HL Deb 31 January 1945 vol 134 cc857-8

5.6 p.m.

VISCOUNT BLEDISLOE

My Lords, I beg to ask the question standing in my name on the Paper.

[The question was as follows:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether for the promotion of adult education and of social and recreative activities, conducive to the wise employment of leisure, they approve the post-war establishment of community centres, as recommended in the brochure, under that title, recently issued by the Ministry of Education; and if so, whether it is open to local education authorities to establish such centres in appropriate localities concurrently with the provision of requisite additional school accommodation within their areas or whether their establishment must be deferred until after the provision of the latter; and whether the suggested ad hoc survey can be conducted forthwith.]

LORD TEMPLEMORE

My Lords, my noble friend Lord Selborne, who answers for the Ministry of Education in this House, is away on Government business, and I have been asked to reply. My right honourable friend the Minister of Education regards the provision of community centres as a matter of great importance, and has already indicated his general agreement with the main conclusions and recommendations of the Report to which my noble friend refers. In Circular 20 (a copy of which is being sent to my noble friend) he further asked the local education authorities to review the position in their areas with a view to making provision in localities where an urgent need is found to exist, and also to consider in good time the plans which should be made to meet the needs likely to arise in the early post-war years.

As for the buildings required, it may be possible to meet some immediate needs for community centres by the use and adaptation of existing premises, but my noble friend will be fully aware of the difficulties which arise over new buildings. These difficulties may well continue for some considerable time, owing to the shortage of labour and materials and the fact that there will be other urgent claims in the educational field for essential school accommodation which will have to be considered.

House adjourned at eight minutes past five o'clock.