HC Deb 09 December 1964 vol 703 cc1530-1
12. Mr. Russell Johnston

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will review the allocations of money for school building in Scotland over the next three years.

46. The Earl of Dalkeith

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has for altering the existing financial provisions for school building in Scotland.

Mrs. Hart

The factors determining the amount of investment for school building include the capability of the building industry, the general economic position, and the rate of economic growth. Whilst at present my right hon. Friend can hold out no prospect of increasing the allocations, he will keep the position under close study.

Mr. Johnston

Is the hon. Lady aware that that reply will cause some disquiet, as indeed did the announcement of the allocation of money during the last Administration? This cut-back in allocation will postpone the much needed improvement of school buildings, and, secondly, it seems to be in direct contradiction of the intention to raise the school leaving age to 16 by 1970.

Mrs. Hart

The raising of the school leaving age by 1970 presents its own special problems. On the general question of the allocation of money for school building, we are confronted with the economic circumstances in which we find ourselves, and there can be no way out of this at the moment.

The Earl of Dalkeith

Does the hon. Lady realise that during the election campaign her party made considerable play of the school building cuts? Does her Answer mean that that campaign was mere electioneering, and was sheer humbug?

Mrs. Hart

It means that we had not quite anticipated the extent of the economic disaster which the party opposite left us.

Mr. Noble

Will not the hon. Lady admit that the economic situation of the country as a whole—and I do not accept her description of it—has very little to do with the particular needs of Scotland for which her right hon. colleagues have done nothing?

Mrs. Hart

The right hon. Gentleman will, I think, be looking back at his own period as one of rather less than nothing if this is the definition he applies to what we are trying to do.

Mr. Noble

Is the hon. Lady suggesting that over the last two or three years Scotland has not had very considerably more than her share of money both for education and for other things, and is not this to continue?

Mrs. Hart

What is quite clear is that Scotland will continue to get her fair share of everything that is going. What is also clear is that we have a great deal of catching up to do.