Written question asked by Janet Anderson (Labour) on Monday, 1 February 2010, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 3 February 2010. It was answered by Lord Coaker (Labour) on Wednesday, 17 March 2010 on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Building Schools for the Future Programme: Lancashire

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families for what reasons his Department requested Lancashire county council to remove Whitworth Community High School from its Building Schools for the Future bid.

Answer: Lancashire county council's 'Readiness to Deliver', submitted in September 2009, did not sufficiently address how its proposals for BSF would manage the issue of surplus capacity in some of its schools. Whitworth Community High School in particular has a projected high level of surplus capacity.The authority was invited to revise its 'Readiness to Deliver'. Rather than delay entry into the programme, the authority chose to resubmit a revised scope of schools which did not include Whitworth Community High School, with the intention of addressing the pupil place planning issues in a later phase.

Secondary information