HC Deb 15 March 1955 vol 538 cc1119-20
32. Mr. Steele

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why work on the Haldane Public School at Balloch has been stopped.

Mr. J. Stuart

Shortly after the preliminary work of pegging out the site had started I approved a proposal by Dunbartonshire education authority to extend the size of the school, and the work was suspended to enable the necessary alterations to be made to the plans.

Mr. Steele

Is the Secretary of State aware that just four weeks agothe Joint Under-Secretary of State informed me that work had just started on this school? Is it not the case that the local education committee wanted a larger school and that the plans were held up because the right hon. Gentleman's Department did not agree to a larger school, that the committee finally agreed to the smaller school and that then his Department suggested that a larger school should be built? Could I have some explanation of this avoidable delay?

Mr. Stuart

The delay is due to the fact that it was decided that it was right to increase the size of the school.