Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many applications for the disposal of school playing fields her Department has (a) approved and (b) rejected by (i) school and (ii) local authority since 4 July 2024.

The department has interpreted disposal in this context to mean the freehold sale, grant of a long-term lease of 30 years or more or appropriation of playing field land to another local authority use.

A register of decisions to dispose of school playing field land is published on GOV.UK: www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-land-decisions-about-disposals.