§ Lord James Douglas-Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list his powers to prevent the closure of any Roman Catholic school in Scotland by any education authority and the procedures which are involved.
§ Mr. Allan StewartThe Education (Scotland) Act 1980, as amended, requires an education authority to seek the consent of my right hon. Friend to any closure proposal where the intended receiving school is distant from that to be closed by 5 miles or more in the case of a primary school and by 10 miles or more in the case of a secondary school. Proposals relating to denominational schools also require the consent of my right hon. Friend where he is satisfied on representations from the denominational body concerned, and after consulting the authority, that the closure would result in a significant deterioration, as regards distribution or provision of school education, in the position of denominational schools as compared with that of other schools under the authority's management.
The Act requires an education authority to make public all school closure proposals and to consult with such persons as are prescribed in the Education (Publication and Consultation etc.) (Scotland) Regulations 1981. My right hon. Friend, in considering whether to grant his consent where this is required, takes account of all representations made to him.