§ Mr. Lathamasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will publish in the Official Report the text of his letter dated 9 July to the hon. Member for Melton regarding departmental progress in implementing the Government's policy programme.
§ Mr. Mark CarlisleThe text of my letter is as follows:
Michael Latham Esq MP
House of Commons
LONDON
SW1A 0AA
9 July 1981
Dear Michael,
I promised to write to follow up my answer to your Parliamentary Question on 30 June.Good progress continues to be made in implementing the Government's policies for education. The main developments since 2 June 1980 include the following.Steps are being taken to extend effective parental choice. In the 1981–82 school year information will be published for each school and also for each local education authority (in line with regulations made the 1980 Education Act) providing a proper basis for informed preferences for admissions for 1982–83.New local arrangements allowing parents to express preferences and to appeal against the local authority's decision will operate from 1982.Moves are being made under the 1980 Education Act towards having elected parent governors on the governing bodies of all maintained schools.The Assisted Places Scheme will begin operation this September to make it possible for children from less well off homes to attend selected independent schools.Legislation now before Parliament will reform the law for educating handicapped children and those with other special educational needs, following up the Warnock Committee's report and the Government's White Paper published last August.The Government has issued general guidance on policies on the school curriculum in the paper " The School Curriculum". This will be followed up in various ways, including a consultative paper on the school science curriculum.As part of our efforts to see that education is relevant to new technologies and to the needs of industry a £9 million programme for microelectronics in schools and colleges has begun; a conference on engineering education and training has been held; and regional meetings have been held about the work of the schools to which industrialists and others have been invited.A thorough review of educational provision for the 16–19 age group, jointly conducted with the local education authorities, has been completed as a basis for promoting local consideration and decisions.Publicity campaigns and special training schemes to remedy the shortage of teachers in certain subjects continue.Yours ever,
Mark
MARK CARLISLE