asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he is taking to support parental preferences for small rural schools to remain open; and if he will make a statement on his policy in this regard.

My right hon. Friend has a statutory duty to consider proposals for the closure of small rural schools on their merits. In doing so he takes account inter alia of expressed parental preference for schools of this kind. Small isolated schools may have difficulty in sustaining a broad and balanced curriculum: my right hon. Friend is currently supporting pilot projects in 14 LEAs under the rural schools educational support grants programme, aimed at identifying ways of widening and enriching the curriculum.