Written question asked by Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Crossbench), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Rooker (Labour) on Tuesday, 20 December 2005.

Northern Ireland: School Closures

Question: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Rooker on 30 November (WA 47), in light of the statement that the department does not require (and has never sought) the closure of schools in Northern Ireland with financial deficits, how they define ““appropriate action”” in resolving small schools’ financial difficulties.

Answer: The Department of Education expects education and library boards (ELBs) as funding authorities to take action to ensure that boards of governors fulfil their responsibility to live within the budgets allocated to their schools. Where this does not happen, ELBs have the power to remove from a board of governors the right to a delegated budget.The department recognises also that a deficit budget can also be an indicator that a school may no longer be educationally sustainable and, in such circumstances, expects school managing authorities to consider how best to ensure that children have access to a high quality education.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 2940; 676 c273-5WA
Session: 2005-06
Related items: Northern Ireland: School Closures
Wednesday, 30 November 2005
Written questions
House of Lords
Subjects: Debts Closures Finance Northern Ireland Schools
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk