Schools: Playing Fields

Lady Hermon
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many school playing fields there were in each education and library board area in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997.

Maria Eagle
The Education and Library Boards have provided the following information for the number of playing fields at controlled and maintained schools. Information relating to voluntary grammar, grant-maintained integrated and Irish medium schools is not readily available.

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|Board Area   |1997|1998|1999|2000|2001|2002|2003|2004|2005|2006|2007|
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|Belfast      |52  |52  |52  |52  |52  |52  |52  |52  |53  |53  |53  |
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|Southern     |152 |152 |153 |154 |154 |154 |153 |153 |153 |153 |153 |
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|Western      |84  |87  |90  |90  |90  |89  |86  |84  |84  |80  |80  |
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|North Eastern|121 |121 |118 |118 |118 |118 |118 |118 |118 |116 |114 |
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|South Eastern|78  |78  |73  |73  |73  |74  |76  |76  |76  |76  |76  |
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