HC Deb 24 April 1969 vol 782 cc639-40
21. Mr. Christopher Price

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when a further specific capital allocation for schools in educational priority areas will be announced by his Department.

Mr. Edward Short

I have no specific plans beyond the current £16 million programme. But in allocating any resources available for the replacement or improvement of old schools I shall continue to give preference to those in educational priority areas.

Mr. Price

While thanking my right hon. Friend for that reply, may I ask whether he agrees that it is a pity that, immediately after the Plowden Report, a specific allocation for educational priority areas which was put into the programme is now not to be continued in that specific form? Is it not important to keep up this concept of the priority area, not just in the immediate years after Plowden but in the years to come?

Mr. Short

I agree with my hon. Friend. If he scrutinises the regional lists which have been published, or the planning list for 1969–70, he will see, first, that the building programme has been bent considerably in the direction of the educational priority areas. Secondly, he will notice that we have authorised the payments to teachers in educational priority areas. Thirdly, he will notice that the first phase of the urban programme has been announced.