§ Mr. RogersTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to reduce primary school class sizes in Wales. [93145]
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§ Mr. Hanson[holding answer 26 July 1999]: The Secretary of State started to implement plans to reduce primary school class sizes in Wales from September 1998. Following the £3.7 million Welsh Office grant for infant class size reduction in 1998–99, the Schools Census for January 1999 showed that the number of large infant classes in Wales had reduced by 50 per cent. when compared with January 1998. Out of 100,000 pupils just 15,000 remained in classes of over 30.
As a result of the £11.3 million allocated for 1999–2000, it is expected that 90 per cent. of the problem of large infant classes, which existed in 1997, will be solved.
The Secretary of State has no further plans to reduce primary class size, as this is now a matter for the National Assembly for Wales.