§ 56. Mr. Speedasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list the educational authorities where she has evidence that party political considerations enter into the appointment of governors; and what is the appropriate evidence.
§ Mrs. Shirley WilliamsThe appointment of the managers and governors of county schools and of the local authority128W representatives on the managing and governing bodies of voluntary schools is a matter for the local authorities concerned and my Department acquires information on their practices only incidentally. In particular, press reports have appeared on the practice of certain local authorities indicating that party political considerations have been taken into account in appointing governors. The most recent systematic review of appointment practices was carried out between 1965 and 1969. It was published in "The Government and Management of Schools" by George Baron and D. A. Howell (Athlone Press 1974), but does not give details for individual authorities.