Education Bill — 19 Jun 2002 at 17:12

[Amendment No. 53 not moved.]

moved Amendment No. 54:

After Clause 30, insert the following new clause-

"PROTECTION OF SCHOOL PLAYING FIELDS

Regulations shall provide for the control by the governing body of a maintained school of school playing fields and sporting facilities, which shall, among other things, provide that neither the Secretary of State, nor a local authority, nor any other public authority, shall give consent to the sale, transfer or disposal of playing fields or pitches owned or leased by a governing body of a maintained school or local authority unless-

(a) it can be shown by the governing body or bodies, or local authority, concerned that the sale, transfer or disposal is for the purpose of providing playing fields or sporting facilities of equal or improved quality for the use of the school and, if appropriate, other schools;

(b) in the case of a sale, transfer or disposal made by a local authority, it is done with the consent of the governing body or bodies concerned;

(c) it takes into account the impact in the local authority area on team sports requiring extensive playing fields or pitches and demonstrates that children at schools in the area will still have full and regular access to practise those sports; and

(d) the parent body of the school or schools concerned has consented in a ballot to the sale."

On Question, Whether the said amendment (No. 54) shall be agreed to?

Their Lordships divided: Contents, 115; Not-Contents, 129.

Debate in Parliament | Historical Hansard | Source |