HC Deb 15 June 1972 vol 838 c1700
3. Mr. Leslie Huckfield

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will increase expenditure on primary education in urban areas for improving environmental standards.

Mrs. Thatcher

The £210 million already announced for 1972–76 for improving and replacing old primary schools will yield environmental as well as educational benefits.

Mr. Huckfield

Is the right hon. Lady aware that under Home Office Circular 247 of 1971, local authorities were asked for suggestions for projects to give children from environmentally deprived areas a break? Is she aware that every single scheme from Warwickshire was turned down? I refer in particular to that submitted by Nuneaton Borough Council for Chilvers Coton School. If she cannot use some of the money she has just mentioned for such projects, will she have a word with the Home Secretary to see whether he will do something about this matter in Warwickshire, and particularly in Nuneaton?

Mrs. Thatcher

The purpose of the money I have announced is the improvement of old primary schools; money under the urban aid programme which is allocated to my Department is given almost wholly to nursery schools and nursery classes. That is a very important priority. In addition, we have some money for the Youth Service, a greater proportion of which is being switched into the deprived areas this time.