HC Deb 23 January 2002 vol 378 c905W
Mr. Laws

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her estimate is of the number of(a) beacon schools, (b) academy schools, (c) specialist schools and (d) new faith schools in each year from 1997 to 2007; and if she will make a statement. [29207]

Mr. Timms

The information is as follows:

Year Specialist schools Beacon schools
September 1997 258 0
September 1998 330 75
September 1999 403 200
September 2000 536 550
September 2001 685 1,000

Year Faith schools opened in each calender year
1997 5
1998 9
1999 6
2000 4
2001 5

Targets for increasing the number of specialist schools and beacon schools are as of follows:

Year Specialist schools Beacon schools
2002 At least 830 1,150
2003 At least 1,000 1,350
2004 1,500
2005 At least 1,500

At present no city academies are open. The target is to expand the city academy programme year on year and for at least 20 academies to be open by 2005.