§ Mr. Nicholas BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimate he has of the number of accidents in 1987 in school playgrounds; and if he will introduce measures to improve the safety of school playground surfaces.
§ Mr. DunnMy Department does not collect detailed statistics of accidents in school playgrounds but monitors the general situation.
My Department has recently consulted a sample of local education authorities on their experiences with climbing equipment and various types of surface used beneath it. We shall consider whether any sufficiently clear lessons can be drawn to offer general guidance.