HC Deb 09 June 1986 vol 99 cc11-2
11. Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when his Department expects to receive the report of Her Majesty's Inspectors' latest investigation into the effects of local education authority expenditure policy on education provision in Wales.

Mr. Wyn Roberts

My right hon. Friend has received the latest report "The Effects on the Education Service in Wales of Recent Local Authority Expenditure Policies: An Assessment by Her Majesty's Inspectorate" for the academic year 1984–85. It was published on 5 June and I have placed a copy in the Library.

Mr. Thomas

I congratulate the Welsh Office on publishing the report on the Friday before I asked my question in the House. Will the Minister ensure in future that the Welsh report is published in the current academic year or at least in the following year? We have the English report for 1985–86, but we are still awaiting the Welsh report for that period. Will the Minister accept that the latest Welsh report is a devastating critique of the Government's policies and that it shows how the fabric of Welsh education — the buildings — and the available resources are crumbling during his tenure?

Mr. Roberts

I think that the hon. Gentleman is wrong about the report. Our report corresponds to the English report that was published a short while ago. Incidentally, it is in our discretion whether we publish the report and when it is published.

I fear that the hon. Gentleman has clearly misunderstood the report, because its emphasis is on the fact that the quality of the provision is decided not just by the level of financial resources but, crucially, on how effectively available resources are managed. [Interruption.] I am interested to see the hon. Gentleman showing us a grotesque newspaper report of the document. I hope that he will read the document itself.

Mr. Rowlands

Is the Minister aware that, because of the lack of resources, schools are ill-prepared for the new examination? Many schools, including all those in my area, have not even seen the syllabuses, the teachers have not been trained, and above all, the parents have been left in the dark about the character and nature of the new examination system. Does the hon. Gentleman think that that is the best way to produce a major educational reform?

Mr. Roberts

It is important for the House to realise that record high resources are being devoted to the education service in Wales. We are giving £659.5 million in rate support grant in the current year and pupil numbers have been falling. As for preparations for the GCSE, I know that 36 of the 47 syllabuses have gone out to local education authorities, and the remainder will be going out very shortly. There have been more preparations and more expenditure for this examination than for any previous examination.

Sir John Stradling Thomas

Will my hon. Friend confirm that the opposition and other critics are as muddled as usual about the great problem of resource management facing local education authorities? I do not underestimate that problem, but will my hon. Friend confirm that he has discussed the matter with every local education authority in Wales and that on their own figures —not on Welsh Office figures—there has been no cut in resources? However, the problem of resource management remains to be resolved.

Mr. Roberts

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. In real terms we were spending £100 more per secondary school pupil in 1984 than in 1979–80. My hon. Friend is right to say that the problem is not the size of the resources, but managing them and getting value for money in education.

Mr. Barry Jones

The Minister's replies are unconvincing. Is he not ashamed of the fact that, after seven years, we now have worried parents, disadvantaged pupils and very, very shabby schools? In our county the school service is decaying while, under this Minister, the private sector has obtained enhanced grants. That is a disgrace.

Mr. Roberts

We have at least had the courage to publish such reports. Indeed, it is the fourth report to be published by the Government. The Labour Government did not have the courage even to commission a report. The report contains some very valuable issues for the consideration of local education authorities. Given that report, and the report of the Audit Commission, I repeat that sufficient resources are being devoted to education. The problem is getting proper value for the money spent.