HC Deb 02 March 1976 vol 906 cc1089-90
23. Mr. George Rodgers

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what further aid he can provide for metropolitan district councils with responsibility for educational provision.

Mr. Mulley

I have no power to supplement the rate support grant paid to local authorities.

Mr. Rodgers

Does the Minister agree that as a consequence of the extraordinary local government changes which took place recently in that area many district authorities have to bear the full burden of education without adequate resources? Will he take steps to remedy that situation?

Mr. Mulley

The formula that determines the distribution of rate support grant is arrived at by this House on the advice of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. The Layfield Committee, which has been going into these matters, is due to report shortly. I have no doubt that there will be considerable discussion on that, and I hope that my hon. Friend will contribute to that discussion. For the moment I have no power to supplement the rate support grant.

Mr. Kershaw

The United Kingdom Committee for Overseas Student Affairs is very active in this area. Is it not deplorable that the Government are destroying the subsidy to UKCOSA for the forthcoming year? What does the Minister plan to do about that?

Mr. Mulley

I am not sure that the question arises from the provision of money to metropolitan district councils.

Mr. Hardy

Does my right hon. Friend consider that metropolitan district council education committees and all other education authorities should be made fully aware of the fact that by 1979 there will be 578,000 fewer children in our primary schools?

Mr. Mulley

I think the reduction in the number of children of school age in the next 10 years is a factor we have to keep very much in the forefront of our minds. It can mean certainly 1 million and possibly 1.5 million children fewer than the present 9 million, and in planning ahead we have to take that into account.