§ 16. Mr. McInnesasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many plans submitted by Glasgow Corporation to the Scottish Education Department for the construction of new schools since October, 1951 have not been approved, and what is the amount of the abortive expenditure incurred in consequence; and what is the normal time taken in other cases from the date of submission of plans until final approval.
§ Mr. Henderson StewartAll the plans except four submitted last week have been approved and there has therefore been no abortive expenditure, but in four cases plans had to be returned for revision before final approval could be given. Plans are now normally approved within six to eight weeks of their submission.
Mr. MclnnesSurely the hon. Gentleman is aware that it is a simple matter to reduce the period of approval, and that what is at present being given is merely qualified approval? I have here several examples of plans approved subject to a reduction of £15,000; plans approved subject to a reduction of £150 per place; plans approved subject to a reduction of £3 4s. to £3 6s. Construction, obviously, cannot proceed on plans approved on that basis, and is it not about time that a working party or something of that nature were set up by the Department and the local authority?
§ Mr. StewartI quite see the hon. Member's point, but it is exactly in order to deal with these matters of day-to-day administration that, as a first example, we established a working party between officials of the Department and Glasgow Corporation some little time ago.