§ 41. Mr. Albuasked the Minister of Education the value of capital grants made to local authorities in each of the last two years for the provision of science laboratories in grammar and secondary modern schools, respectively.
§ Sir E. BoyleSince the Answer contains a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. AlbuCan the Minister say whether the amount of the grants in the last two years is comparable to the grant of £2¾ million which has been made by the Industrial Fund to independent and direct grant schools? Is he sure that the rate of expansion of science laboratories in the local authority secondary schools will adequately prevent the expansion of the gap in privilege between those who are able to afford to pay for their education and those who are not?
§ Sir E. BoyleThe hon. Member will see from the Answer in the OFFICIAL REPORT that the capital cost of new science laboratories at all secondary schools maintained by local education authorities shows an increase of from £1,100,000 in 1957–58 to £2 million in 1958–59. I do not regard that as too bad a rate of increase.
§ Following is the Answer:
| THE ESTIMATED CAPITAL COST OF NEW SCIENCE LABORATORIES STARTED IN 1957–58 OR DUE TO START IN 1958–59 AT SCHOOLS MAINTAINED BY LOCAL EDUCATION AUTHORITIES IS: | ||
| — | 1957–58 | 1958–59 |
| £ | £ | |
| Grammar Schools | 350,000 | 550,000 |
| Modern Schools | 600,000 | 1,200,000 |
| Technical Secondary Schools | 150,000 | 250,000 |
| TOTAL | 1,100,000 | 2,000,000 |
§ Grant is payable at the rate of about 60 per cent. on the annual expenditure by local education authorities on projects of this kind.