Integrated Schools (Hansard, 27 July 1998)

§ Mr. Willis
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans she has to allow students with statements of special educational needs to have their statements met with appropriate funding in integrated schools in Northern Ireland. [51833]

§ Mr. Worthington
The needs of those pupils with statements of special educational needs who are placed in grant aided integrated schools are funded in full by either the Education and Library Board or the Department of Education for Northern Ireland.

§ Mr. Willis
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans she has to allow students with assessed needs to be allowed free school meals whilst attending integrated schools. [51834]

§ Mr. Worthington
Where entitlement exists, free school meals are provided to pupils attending grant aided integrated schools, i.e., controlled and grant maintained integrated schools. There is no entitlement to free school meals in the independent sector and decisions as to whether certain pupils in independent integrated schools may be offered free meals is a matter for the school authorities. There are no plans to change these arrangements.

§ Mr. Willis
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans she has for the further development of the integrated schools sector in Northern Ireland. [51837]

§ Mr. Worthington
Government will continue to respond to parental demand for integrated education by supporting robust proposals for new Grant Maintained Integrated schools or for the transformation of existing schools to integrated status. I have also established a working group to examine ways of encouraging and promoting the further development of integrated education.