HC Deb 16 February 1988 vol 127 c813
8. Mr. Campbell-Savours

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has received proposals for the reorganisation of secondary education in the county of Cumbria.

Mr. Dunn

No, Sir.

Mr. Campbell-Savours

Is the Minister aware that the future of secondary education, particularly Catholic secondary education, in my constituency is now being prejudiced directly as a result of the cuts that the Government are imposing on Cumbria county council's education budget? Does the Minister understand that people are getting angry? Is it not true that the Government are pressing the Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to make attacks on the clergy as part of a campaign to undermine the truly independent position of the Church in Britain?

Mr. Dunn

I thought that the question was about secondary education in Cumbria. I remind the hon. Gentleman that Cumbria received a prescribed capital allocation for schools of £4.651 million in 1988–89. That was a generous allocation and represented 83.3 per cent. of the county councils plans, compared with the national average of 47.2 per cent. That is rough treatment indeed.