HC Deb 17 July 1969 vol 787 cc868-70
20 and 23. Mr. Eadie

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) in the school building programmes of 1960 to 1964 in England and Wales, what was the value of approvals, starts and work done; how the figures compare with those for the years 1964 to 1968; what was the value of work under construction in 1968; and how it compares with the figure for each of the previous eight years;

(2) what was the total number of new places in school projects in England and Wales in 1960 to 1964; how it compares with the number in the years 1964 to 1968; how many new school projects were under construction in 1968; and how this figure compares with that for the last eight years for which figures are available.

Miss Bacon

As the Answer contains a number of figures, I shall circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Eadie

Could my right hon. Friend satisfy my curiosity and that of the House by telling us whether, in any of the figures which she will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT, there are any comparative record figures?

Miss Bacon

The Answer is rather long, but I can tell my hon. Friend that in 1960 the value of school building work under construction was less than £84 million and in 1968 it was £164 million.

Mr. Ridsdale

Can the right hon. Lady explain why, in spite of all this money being spent on schools, there is such a serious shortage of primary school places in North-East Essex?

Miss Bacon

I can answer that easily. More ought to have been done in years gone by.

Following is the information:

1961–64 1965–68
Value of approvals £342.8m. £442.8m.
Value of starts £363.2m. £457.3m.
Value of work done £324.4m. £443.2m.
School Places started 1,000,670 1,298,039
School Places completed 905,560 1,211,269

Value of school building work under construction Number of projects under construction
£m.
1960 83.9 732
1961 114.5 877
1962 139.8 926
1963 153.7 1,006
1964 134.8 839
1965 123.0 816
1966 140.4 965
1967 163.3 1,102
1968 164.6 1,021