§ 36. Dr. Kingasked the Minister of Education the total value of the 1955–56 building programme and how much of this is in respect of projects for rural reorganisation undertaken as a result of Circular 283, further education projects under that circular, and other projects resulting from the circular, respectively.
§ Sir D. EcclesThe value of major projects in the current year's educational building programme is about £70 million. This includes schemes to the value of £12 million for rural reorganisation and £2.5 million for further education which were added to the programme as a result of Circular 283.
§ Dr. KingIs the Minister aware that local education authorities jumped with alacrity to his new directive, especially as he assured them that there was no 555 limit to the work that they could undertake for rural reorganisation? Can he explain why he has now put a ceiling on such expenditure for 1955–56?
§ Sir D. EcclesI have not exactly put a ceiling on it. My original proposal was that county authorities should complete their programme for rural reorganisation in five years. It now turns out that the total programme is considerably bigger than was first submitted to me, because it is sensible to reorganise some schools in the county towns, where the new secondary schools for the over-elevens in the villages must be built. Therefore, I am keeping to the five-year period. It is necessary to do the work over the five years and not try to do it all in two or three years.