§ 11. Mr. Hornbyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of the capital sums allocated to Kent for the next three years will be available for improvement of existing schools; and how this proportion com pares with other education authorities.
§ Mr. RedheadThe proportion of the Kent programme for 1966–67 devoted to improvement projects is 35.6 per cent. compared with the national figure of 37.5 per cent. As the hon. Member knows, the programme for 1967–68 is only partly allocated and comparisons would be meaningless. But three projects, worth £412,000, already in the Kent programme for 1967–68 are wholly or mainly devoted to improvement.
§ Mr. HornbyI am grateful for the point which the hon. Gentleman made at the end of his Answer. Will he not agree that those counties which have had a substantial influx of population from outside in recent years have to a considerable extent fallen behind other authorities where this has not been the case so much? Will the hon. Gentleman do his utmost to see that Kent gets opportunities for improving existing schools as well as building new ones, and also look at the allocation of further works?
§ Mr. RedheadI am sure the hon. Gentleman appreciates that the inclusion in programmes of projects for the replacement or improvement of existing schools depends on the relative merits of the projects submitted by all authorities. These will be taken into account when the next submissions are considered.