36. Mrs. Whiteasked the Minister of Education why permission to include the proposed modern secondary school at Penley, in the building programme for next year, has been refused.
§ Miss HorsbrughBecause there is room for the children from this neighbourhood in existing schools.
Mrs. WhiteIs the Minister aware that the children from this rural district have to go into three different counties for their secondary schooling and that they have no community life in the rural district at the secondary school stage? Would she agree that the Flintshire Education Authority, through this and other cuts in their programme, have been penalised because they were quick off the mark with their earlier school building?
§ Miss HorsbrughI do not think they have been penalised. Having got on with their earlier school building they got better conditions for their children. I agree that the secondary school children have to go outside the county, but I think the hon. Lady will agree that if there are places in schools in the neighbourhood we should use them.
§ Miss BaconCan the right hon. Lady say how her answers to Questions Nos. 23, 24, 27, 30, 35 and 36 are in keeping with the speech she made in the recent debate on school building?
§ Miss HorsbrughThey are entirely in keeping. The numbers of places provided this year and last year are greater than ever before. More starts are being made and more schools are being completed.
§ Mr. MarquandWill the right hon. Lady say how it is in keeping with the Government's agricultural programme to refuse to build schools in counties like Radnorshire and Flintshire?
§ Miss HorsbrughIn Flint, the children are all provided with places, but in certain cases the secondary school is over the border. Where there is room in such a school which is just over the border of one local authority, I think the right hon. Gentleman will agree that it is far better that the places should be used.