HC Deb 27 July 1989 vol 157 cc836-7W
Ms. Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will consider public representations on an application for leave under section 14 of the Education Act 1944: if he will postpone a decision on the application being made by the governors of the Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham schools in Deptford until after the school holidays, so as to allow parents and the governors of neighbouring schools sufficient opportunity to make representations; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Rumbold

My right hon. Friend, the former Secretary of State, set out the factors he would take into account in considering an application for leave under section 14 of the Education Act 1944 in his answer of 23 January 1989 to my hon. Friend the Member for Dartford, (Mr. Dunn) Official Report column 383. Plainly, these will include the views of governors, parents, and others. My right hon. Friend will take a decision as soon as he is in a position to do so.

Ms. Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, in deciding whether to grant leave to the governors of Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham girls school, Deptford, to discontinue the school for the purpose of establishing a city technology college he will take into consideration the no vote by a majority of parents to the question, "Do you wish the school to become one of a pair of city technology colleges?"

Mrs. Rumbold

My right hon. Friend, the former Secretary of State, set out the factors we would take into account in deciding such an approach by the governors of the Haberdashers' Aske's schools in his statement of 23 January 1989 at column 307. These will include such views as were expressed to the governors during the public consultations they undertook before they made this approach.

Ms. Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science in the event of city technology colleges being established on the site of the Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham schools in Deptford, what requirements he will place on the admission policy and catchment area of these city technology colleges to ensure that they benefit children drawn from the north Lewisham and the Deptford task force areas in particular; and how the catchment area for the city technology schools will relate to that of the proposed Bacons city technology college in docklands.

Mrs. Rumbold

As we shall shortly be considering this approach by the governors of the Haberdashers' Aske's schools under the provisions of section 14 of the Education Act 1944, it would be inappropriate to comment on these questions of detail in advance of that decision. The catchment area of each city technology college is subject to a specific agreement between the sponsors and my right hon. Friend; and we have always made it clear that each will focus on disadvantaged areas.