HC Deb 27 February 1996 vol 272 c465W
Mr. Spearing

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when she expects to lay guidelines for the governors of maintained schools in respect of standard of premises not within the statute's requirements of the draft school building regulations laid on 22 February. [17816]

Mrs. Gillan

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Swindon (Mr. Coombs) on 22 February 1996,Official Report, column 245–46.

Mr. Spearing

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment to what school regulations nursery schools or other under-fives provisions in(a) maintained, (b) voluntary and (c) private establishments (i) are now subject and (ii) will be subject if the draft schools regulations laid on 22 February are approved by Parliament. [17817]

Mrs. Gillan

Nursery schools, nursery classes and reception classes in the maintained sector are subject to the Education (School Premises) Regulation 1981 and, subject to the approval of Parliament, will become subject to the Education (Schools Premises) Regulations 1996 from 1 September 1996, when the 1981 regulations will be revoked.

Nursery schools and other under-fives provision outside the maintained sector are subject to other legislation—in particular, the Children Act 1989. Such provision falls within the scope of neither the School Premises Regulations 1981, nor the new 1996 regulations.