§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools in England of fewer than 50 pupils closed in(a) 1975, (b) 1980, (c) 1985 and (d) 1989; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Alan Howarth[holding answer 16 July 1990]: The information for the years, 1985, 1980 and 1975 is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
In England, 36 maintained schools with fewer than 50 pupils were closed in 1989.
The criteria against which my right hon. Friend considers proposals to reorganise schools are set out in the Department's circular 3/87, which makes it clear that assessing the viability of an individual school is not solely a matter of the number of pupils on roll. A copy of the circular is available in the Library.