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Dr. Hampson
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many proposals for the reorganisation of secondary schools have been approved in each year from 1959 to 1974; and what proportion of maintained secondary schools they constituted in each case.
Mr. Prentice
Before the Education Act 1968, proposals to reorganise a secondary school as a comprehensive school did not require the approval of the Secretary of State. It is not possible, therefore, to provide the information requested. Figures for the number of comprehensive schools in England and Wales in operation during the years in question and the proportion of maintained secondary schools they constituted are:
| Year (at 1st January) | Total Number of Comprehensive Schools | Proportion of Maintained Sector Per cent. |
| 1959 | 111 | 1·9 |
| 1960 | 130 | 2·2 |
| 1961 | 138 | 2·3 |
| 1962 | 152 | 2·6 |
| 1963 | 175 | 2·9 |
| 1964 | 195 | 3·0 |
| 1965 | 262 | 4·5 |
| 1966 | 387 | 6·7 |
| 1967 | 508 | 8·8 |
| 1968 | 748 | 13·4 |
| 1969 | 962 | 17·6 |
| 1970 | 1,145 | 21·8 |
| 1971 | 1,373 | 26·7 |
| 1972 | 1,591 | 31·8 |
| 1973 | 1,835 | 37·8 |
| 1974 | 2,273 | 48·6 |