consider any representations made to her by local education authorities about individual decisions, but authorities generally have had ample warning of my right hon. Friend's intention to use her powers under Section 5 of the Education Act 1976 to revoke approval for existing arrangements or refuse approval for new arrangements for the support of pupils at non-maintained schools where these arrangements do not meet the criteria set out in my Department's Circular 6/77. There should be no difficulty in finding places for the pupils in maintained schools.
§ Mr. St. John-Stevasasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, of those local authorities which have applied to her for permission to give support for pupils to attend non-maintained schools starting in September 1978, how many have not yet received notice of her decision, how many have received notices of her decision but only since 1st January 1978; of those, how many she approved and how many she rejected; and how many authorities received notice of her decision before 1st December 1977.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonForty-three local education authorities applied to my right hon. Friend for her approval for their proposed arrangements to support pupils starting at non-maintained schools in September 1978. Of these, 13 authorities were sent notice of my right hon. Friend's decision before 1st December 1977, 14 were sent notice in December 1977 and 16 have been sent notice since 1st January 1978. Of those authorities who have been sent notice of my right hon. Friend's decision since 1st January 1978, eight have had their proposals approved in full, six have had some proposals approved and others rejected and810W two have had all their proposals rejected. The only application outstanding is a supplementary application received on 14th February.