HC Deb 15 February 1977 vol 926 cc233-5
8. Mr. Skinner

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assistance she is giving to Derbyshire County Council for its school replacement programme, such as the Longwood Primary School, Pinxton.

The Under-Secretary of State for Education and Science (Miss Margaret Jackson)

The replacement of Longwood Primary School was not in Derbyshire's list of projects for 1976–77 or 1977–78, and so was not directly affected by the recent reductions in lump sums. Nevertheless, Derbyshire's allocation was reduced by £372,000.

Mr. Skinner

Does my hon. Friend agree that generally speaking cuts in public expenditure have an effect on working-class education and that in Derbyshire they have particularly affected the programme of replacement of school buildings, especially at Pinxton? Does she also agree that it is wrong to penalise working-class children and their parents by not providing them with a decent school, which they are endeavouring to get at Pinxton, when the Government are spending thousands of millions of pounds on weapons of destruction? Will my hon. Friend assist one of the few Labour groups in a county council to have a massive replacement programme in the forthcoming years?

Miss Jackson

I share much of the concern that my hon. Friend has expressed, in particular the need to improve and replace old schools. As my hon. Friend knows, we are all only too well aware of the effect that public expenditure cuts have in these areas. However, as I have already said to him, it is a matter for local authorities to which of the schools in need of help they decide to give priority. Unfortunately, the school that my hon. Friend is describing is not one of the priorities for the Derbyshire County Council.

Mr. Skinner

It will be.

Mr. Madden

What contact is my hon. Friend having with a local education authority a little further north, in Calder-dale, West Yorkshire, where the local education authority has recently announced that it is to reintroduce the 11-plus examination into areas where it was abandoned years ago—

Mr. Speaker

Order. With every respect to the hon. Member, we could go round the United Kingdom.

Miss Jackson

As my hon. Friend knows, we have been having talks with Calderdale on these and other matters and we hope to reach a satisfactory conclusion with those concerned.