HC Deb 22 March 1955 vol 538 cc1867-8
37. Mr. Brooman-White

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of new school places provided by local authorities in grant-aided and approved schools during 1954.

Mr. Henderson Stewart

Thirty-four thousand three hundred and seventy.

Mr. Brooman-White

Do not these figures give the answer to any attempt made by the Opposition to allege that the Government are lagging in the school building programme? Though the problem of overcrowding is very great, has not remarkable progress been made in overcoming it, and do not these figures constitute something like an all-time record?

Miss Herbison

Is not the Minister aware that the figures given are completely wrong, and that in each year since the present Government came to power capital investment in the provision of new school places has been cut?

Mr. Stewart

That is not correct. The House may like to know that the figure for the year which I have just quoted is 27 per cent. higher than for the previous year and nearly double the figure for 1950.