§ 19. Mr. Lipsonasked the Minister of Education if he will state for the last recorded date the number of community centres; how many have been set up in the past 12 months; and what steps he is taking to encourage further expansion of this movement.
§ Mr. TomlinsonI regret that it is not possible to give reliable figures. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of a circular to local education authorities, which sets out the financial and other arrangements for encouraging community centres. Steady progress is being made, but is inevitably limited by restrictions on new building.
§ Mr. LipsonWill the Minister consider making representations to such authorities as are laggard in this matter, asking them to do more than they are doing?
§ Mr. TomlinsonThat has already been done and I think that during the past year some 40 centres have been established in temporary or adapted buildings.
§ Mr. Somerville HastingsMay I ask my right hon. Friend whether, in sending out to local authorities the circular of which he speaks, he would ask them to consider the desirability of taking in sufficient land to permit the addition of a health centre on the same site as the community centre?
§ Mr. TomlinsonThat is another question.