§ 32. Mr. W. BAKERasked the President of the Board of Education (1) what is the highest cost per school place sanctioned in the building of secondary schools since 1919; what is the lowest cost; where the schools are situated; in what years they were built; and what is the average cost per school place in new secondary schools the erection of which has been sanctioned since 1st January, 1925;
(2) what was the average cost per school place in elementary schools in 1913, 1919, 1921, and the first six months of 1925, respectively; what is the highest cost per school place sanctioned in the building of elementary schools, and in what place and year; what is the lowest cost per school place in the building of elementary schools sanctioned since 1st January, 1919; and where the school is situated?
Duchess of ATHOLLI will, with the hon. Member's permission, answer these questions together. Building costs depend upon so many local factors that my right hon. Friend thinks the only figures he can usefully give are that at the present time the cost per place, exclusive of the cost of site and furniture, in secondary schools is about £100, in ordinary elementary schools is about £23 to £30, and in central schools about £40 to £45. The average cost per place in 563 an elementary school of any type in 1913 was about £13.