§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Chilver Report on Teacher Education in Northern Ireland underestimated the probable school population up to 1995; and if so by how much.
The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (The Earl of Gowrie)The school population projections contained in this Report were based on the Government Actuary's Department January 1978 population projections. The most recent estimates are based on the Government Actuary's Department January 1980 population projections. These indicate that the projected school population is at its lowest in the late 1980's for which period the projections are about 6 per cent. above those shown in the Chilver Report. I would refer the noble Lord to the detailed breakdown of these latest estimates given in the reply to Lord Blease on 25th November 1981.