HC Deb 24 January 1995 vol 253 cc128-30
4. Mr. Madden

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what were the main criteria she observed in setting the latest capital allocation for Bradford's maintained schools.

15. Mr. Sutcliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what discussions she has had with ministerial colleagues about the capital programme shortfall facing Bradford metropolitan council in relation to education expenditure.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Mr. Robin Squire)

In December, my right hon. Friend and other ministerial colleagues and I considered the allocation of annual capital guidelines, ACGs, to all local education authorities with great care in relation to the Government's published priorities, which are as follows: commitments arising from previous ACGs or supplementary credit approvals; identified need for new school places and cost-effective projects to remove surplus places.

Full details are given in the Department's letter of 4 July 1994 sent to all authorities, a copy of which has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

Mr. Madden

Will the Minister ensure that, when the Secretary of State comes to Bradford on 1 March, she finds time to visit local authority schools and to discuss with parents, teachers and governors their anger at the way in which, in the past 16 years, the Government have consistently neglected the need for repairs, renovation and replacement of crumbling schools in that city? This year, we have received £5 million, when our real needs are estimated at £40 million plus. The last straw came when, some time ago, the Department allocated a large amount of taxpayers' money to provide a covered-in playground for Bradford city technology college.

Mr. Squire

The hon. Gentleman appears to be slightly confused. First, as he knows, my right hon. Friend is looking forward to visiting Bradford, and during that visit she expects to be able to visit one or more LEA school. Secondly, I am sure that the House would welcome some recognition from him of the substantial success of Bradford CTC instead of the constant carping that we hear. Thirdly, if he was not already aware, he will now be aware that all ACGs, as I mentioned, are allocated by formula and, to the extent that Bradford LEA's bid matches that nationally agreed formula, so proportionately it will receive more money.

Finally, the hon. Gentleman referred to what he alleged to be a poor rate of building money provided by Government in recent years. He should he aware that support for schools' capital increased by 57 per cent. in real terms between 1986–87 and 1993–94. That is a good record, by any standards.

Mr. Sutcliffe

The Minister will be aware, though, that the Secretary of State's visit to Bradford on 1 March will not be the first visit by a Secretary of State. During every previous visit, Secretaries of State promised extra help and support for Bradford when they heard the undeniable case made by Bradford people. I hope that, when the Secretary of State visits this time, she will take away the opinion of the all-party committee on education in Bradford, which says that the need in Bradford amounts to between £70 million and £100 million. I hope that we receive, not simply tea and sympathy, but some of the money that we need.

Mr. Squire

I am sure that my right hon. Friend is delighted to hear of the warm reception that she will receive in Bradford—a warm reception that she receives in all parts of the country when she visits them.

I know that my right hon. Friend will listen carefully to arguments made to her, but the hon. Gentleman must understand and accept ultimately that, if we were to distribute the money under anything other than an agreed formula, he would be one of the first to say that something was wrong, and he would smell some sort of rat. We have to distribute in accordance with a formula. Provided that the arguments that he and his friends in Bradford make are in line with that formula, I am sure that my right hon. Friend will listen carefully.

Dame Elaine Kellett-Bowman

Can my hon. Friend compare the position of schools in Bradford with that of those in Lancashire? Is he aware that Lancashire county council receives a substantial increase in funding, but, far from handing that over, it has threatened a cut of between 6 and 8 per cent.? Not only that, but—[Interruption.]—it has reduced the proportion handed down under local management of schools from 87 per cent. to 85 per cent.

Madam Speaker

Order. It is a good try by the hon. Lady, who mentioned Bradford only once and now is concerning herself, quite understandably, with Lancashire, but I am afraid that she must wait for a question on Lancashire. This is the other side of the Pennines, and both she and I know the difference.