§ 16. Mrs. Jane KennedyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proposals she has to reduce the backlog of repairs in schools. [20139]
§ Mrs. GillanRepair and maintenance of school buildings are the responsibility of local education authorities and individual governing bodies. Planned central Government support for capital work in maintained schools in 1996–97 is nearly £700 million—an increase of 6.7 per cent. on 1995–96.
§ Mrs. KennedyNotwithstanding that increase, does the Minister recognise that capital spending on schools has been halved in real terms in the past 20 years? Is that not an indictment of the Government's policy on school repairs? What hope can the Minister offer to the governors, local education authority officers and the teachers at Ashfield special school in my constituency who are waiting for repairs to take place at the two sites at which they work while trying to deliver education to children who are already disadvantaged? Would they not 371 be better off applying to the national lottery rather than waiting for the Government to take their problems seriously?
§ Mrs. GillanI cannot agree with the hon. Lady. She has taken a convenient bite out of time. A more recent bite out of time shows that, since 1990, more than £5 billion has been spent on county, voluntary-aided and grant-maintained school buildings. I am surprised that the hon. Lady did not take the opportunity to congratulate the Government on their record for Liverpool LEA, which has just had a very good capital round, with five major projects put on the starts list for 1996–97 and two further projects put on the design list. That will deliver more than £4.5 million over three years from the Government to Liverpool. I would have thought that she would welcome that.