HC Deb 14 July 1965 vol 716 cc489-90
24. Mr. Bence

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to expand the school building programme in Bearsden and Clydebank.

Mr. Ross

Dunbartonshire Education Authority's share of the capital investment available for school building is large enough to allow it to make good progress in these areas; four schools are under construction and four more are being planned.

Mr. Bence

Is my right hon. Friend aware that, as a result of savage cuts in 1962 and 1963 by the Department in Edinburgh, the situation in Bearsden and Clydebank is that we are not keeping pace with the number of children reaching school age? Will he speed up the programme in order to overcome the serious frustrations of the last 10 years?

Mr. Ross

My hon. Friend would like more to be done, and so would I. But we have to take due account of the available resources. I am satisfied that Dunbartonshire is getting its fair share of the resources available.