HC Deb 13 December 1994 vol 251 c607W
16. Mr. Rowe

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the latest figure she has for the number of schools that have now voted in favour of grant-maintained status.

Mr. Robin Squire

To date, a total of 1,153 schools in England have voted in favour of grant-maintained status.

29. Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list the circumstances in which she has required a second ballot on grant-maintained status.

Mr. Robin Squire

Under the Education Act 1993, a second ballot on whether a school should apply to become grant-maintained is required if fewer than 50 per cent. of eligible parents vote in the ballot, or the result is a tie.

My right hon. Friend has powers to declare a ballot void and require that a fresh ballot be held if it appears to her that the ballot has not been held in accordance with provisions in the 1993 Act, that the governing body has not acted in accordance with the statutory guidance, that there has been interference in the ballot process or that voting in the ballot has been influenced to a significant extent by false or misleading information.

To date, six ballots have been declared void using the powers in the 1993 Act and those they superseded in the Education Reform Act 1988. In one case, this was as a result of the dissemination of false or misleading literature. Ballots held at the other five schools were declared void because of irregularities in the electoral roll.