Oral Answers to Questions — Education and Science – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 11 Rhagfyr 1973.
Mr Barry Jones
, Flintshire East
12:00,
11 Rhagfyr 1973
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a statement on her policy with regard to Section 13 of the Education Act 1944 (Establishment and discontinuance of county and voluntary schools).
Mrs Margaret Thatcher
Secretary of State for Education and Science, Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Science
The policy remains as outlined in Circular 10/70.
Mr Barry Jones
, Flintshire East
Is the right hon. Lady aware of the disquiet over her interpretation of her powers in Section 13? Is her policy not designed to make it difficult for any local education authority to implement comprehensive schemes?
Mrs Margaret Thatcher
Secretary of State for Education and Science, Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Science
No. The people who dislike the decisions dislike them because they dislike the policy. I am not here to implement a Socialist education policy.
Mr Ernest Armstrong
, North West Durham
Is it not time that the Secretary of State accepted her full responsibility instead of hiding behind separate schemes? Should she not tell the country where she stands on selection and secondary reorganisation?
Mrs Margaret Thatcher
Secretary of State for Education and Science, Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Science
I accept full responsibility. It is open to anyone who claims that his interests are adversely affected by one of my decisions to test the validity of his claim in the courts.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
