HC Deb 22 February 1989 vol 147 cc634-5W
Mr. Pawsey

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has yet decided upon arrangements for the future administration of the Inner London Education Authority's residential special schools located outside Inner London.

Mrs. Rumbold

My right hon. Friend has received the report of the working party that he set up last year to consider the future of ILEA's residential special schools located outside Inner London. A copy has been placed in the Library.

With the agreement of the inner London boroughs, the report recommends an allocation of the schools to the inner London boroughs, which will become responsible for their maintenance. It also recommends that the boroughs should agree on co-ordinating arrangements for planning and policy issues relating to the schools.

My right hon. Friend accepts that the recommendations on the allocation of schools provide a secure basis for the future maintenance of these establishments, within the new framework of education in inner London. His final decisions on allocation will be taken in the light of boroughs development plans, which are to be published by the end of this month. He will moreover, wish to consider further the boroughs' proposals for co-ordinating arrangements for these schools. In view of the specalist nature of these schools he is concerned that there should be sound and workable arrangements for ensuring that the future planning and management of these schools will be on a rational and coherent basis. Before taking a final view on that matter the Secretary of State will wish to review the boroughs' proposed arrangements for voluntary coordination and is accordingly inviting the Inner London education advisory committee to inform him of the outcome of its discussions on this subject.