§ Mr. SteinbergTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, for each of the last three While Papers issued by his Department, for which legislation has been started, he will state the time elapsed between their publication and the First Readings of any Bills connected with them; and if he will do the same for the last three White Papers issued by his Department prior to May 1979.
§ Mrs. RumboldIt is not always easy to establish a direct relationship between one set of published proposals and subsequent legislative provision. The last three White Papers published by this Department, in which legislation was proposed and has subsequently been started or completed, were
Special Needs in Education" published August 1980: Education Act 1981, First reading 22 January 1981;Better Schools" published March 1985: Education (No. 2) Act 1986, First reading 19 February 1986;Higher Education: Meeting the Challenge" published April 1987: implemented through the Education Reform Act 1988, First reading 20 November 1987.It is not for me to answer for the record of the last Government in this matter, but the information requested should be available in the Library of the House and the Official Report.