§ Mr. Whiteheadasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science on what evidential basis paragraph 97 of the Macfarlane report was drafted; whether 11–16 year and 12–16 year schools were reported by Her Majesty's Inspectorate as experiencing more acute problems in achieving adequate curricular coverage and specialist staffing than 11–18 year and 12–18 year schools; and in which local education authorities Her Majesty's Inspectorate observed this phenomenon.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneThe observations in this paragraph are based on assessments made by Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools in the past few years as a result of inspections, surveys, and routine visits in those local education authorities which maintain 11–16 schools. The166W problems described do not apply to all such schools and, where they do, may be present in different degrees. They have been observed in sufficient number to be a cause for concern† The Review drew attention to the need, when the reviewing provision for 16–19s, to plan effectively for the 11–16 or 12–16 age group.