Travellers' Children (Hansard, 1 May 1996)

§ 12. Mr. Galloway
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will meet the Scottish Showmen's Guild to discuss the education of the children of Scotland's travelling people; and if he will make a statement. [26064]

§ Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
Neither my right hon. Friend nor I have had any request to meet the Scottish Showmen's Guild to discuss the education of the children of Scotland's travelling people. Our policy is to promote equal opportunities in education, including education for travellers' children.

§ Mr. Galloway
The guild is desperate to meet the four Scottish Office Ministers who are taking their place on the coconut shy in the fairgrounds these days because of the savage cuts in local government funding that they have imposed. The cuts have led to the imperilling of Whiteinch primary school in my constituency, where the travelling people send their children. Is the Minister aware that Whiteinch is the most popular primary school in Britain for the children of travelling people because of the hospitable welcome that they have been given there by the staff and by other pupils? Would it not be a tragedy if the school were to close as a result of the mean, tight-fisted settlement that the Government have reached with Glasgow city council, which has made such dreadfully painful choices necessary?

§ Mr. Robertson
The hon. Gentleman is on the dodgem ride in dodging responsibility for his Labour-controlled local authority. He will agree with Accounts Commission for Scotland reports telling us 1141 that there are 300,000 surplus school places throughout Scotland, and it is only right that new unitary authorities consider school closures carefully and sensitively. As I have said in the House on other occasions, when authorities come to do that I hope that they will take all factors into account. When considering the position of Whiteinch primary school, they must take into account the specific care and the sensitive treatment given to travellers and their children.
I hope that the hon. Gentleman will arrange an early meeting with his Labour-controlled council to put the points to it that he has put to me. At the end of the day, it is the council that must come to a decision.

§ Mr. Stewart
Does my hon. Friend agree that the guild represents a responsible set of people? Many of them will be at the Neilston show this Saturday, which starts at 11 o'clock, if my hon. Friend is free. Does he agree also that the education of travellers' children involves a genuine issue? If he receives a request from the guild for a meeting, will he agree that either he or my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State or, if appropriate, his Scottish Office officials should have a discussion on genuine issues, not the points raised by the hon. Member for Glasgow, Hillhead (Mr. Galloway)?

§ Mr. Robertson
When my hon. Friend sees the members of the guild on Saturday in his constituency, as he takes his place at the fair, he can pass it on to them that my right hon. Friend and I will be delighted to see any delegation that is led by my hon. Friend.

§ Mr. Connarty
It is obvious that the Minister will be concerned about the closure of any school that is attended by travellers' children and any other children. How is it that the same concern was not given to a school that is likely structurally to collapse? I refer to the Minister's visit to Bo'ness academy in my constituency. As a result of the cement that was used in construction, the school is falling down. We are told that it will have to be replaced within a decade. In other words, it will not be used after that. Why did the Minister not come forward with any further funding for the school? Why has he left the local authority with the problem of a collapsing school, with no help from an uncaring Government?

§ Mr. Robertson
It is truly unfortunate for the hon. Gentleman's constituents that he feels that he cannot adopt the responsible attitude that has been taken by the headmaster and the local authority. The hon. Gentleman knows that I visited the school with him on 26 February. He knows also that the consulting engineers' report made it clear that there was no immediate concern about the continued occupancy of the building, subject to the results of continuing monitoring. The new Falkirk council has time to consider the options for the building in the light of the information that it now has.
During my visit, as the hon. Gentleman knows, I encouraged the council to think further about the private finance initiative and work on the school building. On 9 April, PFI officials from the Scottish Office met Falkirk council and offered its representatives every assistance. I have asked to be kept in close touch with developments on that front.