§ 17. Mr. J. Johnsonasked the Minister of Education what steps he is taking to provide additional science laboratory accommodation for State secondary schools.
§ The Minister of Education (Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd)I have invited local education authorities to submit proposals of this kind so that I can consider their inclusion in next year's building programme.
§ Mr. JohnsonI thank the right hon. Gentleman for that reply, but is not he aware that the independent sector of public schools is getting lavish bequests from the big industrial firms in respect of science laboratory accommodation and that if he does not help our State schools in a somewhat better fashion the gulf between the two sectors will simply widen, to the disadvantage of the State secondary schools?
§ Mr. LloydWe have in the current year's programme seventy-eight projects of this kind costing about £2 million.