Labour 'deeply concerned' over playing field sell-offs

In response to a Freedom of Information request on school playing fields dated 23 April 2012, and updated on 8 August the Department responded as follows: “the number of applications [for school playing field disposals] received since May 2010 is 22. Approval has been given for 19 applications and 3 are under consideration.”

An investigation by the Daily Telegraph has found that the true number of disposals since May 2010 is as follows: 35 applications to sell school playing fields between 18 May 2010 and 22 July 2012, of which 30 were approved, 2 rejected, 1 withdrawn and 2 are outstanding.

I am deeply concerned by the fact that the Secretary of State has failed to disclose around a third of the playing field sell-offs that have been approved since the General Election.