§ 21. Mr. Awberyasked the Minister of Education in how many cases the requests by local authorities for new schools were reduced by his Department during the past three years; what was the estimated number required by the Bristol authority during each of these three years; and to what extent They were reduced each year.
§ Sir D. EcclesAs the Answer contains a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT. The hon. Member will see that approval was given to three-fifths of the Bristol proposals and about the same proportion in the country as a whole.
§ Mr. AwberyIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that when he asks local authorities for estimates of their requirements for the coming year, he expects them to use their judgment and commonsense, and that it is a reflection on them when he always decides to reduce the number of schools for which they have asked?
§ Sir D. EcclesThe method by which we plan the programme is the most sensible. We ask authorities to give us a list of their projects which they feel are most important and we then have to scale it down to the total which we are prepared to grant.
§ The following are the figures:
§ Sir D. EcclesNo, Sir. Shortened and expurgated editions are available if teachers wish to use them.
§ Mr. BenceI was not thinking of the aesthetic nature of Shakespeare's words, 573 but of their prophetic nature. In view of current literary, theatrical and economic trends, in the interests of the morale of British youth would it not be as well to explain John of Gaunt's speech in Richard II:
This dear, dear land …Is now leas'd out.