HC Deb 11 December 1996 vol 287 cc273-4
12. Mr. Turner

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what additional financial assistance is being proposed for local education authorities and schools to tackle the problems of school security. [7062]

Mr. Robin Squire

An extra £66 million is being made available for security measures at LEA-maintained and grant-maintained schools over the next three years.

Mr. Turner

I thank the Minister for the answer, but the question is whether that is enough. The Minister will be aware that, following the horrific machete attack at St. Luke's school in my constituency, my local LEA has been actively encouraging schools to draw up school security programmes. To date, the total amount of money that has been identified is in the region of £1 million. The amount of money coming to Wolverhampton as a result of the Government's additional programme is approximately £100,000. It can be clearly seen that that is a tiny amount and just a drop in the ocean.

Madam Speaker

Order. That was another non-question. Perhaps the Minister might try to answer the non-question.

Mr. Squire

I will do my best, Madam Speaker.

We will announce shortly the individual LEA allocations, but even if—for the sake of discussion—I ran with the figure of £100,000 that the hon. Gentleman produced, over three years that would mean some £225,000 from Government, in addition, and I stress that, to the money already being spent on security by schools and LEAs. I do not believe that the country would consider £66 million to be as insignificant a sum as the hon. Gentleman suggests.