§ Mr. Patrick Thompsonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy towards selection of children at age of 11 years, and towards grammar schools.
§ Sir Keith JosephThe White Paper "Better Schools" explains (paragraph 212) that the Government are content with the existing legal framework
which gives freedom to each local education authority to maintain its existing pattern of school organisation and, if it wishes, to propose changes in that pattern".Using this freedom, some LEAs continue to maintain selective secondary schools. The freedom to submit 437W statutory proposals to reintroduce grammar schools was restored by the Education Act 1979. If such proposals were submitted, I would consider them on their merits.