(2) what the evidential basis was for the statement in his recent letter to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak that not all schools with a religious character give priority in admissions to children of their faith.
The admission arrangements for maintained schools are consulted on and determined each year by the relevant admission authority. This information is published annually by each local authority for all schools in their area in their composite prospectus for parents. We do not collect this information centrally and have no plans to do so. Through discussions with local authorities, schools and faith providers, we know that practices vary widely and that a number of schools with a religious character do not give priority in admissions to children on the basis of their faith and others offer a proportion of places to children without reference to faith.