§ Lord Evans of Claughtonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they intend that local education authorities should be obliged to follow the guidelines laid down in circulars issued by the Department of Education and Science to do with the proposed closure of maintained schools and, in particular, 423WA the extent to which failure to follow the procedures, particularly those providing for consultation with parents and teachers, are taken into account by the Department of Education in reaching a decision on whether to confirm notices of closure or otherwise.
§ The Minister of State, Department of Education and Science (Baroness Young)The Department's Circular 2/80 gives general guidance on how proposals should be made under Sections 12 to 16 of the Education Act 1980. While my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science cannot require local education authorities and other proposers to act as the circular advises, he regards that guidance as important and believes in particular in the need for appropriate consultation before proposals are published. The extent to which the guidance has been followed is one of the factors he takes into account when deciding whether to approve proposals.