§ Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will offer an assessment of or initiate an inquiry into the likely effect upon educational standards and attainment as a result of the reduction in public expenditure required by Her Majesty's Government.
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§ Dr. BoysonAn inquiry would not be appropriate. The effects will depend mainly on the measures selected by individual local authorities as a means of effecting the necessary economies.
§ Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the proposals for reducing educational expenditure within each local education authority in England and Wales.
§ Mr. Mark CarlisleNo. It is for each local authority to decide in the light of its own needs and priorities within and between services how to meet the Government's request for a reduction of 3 per cent. in current expenditure this year compared with the level envisaged in the rate support grant settlement last autumn.
§ Mr. Fosterasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to prevent school closures in rural areas in view of planned reductions in public spending in 1979–80 and 1980–81.
§ Dr. BoysonThis is essentially a local question: local education authorities decide which schools to propose for closure.
§ Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimate he has of the number of teachers and of other persons employed by local education authorities who will lose employment before the end of 1980 as a result of the expected reduction in public spending.
§ Dr. BoysonThis will entirely depend on decisions taken by individual local authorities about the way in which the necessary economies should be achieved.