§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in establishing integrated schools since the making of the Education Reform (NI) Order in 1989.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe Education Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 only came into force on 20 February. Since then, however, a number of schools have approached the Department of Education (NI) for advice about integrated status. Statutory proposals have already been submitted to education and library boards on behalf of five proposed new grant-maintained integrated schools and acquisition procedures for integrated status have also begun at a number of existing grant-aided schools. These latter procedures will include the holding of secret, postal ballots of parents, and it has been arranged that these will be conducted on behalf of school governors by the Electoral Reform Society in London.