§ Mr. David Watkinsasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many approvals were given in 1981 for the closure of village schools; and in what counties the schools were located.
§ Dr. BoysonA total of 81, located in the following local education authorities:
Avon 1 Buckinghamshire 3 Cambridgeshire 6 Coventry 1 Cumbria 3 Devon 1 Doncaster 3 Dorset 2 Essex 1 Gateshead 1 Hampshire 2 Hereford and Worcestershire 6 Humberside 1 Lancashire 2 Leicestershire 1 Lincolnshire 4 Norfolk 7 Northumberland 2 North Yorkshire 2 Nottinghamshire 1 Oxfordshire 2 Shropshire 4 Somerset 2 Staffordshire 19 Sunderland 1 Surrey 1 Wigan 1 Wiltshire 1 In addition local education authorities determined to cease to maintain eight rural schools in:
Cheshire 1 Lincolnshire 4 Northumberland 2 Wiltshire 1