§ 15. Mr. Dribergasked the Minister of Education if he has received a petition signed by 19,280 electors of varying faiths, resident in the Borough of Barking, Essex, urging him to approve the inclusion in the 1964–65 programme of the rebuilding of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Barking, which was destroyed by bombing in 1941; and if he will ascertain from the Roman Catholic authorities how urgently necessary they now believe this project to be.
§ Sir E. BoyleI have received the petition. I do not think it necessary to 1291 make fresh inquiries since I know that the Roman Catholic authorities regard this project as urgent. As the hon. Member was told last week, I am aware of conditions at the school, and I am prepared to look again at the Essex building programme for 1964–65 if additional resources become available.
§ Mr. DribergHas the right hon. Gentleman had an opportunity of looking at the copy of a letter dated 12th March, 1956, which I sent to him? Does not that seem rather to dispose of what the Parliamentary Secretary said last Thursday about the attitude of the Roman Catholic authorities?
§ Sir E. BoyleI have tried to read all the back papers on this file. In fact, my hon. Friend was not altogether wrong about it. It is true that this project did appear in the programme proposed for 1957–58 but it was then dropped until 1963–64. However, I recognise that this is a project which must have a place in the queue if it is possible to enlarge the school building programme for next-year.