HC Deb 08 July 1986 vol 101 cc153-4
3. Mr. David Atkinson

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about his policy on the use of educational establishments during school holidays.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Science (Mr. Bob Dunn)

The use of school premises out of hours is a matter for local decision by authorities and governors. The Government encourage their fuller use by the community where this is practicable and justified.

Mr. Atkinson

Is my hon. Friend satisfied that the commercial potential of school premises and grounds, when they are not being used by pupils, is being exploited fully by education authorities to increase their revenue? Is he aware of the growing number of sports and activity holidays and of the thriving English language school industry, which often need venues of this kind?

Mr. Dunn

Local authorities are empowered to make an economic charge for the services that are provided. The evidence available to me of sports-centred holidays and school facilities is that they are developments that are worth watching. I shall continue to watch how this trend develops and how it can best be promoted.

Mr. Carter-Jones

Does the Minister not yet realise that the concepts enunciated in the village colleges in Cambridge well before the second world war are worthy of consideration now? Does he not recognise their importance to the community, and will he encourage them?

Mr. Dunn

I am not entirely aware of the pre-war development to which the hon. Gentleman refers. The concept of the use by the community of facilities as currently practised in Cambridgeshire — I visited Cambridgeshire a short while ago to see at first hand what it was doing — is to be encouraged and should be undertaken by other local authorities. I trust that in time the Cambridgeshire example will be followed.

Mr. Pawsey

I thank my hon. Friend for his generally helpful reply. Bearing in mind the importance of dual use to many of our communities, will he consider issuing a circular to local authorities so that this activity might be promoted?

Mr Dunn

The promotion of this activity is of great interest to the Government. A circular is one of a number of vehicles available to us. I shall bear my hon. Friend's comments in mind.

Mr. Sheerman

Will the Minister use this occasion to denounce the scheme, published in The Guardian this morning and emanating from the Department of the Environment, that local education authorities will be forced to let out schools to the highest bidder in the holidays, at weekends and in the evenings, and that parents of schoolchildren will be charged at the market rate for extra curricular activity, such as music lessons? Will he denounce this plan immediately?

Mr. Dunn

Before commenting, I should like to see the article to which the hon. Gentleman referred. I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for handing me a copy. I shall read it in the course of the next few questions.

The purpose of this question is to establish the Government's attitude towards the use of school facilities in the holidays and at other times. I have already said that we welcome the maximisation of the use of facilities at all times by local authorities.