HC Deb 14 February 1963 vol 671 cc1466-7
16. Mr. Hilton

asked the Minister of Education on what date he received a request to meet a deputation from the Norfolk County Council to discuss urgent educational problems in Norfolk; and what was the date and nature of his reply.

Mr. Chataway

The request was received on 31st December, 1962, and answered on 9th January, 1963. The authority was told that my right hon. Friend could not increase the size of its 1963–64 school building programme and that the size of the 1964–65 programme had still to be settled. In these circumstances he felt that no useful purpose could be served by his meeting a deputation to discuss the school building programme.

Mr. Hilton

Upon reflection, will not the hon. Gentleman agree that this was a bad snub for the Norfolk County Council, of which I am a member, on the part of his right hon. Friend? Is he aware that among the many urgent educational problems in Norfolk we have the problem of village schools which are completely out-dated? Is the hon. Gentleman aware that there is also an urgent need for secondary schools, and particularly for one at East Dereham in my constituency? If the Minister is not prepared to meet a deputation from the county council and to listen to our problems, will the hon. Gentleman ask him to make certain that extra money is available so that we may get on with building the new secondary school which is so urgently needed at East Dereham?

Mr. Chataway

My right hon. Friend carefully considered the case of the Norfolk authority and made certain that the authority had received its fair allocation. As the hon. Gentleman knows, this is not the first request which has been received from the authority for the Minister to receive a deputation. As my right hon. Friend could not receive a deputation from every local education authority I think that he was right to send the reply which he did.