HC Deb 13 July 1994 vol 246 cc627-9W
Mr. Barry Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will meet the chairman of the Education Assets Board and direct him to reverse his decision to transfer to and vest in the Deeside College a property within the grounds of Customs House county primary school, Deeside, Clwyd;

(2) if he will make a statement concerning his working relations with the Education Assets Board (Leeds);

(3) if he will meet the chairman and governors of Customs House county primary school, Deeside to discuss their plans for the future of the school.

Sir Wyn Roberts

The Education Assets Board has responsibility under section 36 of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 to secure that the transfer of property, rights and liabilities from any local authority to a further education corporation is fully effective. Where there is a disagreement about whether or not an asset should transfer, the board considers representations from each side before making a direction to the effect either that the asset should remain in local authority ownership or that it should transfer to the corporation. Both the local authority and the further education corporation have a right to appeal to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Wales against a direction made by the board.

No appeal has been received in respect of the board's decision that ownership of a property within the grounds of Customs House CP school, Deeside, Clwyd should transfer to the Deeside further education corporation. If an appeal is received, my right hon. Friend will give it careful consideration.

The Education Assets Board keeps the Welsh Office informed of the progress it is making in effecting the transfer of assets to the further education corporations and any disputes which arise in the course of its work.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to meet the chairman and governors of Customs House CP school. I have met both the headmaster and a governor of the school with the hon. Member.