§ Mr. Rostasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to remove local education authorities' power to veto children from maintained schools taking advantage of sixth form places; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir Keith JosephThe veto requirement was included in the regulations because of worries expressed by local authorities, when the scheme was being planned, that wholesale transfers by assisted sixth form places could seriously weaken the sixth forms of some maintained schools. However, a survey of local education authorities' decisions about transfers to assisted sixth form places in 1982 showed that there were nationally fewer than 80 applications for such transfers. It is clear that local authorities' original worries have proved to be unfounded. I have therefore concluded that the veto power is unnecessary and a proposal to remove it is included in draft amendments to the Education (Assisted Places) Regulations 1980, which I am laying before the House today.