§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what consultation processs occurred with the head teacher of St. Patrick's Catholic primary school, Birkby, Huddersfield, before his Department issued an instruction to the governors of the school to conduct a ballot on the question of grant-maintained status;
(2) what consultation he had with the Bishop of Leeds before issuing instructions to the governors of St. Patrick's Catholic school, Birkby, Huddersfield with regard to grant-maintained status;
(3) what reason he had for issuing a directive to the governors of St. Patrick's Catholic primary school, Birkby, Huddersfield, to carry out a ballot of parents on the issue of grant-maintained status;
(4) what consultation he had with the chairman of governors of St. Patrick's Catholic school, Birkby, Huddersfield, before issuing instructions to the governors in relation to grant-maintained status.
§ Mr. Robin SquireOn 31 August 1993, the governing body of St. Patrick's Catholic primary school received a parents petition in favour of the school holding a ballot on grant-maintained status. As that petition met the requirements of section 60(2) of the Education Reform Act 1988, the governing body were placed under a duty to hold a ballot.
The Department wrote to the chairman of governors of the school on four occasions during October 1993 about this. The governing body having failed to initiate a ballot within the period required by the Act, the Department informed the chairman of governors on 2 December 1993 that the Secretary of State was minded to direct the governing body to hold a ballot.
In the light of the chairman of governors' response to that letter, the Secretary of State directed the governing body to hold a ballot and to give notice in writing of that ballot to the local education authority and to the trustees of the school.
Neither my right hon. Friend nor the Department has consulted the head teacher of the school or the Bishop of Leeds about this matter.