School Closures (Hansard, 2 July 1986)

§ Mr. Hancock
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many objections to the closure of schools, out of the total number, have been successful in each year since 1979.

§ Mr. Dunn
Since 1979, 125 out of a total of 1,618 proposed school closures have been rejected by the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State considered these cases on their individual merits and reached his decisions on the basis of all the relevant factors, including any arguments raised by objectors.

§ Mr. Hancock
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools have closed in England since 1979.

§ Mr. Dunn
Between 1979 and 31 May 1986, 1,493 schools have been approved for closure.

§ Mr. Hancock
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average time it has taken for him to reach a decision on the closure of a school in the last five years.

§ Mr. Dunn
Information is not available in exactly the form requested. The average time taken to decide all proposals falling to the Secretary of State in the period August 1980 to December 1985 was 6.5 months, including the two-month period for statutory objections to be made, and the further month for proposers' transmission of any such objections to the Secretary of State.