HC Deb 20 March 1996 vol 274 c367
12. Dr. Spink

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has to visit Castle Point to discuss the annual maintenance grant for the grant-maintained secondary schools. [20134]

Mr. Paice

My right hon. Friend has no such plans.

Dr. Spink

Does my hon. Friend accept that grant-maintained schools in Castle Point welcome the proposal in the measure that the House passed last night—that they should be able to borrow money? Does he deplore the Labour party's attitude and view that grant-maintained school governors cannot be trusted to manage their school funds? Does he believe, like me, that the real agenda of the Labour party is to destroy grant-maintained schools and to destroy grammar schools?

Mr. Paice

My hon. Friend has obviously studied, or perhaps he was present for, last night's debate. It was abundantly clear to anyone who paid attention that the Labour party believes that governors cannot make decisions about what level of borrowing is prudent for grant-maintained schools. The Government are providing governors with that opportunity, within the framework of the Funding Agency for Schools, and they will have to decide what level of borrowing is prudent for their funds and how they can support that borrowing.

The Government believe that governors have that power of responsibility and have the common sense to use it in the interests of their people. As my hon. Friend said, it is abundantly clear that the Labour party believes that only it and bureaucrats have the wisdom to manage other people's money. Wherever the Labour party is in power, in local authorities up and down the country, it is abundantly clear that it has failed miserably to do so.