§ Mrs. Dunwoodyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the number of schools closed for each year from 1979–80 to 1985–86 inclusive, and the percentage of these closures which involved rural schools.
§ Mr. DunnInformation on school closures is kept by calendar year. Numbers of closures approved by the Secretary of State or determined by local education authorities since 1979 are shown in the table.
Year Total school closures Rural school closures Rural school closures as a percentage of all closures 1979 77 26 33.8 1980 110 45 40.9 1981 225 89 39.6 1982 247 76 30.8 1983 295 131 44.4 1984 259 103 39.8 1985 210 56 26.7 11986 98 36 36.7 1 To end of September.