HC Deb 09 March 2004 vol 418 cc1388-9W
Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many school sports grounds have been sold in each London borough since 1997. [159169]

Mr. Miliband

I have been asked to reply.

There are no figures available until October 1998 when we introduced new legislation to stop the indiscriminate sell off of school playing fields. Before October 1998, there was nothing to prevent a local authority selling a school playing field if it wanted to. Local authorities and schools now must obtain the written consent of the Secretary of State before disposing, or changing the use, of school playing fields. Applications to sell school playing fields are approved only where it is clear that any proceeds will be used to improve school sports provision or education facilities.

The following table shows the number of approved applications from London boroughs to sell areas of school playing field capable of forming at least a small sports pitch.

London boroughs 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Barking and Dagenham
Barnet 1
Bexley
Brent
Bromley
Camden 1 1
City of London
Croydon 1
Ealing 1
Enfield 1

London boroughs 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Greenwich
Hackney
Hammersmith and Fulham 1 1
Haringey
Harrow
Havering 1
Hillingdon
Hounslow
Islington
Kensington and Chelsea
Kingston upon Thames
Lambeth
Lewisham
Merton
Newham
Redbridge
Richmond upon Thames
Southwark
Sutton
Tower Hamlets
Waltham Forest
Wandsworth
Westminster
Notes:
1. A 'school sports pitch' is an area of playing field that has the shape and topography to form at least a sports pitch of 2,000m2.
2. The table includes playing fields that have been used as school sports pitches within the 10 years before the application was made.
3. There were no figures collected before October 1998.
4. The table reflects applications made by each authority. The playing field that was the subject of the application need not be in the same borough as that making the application.