HC Deb 30 January 1990 vol 166 cc160-1W
71. Mrs. Maureen Hicks

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he has considered to ensure that local education authorities reduce their number of surplus school places.

Mr. Alan Howarth

Local education authorities are aware of the high cost of under-used capacity at schools with a substantial proportion of surplus places. They recognise therefore that it is very much in their own financial interests to continue to come forward with proposals to rationalise their school provision where appropriate and continue to make proposals to that end.