§ 32. Mr. Montgomeryasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many (a) rural and (b) urban primary schools have been closed in each of the last five years.
§ Dr. BoysonI regret that information in the form, and for the period requested by my hon. Friend could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Details of approvals since 1977 for the closure of primary schools are as follows:
Rural Urban Total 1977 — — 90 1978 49 28 77 1979 26 35 61 1980 43 40 83 Records relating to individual schools are not available for 1977. The figure for 1980 includes three determinations by local authorities of unopposed proposals in respect of urban primary schools.