§ 27. Mr. HICKSasked the President of the Board of Education what is the attitude of his Department to the Kent Education Committee spending £55,000 on capital expenditure to forward higher education; and if he will furnish particulars, by counties, of any other reductions in expenditure by local education authorities that have been asked for by the Board of Education?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of EDUCATION (Sir Donald Maclean)I am sending the hon. Member a copy of Circular 1413, which shows the attitude of the Board of Education towards the proposals of local education authorities for new capital expenditure. I understand that the Kent Local Education Authority, after consultation with the Board, propose to provide in their estimates for the coming financial year a sum 238 of £55,000 in respect of capital expenditure on new developments in the sphere of higher education; but, until the individual proposals have been submitted for approval, it is not possible for me to say what the Board's decision will be on this proposed expenditure. Other authorities are similarly consulting the Board as to any new developments which they have in mind, but, in view of the general nature of the Board's representations, I am unable to give the detailed information asked for in the second part of the question.