HC Deb 19 December 1997 vol 303 cc375-8W
Mr. John D. Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the voluntary grammar schools which have preparatory departments; and if she will make a statement on the enrolments of these preparatory departments at each school. [20696]

Mr. Worthington

Nineteen of Northern Ireland's 54 voluntary grammar schools have preparatory departments. The most recent year for which enrolment figures are available is 1996–97 and the table shows the enrolment figure at each school.

Voluntary grammer schools preparatory departments
Name of school Number of pupils
Armagh Royal 49
Ballymena Academy 90
Ballymoney Dalriada 104
Bangor Grammar 121
Belfast Bloomfield Collegiate 93
Belfast Campbell College 189
Belfast Hunterhouse College 91
Belfast Methodist College 555
Belfast Royal Academical Institution 237
Belfast Royal Academy 291
Belfast Strathearn 171
Belfast Victoria College 161
Dungannon Royal 35
Holywood Sullivan Upper 189
Larne Grammar 48
Lisburn Friends 190
Lisburn The Wallace 196

Voluntary grammar schools preparatory departments
Name of school Number of pupils
Londonderry Foyle College 51
Magherafelt Rainey Endowed 52
Total 2,913

Mr. Trimble

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the costs of the current DENI capital building programme for(a)the controlled,(b)the maintained,(c)the integrated and (d) the voluntary grammar school sector; and in each case if she will list the approved schemes and their values. [21032]

Mr. Worthington

The details of my Department's major capital building programme are set out in the table. In addition, four school projects are being pursued under the Private Finance Initiative—St. Genevieve's High School, Wellington College, Balmoral High School (all Belfast) and Drumglass High School, Dungannon. The estimated capital cost of these projects is just over £31 million.

School Scheme Estimated cost School £ million
Controlled Schools
South Lisburn Primary New School 1.3
Glaskermore Primary, Banbridge New School 1.2
Belmont Primary, Belfast New School 1.3
Muckamore House Special New School 3.6
Drumahoe Primary New School 1.1
Ballykeel Primary, Ballymena New School 3.5
Grosvenor Grammar Extension/Refurbishment 4.4
Limavady Grammar Extension/Refurbishment 6.4
Moira Primary New School 1.8
Newtownabbey Community High Extension/Refurbishment 3.3
Total 27.9
Maintained Schools
St. Dallen's Primary, Warrenpoint New School 4.0
St. Bride's Primary, Belfast Conversion/Refurbishment 1.0
St. Patrick's High, Keady New School 12.4
St. Malachy's High, Castlewellan New School 12.8
Holy Trinity Primary, Cookstown Extension/Refurbishment 3.0
Mullanaskea Primary New School 1.0
Gaelscoil na bhFal Primary, Belfast New School 2.0
Total 36.2
Integrated Schools
Oakgrove Integrated Primary, Londonderry New School 2.6
Hazelwood College, Belfast Extension/Refurbishment 9.9
Total 12.5
Voluntary Grammar Schools
Lumen Christi College, Londonderry Extension/Refurbishment 5.1
St. Columb's College, Londonderry Extension 11.5
Total 16.6

Mr. Trimble

To ask the Secretary of state for Northern Ireland if the funding of administration costs of the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools will be subject to the same economies and constraints as are applicable to the headquarters costs of education and library boards. [21265]

Mr. Worthington

The administration costs of the Council will be subject to economies and constraints but the level of constraint will be determined after consideration of the Council's individual circumstances.

Mr. Robert McCartney

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the controlled primary schools in the North Down constituency, specifying in each case the spare capacity in terms of pupil numbers. [21424]

Mr. Worthington

The following controlled primary schools are within the North Down constituency:

Name of School Spare capacity at November 1997 (places)
Dundonald Primary Schools are within the North Down constituency None
Gilnahirk Primary School None
Holywood Primary School None
Crawfordsburn Primary School 12
Ballyholme Primary School None
Clandeboye Primary School 82
Bangor Central Primary School None
Redburn Primary School 189
Glencraig Primary School 59
Bloomfield Road Primary School 95
Conlig Primary School 61
Tullycarnet Primary School 265
Grange Park Primary School 19
Kilcooley Primary School 389
Rathmore Primary School 176
Towerview Primary School 77
Kilmaine Primary School 140
Ballymagee Primary School 64
The above list does not include Groomsport Primary School which was damaged by fire in 1966.

Mr. Robert McCartney

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans she has to consult parents concerning preparatory schooling funding; and if she will make a statement on the consultation undertaken and the amount of correspondence received to date. [21426]

Mr. Worthington

A consultative letter was issued on 8 October to all schools with preparatory departments. It was then a matter for each school to consult with and take the views of parents. The Department of Education has to date received approximately 900 responses during the consultation process.

Mr. Robert McCartney

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of preparatory school pupils attend establishments that are not categorised as Catholic for fair employment statistical purposes. [21425]

Mr. Worthington

100 per cent.

Mr. Robert McCartney

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what account was taken of the Policy Appraisal and Fair Treatment guidelines in the decision to review Preparatory Department funding; and if she will make a statement. [21427]

Mr. Worthington

A Policy Appraisal and Fair Treatment analysis will be carried out concurrent with the analysis of all the comments received during the consultation process. This analysis will be an integral part of the final decision-making process.