HC Deb 25 October 1956 vol 558 cc813-5
26. Dr. King

asked the Minister of Education whether, in view of the protests made by the Hampshire Education Committee against Circular 301 and by the Southampton Education Committee against Circulars 301 and 306, he will now modify his proposals on the cost per place of school buildings and on the building programmes for the next two years.

Sir D. Eccles

No, Sir. I am satisfied that good schools can still be built within the cost limits in sufficient numbers to meet essential needs.

Dr. King

Is the Minister aware that the protests to which this question refers are not party protests and that this morning the Hampshire Education Committee, which is largely Conservative. again unanimously protested against the economy cut which the Minister is making in school building, especially when it discovered that eight or nine schools had been cut out of the school building programme? Will he not take note of the views of responsible people of both political parties in local government of the serious effect that these economies are having on school building?

Sir D. Eccles

In very difficult cases I do allow exceptions, but I see no reason why the Hampshire Education Authority could not, by efficient planning, build within the cost limits.

27. Dr. King

asked the Minister of Education the average amount per school in the 1956–57 programme which will have to be secured by economies to achieve the £4 million which he expects to save by his decision, in Circular No. 301, not to increase the current cost limits of £154 and £264 per primary and secondary place, respectively.

Sir D. Eccles

The £4 million represents the amount by which the value of the 1955–56 building programme would have had to be increased to offset the rise in prices since April, 1955. I cannot usefully express this figure in terms of an average saving per school.

Dr. King

Is the Minister aware that this is not a Hampshire matter, just as it is not a Socialist matter, and the Association of Education Committees is repeatedly making representations to him that this fixing of the figure is compelling local authorities to make economies in school building, to cut out things which they regard as essential, or to use substitutes which in the long run will waste public money? Will the Minister not give serious consideration to the recommendation of the Association of Education Committees?

Sir D. Eccles

I have been looking for substantial protests, and they have not come. As a matter of fact, my information is that practically all the authorities are able, by efficient methods, to build within the cost limits.

34. Miss Bacon

asked the Minister of Education how many local authorities have made representations to him about the postponement of their school building programmes.

Sir D. Eccles

Forty-seven.

Miss Bacon

In view of the fact that, when he introduced Circular 306, the Minister said that the postponement of the school building programme was due to building difficulties, will he now let those authorities who feel that they can go ahead with building do so, or was it not a case of building difficulties but merely part of the economy campaign?

Sir D. Eccles

As the hon. Lady knows, the programme for the current year is somewhat larger than it was last year. It is clear that local authorities have as much work in hand this year as they can do. The postponement refers to the 1957–58 programme, and we still have time to see whether we can add to that if the general building situation gets better.