HC Deb 06 February 1969 vol 777 c572
27. Mr. Dance

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will request local education authorities to make separate estimates of the costs of making changes in the supply of books in schools caused by the introduction of decimal currency.

Mr. Edward Short

I refer the hon. Member to my Answer to the hon. Member for Wycombe (Mr. John Hall) on 14th November.—[Vol. 773, c. 126.]

Mr. Dance

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that many teachers think that the allocation of money for text books in the schools is too low, and are worried that when they have to teach the decimal system the rest of the grant for education may suffer becsause new text books will be required?

Mr. Short

On the first point, I think that there are great inequalities in the provision between different authorities, and I should like to see the authorities themselves putting this right, as the Plowden Report suggested.

I think that the hon. Gentleman is making heavy weather of the second point. Schools have taught decimal currency for years. They have always taught it, and I am sure that they will take this in their stride and provide the books out of normal replacements. After all, they have had a lot of warning about this.