That this House congratulates the parents and governors of all those schools in Northumberland who have shown admirable good sense in deciding to resist the Department of Education's continual desperate attempts to persuade them to accept grant maintained status for their schools; notes that of the three schools where ballots were held, only one gave way to the temptation, and only by a majority of two; and recognises with satisfaction, that of all the shire counties in England and Wales, Northumberland will spend the highest proportion of new current expenditure at 61.8 per cent. upon its education service, and that that is one of the principal reasons that the vast majority of the people of Northumberland have full confidence in the education provision for their children, despite the severe reductions in Government support for the county.

That this House congratulates the parents and governors of all those schools in Northumberland who have shown admirable good sense in deciding to resist the Department of Education's continual desperate attempts to persuade them to accept grant maintained status for their schools; notes that of the three schools where ballots...