§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many schools in England have(a) closed and (b) merged for each year since 1985, giving the totals for (i) primary, (ii) secondary and (iii) special schools. [23390]
§ Mr. Robin SquireInformation on the number of maintained schools closing each year is available only from 1987 onwards. For years before 1993, full information is not available to show whether closures occurred as the result of a merger or other closure. The total number of closures recorded in each year since 1987 is as follows:
Year Primary Secondary Special 1987 192 n/a 31 1988 198 176 47 1989 152 96 18 1990 265 127 31 1991 229 67 41 1992 318 108 27 1993 258 23 20 1994 253 26 24 1995 (provisional) 128 26 23 This table excludes 111 primary, 15 secondary and 21 special schools which closed during this period for which the precise closure date is not readily available.
The following table breaks down closures since 1993 between those recorded as mergers and other closures.
Area West training and enterprise council are making in meeting the criteria for the award of a three-year licence. [24219]
§ Mr. PaiceI am pleased to announce the award of a three-year licence to Bradford and District TEC and LAWTEC who have now completed the process of meeting the rigorous standards we set.