§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assistance his Department will give the local education authority in meeting the needs of psychiatrically disturbed children and adolescents in the Nottingham area arising from the closure of St. Anne's hospital and its hospital school.
§ Mr. ButcherBefore any maintained special school, including a hospital school, can close, the local education authority must seek the Secretary of State's approval under section 14 of the 1981 Education Act. A copy of the Department's Circular 3/82 "Section 14 of the Education Act 1981: Discontinuance of Maintained Special Schools", which explains these procedures, is available in the Library. It is for local education authorities to specify the alternative provision they will be making for pupils affected by the closure of a special school.
No proposal to close St. Anne's hospital school has been received by the Secretary of State.