§ Mr. Altonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, in view of his reply to the question of the hon. Member for Liverpool, Edge Hill, of Thursday 12 November, whether hon. Members representing constituencies affected by the Liverpool local education authority's proposals under section 12(1) of the Education Act 1980 were advised of the visit of the Under-Secretary of State on 9 November.
§ Dr. BoysonIt is the Department's normal practice to advise hon. Members and right hon. Members when Ministerial visits to their constituencies are planned. My visit to the area of the Liverpool local education authority on 9 November was arranged at very short notice because of the urgent need for a decision on the Liverpool school proposals, and I regret to say that hon. Members concerned were not informed. I can only apologise to hon. Members for this oversight.