§ 13. Mr. Ridsdaleasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what new schools are planned in the near future in north-east Essex; and what is their estimated completion date.
§ Mr. CroslandI am sending the hon. Member a list of 18 major school building projects to be carried out in north-east Essex up to and including the 1966–67 programme. Estimated completion dates are given whenever possible.
§ Mr. RidsdaleAs this shows at least some awareness of the fact that this is a rapidly growing area, can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the amount spent on education in north-east Essex has kept pace with the growth of population?
§ Mr. CroslandThe amount to be spent in north-east Essex from 1965 to 1967 will be £1.6 million—a striking demonstration of the faith of the Labour Government in its possibilities.
§ Sir E. BoyleCan the right hon. Gentleman say at what date the programmes for 1965–66 and 1967–68 were approved? I think that he will find that those schools were programmed in April 1964.
§ Mr. CroslandThat may indeed be so, but this Government, when they came in, took the vital decision, uncharacteristic 800 of previous Governments, to pursue this ambitious building programme despite our economic difficulties.