HC Deb 17 May 1988 vol 133 cc790-1
5. Mr. Hicks

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has to ensure the future of village primary schools; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Dunn

It is the responsibility of local education authorities to provide a proper service to villages and rural areas as well as to other areas that they serve. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is currently supporting a number of projects, including one in Cornwall, designed to identify ways of enriching the curriculum of rural primary schools. Any proposal for the closure of a village school which comes before us is considered very carefully in the light of the criteria set out in the Department's circular 3/87, which makes it clear that size is not a criterion for closure.

Mr. Hicks

Does my hon. Friend agree that, to ensure the future of our village primary schools, it is esential that adequate resources are made available for vital improvements and extensions? Is he aware that in Cornwall alone over 50 major and minor primary school projects are awaiting attention, which is particularly worrying as by 1993 Cornwall will have 40,000 children of primary school age, the highest ever?

Mr. Dunn

My hon. Friend is right, but I must point out that allocations for capital works are made annually. Cornwall's allocation for schools and for further and higher education in 1988–89 was £6.4 million, which represented an increase of 14 per cent. over the figure for 1987–88. Of course, it is the duty of local authorities to look at their demographic situation and to decide whether to build new schools.

Mr. Matthew Taylor

Hon. Members will be aware that I represent and take particular interest in what the Minister has had to say about Cornwall's education system. The Minister will be aware of the particular difficulties that the county faces. I welcome the county's increase in its capital spending programme this year, but, with the new assessment arrangements, particular costs, in terms of teaching time, will hit primary schools. Has the Minister made any assessment of that impact, and has he any plans to help local authorities to overcome it?

Mr. Dunn

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on being appointed to his new post.

I must remind him that in allocating resources for capital expenditure the Department of Education and Science will continue to give priority to projects which provide places in areas of population growth. That answers the hon. Gentleman's point and refers to the earlier point made by my hon. Friend the Member for Cornwall, South-East (Mr. Hicks).

Mr. Key

Will my hon. Friend give special consideration to education support grants for rural primary schools' curriculum enrichment projects, such as that in Wiltshire, whose term is coming to a natural end? It would be disastrous if such projects were cut off at this stage. Will he do his best to ensure that those projects continue?

Mr. Dunn

My hon. Friend will be aware that the projects are in their mid-term phase and are being evaluated at local level. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is considering the possibility of a research project to evaluate the projects on a national basis, with the intention of disseminating to local education authorities examples of successful practice. I undertake to bring my hon. Friend's remarks to my right hon. Friend's attention.

Mrs. Clwyd

Will the Minister admit that there are serious anxieties that open admissions could lead to some schools bursting at the seams and accelerated closures of other schools, with a reduction of parental choice, especially in rural areas? How will he protect such schools?

Mr. Dunn

The hon. Lady falls into the trap that Opposition spokesmen fall into every time they appear at the Dispatch Box. They seek, as ever, to deny choice to parents whenever and in whatever situation they can possibly contrive to do so. We stand for sensible choice for parents wherever and whenever possible.

Dame Elaine Kellett-Bowman

My constituents are more than grateful for the unwavering support that my hon. Friend has always given to village schools and their excellent varied curriculum. They are glad to hear him reiterate that size alone will not be the criterion for closure, but they are worried about what will happen when the new building regulations come into effect in 1991. Will he ensure that there is sufficient money to enable our village schools to continue to serve the rural areas?

Mr. Dunn

We have always made it clear that many other factors bear upon the life and long-term survival of village schools. I have always recognised that many small village schools have to be retained because of the geographical isolation of the communities that they serve, so my hon. Friend's remarks are well received by me.