HC Deb 16 June 1953 vol 516 cc728-30
28. Mr. Rankin

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the serious nature of the criticisms made in the report issued to the Education Committee by the Director of Education for Glasgow about the restrictions on the building of schools, and of the shortage of teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Mr. Henderson Stewart

Yes, Sir. There has not yet been time to examine the report in detail, but I am unable to accept some of the statements it contains. Every endeavour has been made to help the Glasgow Education Authority to settle their general school building programme, to obtain suitable sites, to prepare economical plans and to get the starting dates they asked for. My right hon. Friend has allocated to them as large a share of controlled materials as possible. He is not satisfied with the rate of progress in Glasgow and, before he knew that this report was being prepared, he had arranged for his officials to meet officials of the education authority to discuss the problem. The meeting is taking place this week.

I am aware of the shortage of teachers-in Scotland, but, according to the latest return, the shortage in Glasgow was below the Scottish average. I hope that during the debate on the Education Estimates it may be possible to make a comprehensive statement about the steps which are being taken to improve the position.

Mr. Rankin

Is the Joint Undersecretary aware that the amount of material being made available to Glasgow is not enabling the Corporation to meet the minimum essential needs of education in the new housing areas, particularly in the primary departments where 6,000 pupils, and in the secondary department all the pupils, have to be transported to other schools in the older part of the City because of the inadequacy of school accommodation in the new housing areas.

Mr. Stewart

The hon. Member will know as well as I do that the school building problem in Glasgow is complicated as the result of difficulties within the Corporation itself. This is not the time to discuss that at length. This meeting is taking place and I hope it will have results which both the hon. Member and I can cheer.

Mr. Rankin

Is the Joint Under-Secre-tary aware that the problems became complicated only as a result of the standstill order introduced by the present Government in December, 1951?

Mr. Stewart

No. I am answering a Question on that later. The hon. Member is quite wrong.

29. Mr. Hamilton

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how far the provision of new school building in the developing mining areas is keeping pace with the increasing demands; and what priority in such building is given to these areas.

Mr. Henderson Stewart

A comprehensive programme of school building in developing mining areas is in hand and I have no reason to believe that the provision of new schools is not keeping pace with the demand. No school in a developing mining area has been held up because of the claims of other areas and no question of priority has therefore arisen.

Mr. Hamilton

Can the Minister indicate whether there are any shortages of materials holding up school building not only in mining areas but elsewhere? Is he further aware that in Fife there is— I will not say a great deal—but a certain amount of discontent about the relationship between the school building programme and the number of children coming in? In view of the fact that Fife is one of the most important developing mining areas in the whole of Britain, will he take further steps to ensure that the school building programme is adequate to meet the needs there?

Mr. Stewart

As the hon. Member knows, we had a conference with Fife on the building programme not very long ago, and I think that Fife was satisfied with the result. But Fife is an important area and we are keeping in close and constant contact with the authorities on this matter.