HC Deb 18 April 1983 vol 41 cc24-6W
Rev. Ian Paisley

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many primary schools have been closed in the North-Eastern education and library board's area since 1975;

(2) how many (a) one-teacher, (b) two-teacher and (c) more than two-teacher primary schools have been closed since 1975 in the North-Eastern education and library board's area.

Mr. Scott

Thirty-four primary schools have been closed in the North-Eastern education and library board's area since 1 January 1975. The details are as follows:

one-teacher schools 11
two-teacher schools 12
more than two teachers 11

Rev. Ian Paisley

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many schools in the area covered by the North-Eastern education and library board have more than three mobile classrooms;

(2) what is the policy of the North-Eastern education and library board towards the phasing out of mobile classrooms; and what progress has been made towards phasing out such classrooms;

(3) if he will list the schools in the North-Eastern education and library boards area which have more than 10 mobile classrooms.

Mr. Scott

In the North-Eastern education and library board area there are 48 controlled and voluntary schools with more than three mobile classrooms. The board's policy is to provide permanent school accommodation but temporary accommodation is sometimes necessary. The use of temporary accommodation is phased out as permanent accommodation becomes available or the short term need ceases. Planned extensions to controlled schools will allow 39 mobile classrooms to be phased out. The controlled and voluntary schools in the board's area with more than 10 mobile classrooms are as follows:

CONTROLLED

Secondary

  • Ballyclare
  • Ballymoney
  • Coleraine Girls
  • Glengormley
  • Hopefield, Newtownabbey
  • Larne

Grammar

  • Ballyclare
  • Carrickfergus

VOLUNTARY

Secondary

  • St. Comgall's, Larne
  • St. Patrick's, Maghera

Grammar

  • St. Louis, Ballymena

The Rev. Ian Paisley

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent on the library service by the North-Eastern education and library board in each year since 1974.

Mr. Scott

The North-Eastern education and library board has spent the following sums on library services:

Capital Recurrent Total
£000 £000 £000
1974–75 57 780 837
1975–76 180 977 1,157
1976–77 172 1,104 1,276
1977–78 206 1,364 1,570
1978–79 391 1,492 1,883
1979–80 348 1,614 1,962
1980–81 120 1,822 1,941
1981–82 96 1,938 2,034
1982–83(Estimate) 161 2,065 2,226

Rev. Ian Paisley

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many controlled nursery schools there are in the North-Eastern education and library board's area;

(2) how many children attended controlled nursery schools in the North-Eastern education and library board's area in each year since 1974;

(3) how many (a) nursery school teachers and (b) nursery school assistants are employed by the North-Eastern education and library board;

(4) what has been the expenditure by the North-Eastern education and library board on nursery school provision in each year since 1974.

Mr. Scott

At 1 January 1983 there were 15 controlled nursery schools in the North-Eastern education and library board's area. Since 1974 the following numbers of children have been enrolled in controlled nursery schools:

Number
1974 136
1975 179
1976 464
1977 672
1978 779
1979 815
1980 802
1981 901
1982 913
1983 *897
*Estimate.

Twenty-nine nursery school teachers and 33 nursery school assistants are employed by the board.

Expenditure on nursery school provision is as follows:

CapitaL Recurrent Total
£000 £000 £000
1974–75 177 17 194
1975–76 195 57 252
1976–77 160 92 252
1977–78 41 123 164
1978–79 27 146 173
1979–80 92 174 266
1980–81 125 213 338
1981–82 19 257 276
*1982–83 8 261 269
* Estimate.

Rev. Ian Paisley

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many schools in the North-Eastern education and library board area are presently being considered for closure.

Mr. Scott

The Department of Education for Northern Ireland is currently examining a proposal by the North-Eastern board to close a small controlled primary school.