§ Mr. St. John-Stevasasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she foresees any obstacles in giving full departmental recognition to joint Roman 598W Catholic and Anglican voluntary aided schools, both primary and secondary.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonMy right hon. Friend foresees no particular obstacles to approving the establishment of such schools. The criteria for recognition of joint or ecumenical schools are identical to those for voluntary aided schools in general.
§ Mr. St. John-Stevasasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many joint Roman Catholic and Anglican voluntary schools have already been established in England and Wales; and how many more are the subject of proposals now before her.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonThis information cannot readily be extracted from the Department's records, but only a very few RC-Anglican joint schools have been established since September 1973 when St. Cuthbert Mayne School in Torquay, the first such venture, was established.
My right hon. Friend is aware that joint schemes are being considered by promoters in a number of areas. She is presently considering a proposal for a joint scheme in Richmond, Surrey, to be formed through the amalgamation of St. Mary Magdalene CE School and St. Edward the Confessor RC School.
§ Mr. St. John-Stevasasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she is aware of any contractual difficulties in establishing inter-denominational voluntary schools such as joint Roman Catholic and Anglican schools.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonMy right hon. Friend is not aware of any difficulties of this kind.