HC Deb 27 June 1968 vol 767 cc789-90
9 and 39. Mr. Scott-Hopkins

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) whether the necessary capital expenditure authorisation to adapt and enlarge the Lady Manners School at Bakewell, Derbyshire, has been granted; and if he will make a statement;

(2) if he will now authorise the required expenditure for alterations to Lady Manners Grammar School, Bakewell, in accordance with the agreed plan for comprehensive education submitted to him by the Derbyshire County Council Education Committee.

Miss Bacon

As the hon. Member will know, no formal decision has yet been reached on the authority's reorganisation proposals for this area. We have not been able to authorise this project to start this year because of the prior claim of projects to meet more urgent needs.

Mr. Scott-Hopkins

Does the right hon. Lady realise that many of the secondary schools which are involved in the reorganisation have held back applications for grant or applications for authorisation to extend their own schools, such as the secondary school at Tides well, and will she now, having postponed this particular one, look at the question of whether she could give authorisation for improvements in secondary schools which would have come in with the Lady Manners School if she had authorised it?

Miss Bacon

As the hon. Gentleman knows, we have set aside £7 million in each of the two years to help reorganisation schemes. For this year, 1968–69, we had to consider applications from those whose reorganisation plans were coming into operation this year or very soon. We still have to consider next year's applications, and I promise that I shall consider this case in the context of next year's £7 million.