HC Deb 04 June 2003 vol 406 cc427-8W
Mr. Reed

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to reduce the number of school playing field sales. [114690]

Mr. Stephen Twigg

Prior to October 1998, there was no regulation of the sale of playing fields at local authority controlled schools. If a local authority wanted to sell a school playing field there was nothing to stop it. No central records were kept of how many school playing fields were sold before October 1998.

Section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 was introduced on 1 October 1998 to stop the indiscriminate sale of school playing fields that occurred in the 1980s and early to mid 1990s. Local authorities and governing bodies of all maintained schools now need the Secretary of State's consent before they can dispose of a playing field or any part of a playing field.

Applications to dispose of school playing fields are assessed against three main criteria. These are:

  1. (i)schools' needs: that playing field provision and curriculum requirements at the school making the disposal, and at other schools in the local area, will be met;
  2. (ii)community needs: that community use of school playing fields is taken into account, with alternative facilities made available if necessary, and
  3. (iii)finance: that any sale proceeds are reinvested to provide new or improved sports facilities, or are used otherwise to help raise standards by providing better educational facilities.

All applications made since 16 July 2001 have been scrutinised by the School Playing Fields Advisory Panel. The Panel comprises representatives from the National Playing Fields Association, the Central Council of Physical Recreation, Learning through Landscapes, the National Association of Head Teachers and the Local Government Association. The Panel provides advice on the extent to which applications meet the published criteria. In 1999 the Government approved 42 applications to sell school playing fields larger than a sports pitch; 32 applications were approved in 2000, 22 in 2001 and 23 in 2002.

Mr. Wyatt

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many school playing fields have been sold in the last 10 years. [115777]

Mr. Miliband

Section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 was introduced on 1 October 1998 to stop the indiscriminate sale of school playing fields that occurred in the 1980s and early to mid 1990s. Local authorities and governing bodies of all maintained schools now need the Secretary of State's consent before they can dispose of a playing field or any part of a playing field. Applications to sell school playing fields are only approved where it is clear that they meet the published criteria and, in particular, that any proceeds will be used to improve school sports provision or education facilities.

There are no central records of how many school playing fields were sold before October 1998. Between October 1998 and December 1998, the Government approved 7 applications to sell school playing fields larger than a sports pitch; 42 applications were approved in 1999, 32 in 200, 22 in 2001 and 23 in 2002.

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