§ 10. Mr. TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a further statement about the financing of city technology colleges.
§ Mrs. RumboldOverall planned expenditure on the city technology colleges programme is £86 million in the present public expenditure planning period. To date more than£20 million has been pledged by sponsors towards the capital costs of establishing CTCs. The normal running costs of CTCs will be met by Exchequer grant.
§ Mr. TurnerWill the Minister confirm that the Secretary of State still believes that the substantial cost of CTCs should be borne by the private sector, especially since he made that speech to the Conservative conference last year? Also, if there is to be fairness, what contribution is he prepared to make to state-maintained schools in those areas where CTCs are being set up? What funds will be available for state-maintained schools to advance their science and technology teaching?
§ Mrs. RumboldIn the first place, this is the greatest amount of money ever pledged from the private sector to support schools. Private sector money is most welcome to support my right hon. Friend's inspired initiative in setting up these new schools for children who live in deprived urban areas. The Labour and Alliance parties could have assisted in the initiative had they been more willing as local authorities to give planning permission so that buildings that are no longer required could have been used for this extraordinarily good initiative, to enable children to gain from the education that their parents want for them.