HC Deb 25 November 1965 vol 721 c748
48. Mr. Eldon Griffiths

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will increase the funds available for school building and teachers' salaries in West Suffolk in order to meet the needs of the county's overspill programme.

Mr. Denis Howell

My right hon. Friend has recently approved for the 1967–68 major building programme three school building projects for West Suffolk designed to meet the needs of the overspill programme, and he is considering another. When the major building programmes are drawn up for the remainder of 1967–68 and subsequent years, any further projects to meet these needs will be carefully considered.

The annual quota of full-time qualified teachers allocated to West Suffolk is based on estimates of school population agreed between my Department and the authority. These estimates will reflect increases in the county's school population resulting from the development of the overspill programme.

Mr. Eldon Griffiths

I am most grateful for that helpful reply. Will the Minister bear in mind that the widely scattered villages of West Suffolk also need more money for teachers and schools? Will he also bear in mind that as the population grows we hope that he will be able to increase the funds available and not cut them as he did in the case of the mini-minor works programme?

Mr. Howell

I do not accept for a moment that we cut back the mini-minor works programme. I assure the hon. Member that this claim on our priorities is increasing with the expanding school population.