§ 2.54 p.m.
§ Lord GridleyMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the allocation by the Secretary of State to local education authorities for 1988–89 for capital spending on buildings and equipment for schools and colleges.
§ The Earl of ArranMy Lords, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science has allocated £369 million to English local education authorities for capital spending on schools and further education in 1988–89. This represents an increase of 24 per cent. on the corresponding figure for 1987–88.
§ Lord GridleyMy Lords, I thank my noble friend for that Answer. Will he confirm that with an allocation to schools and colleges of £279 million for the period 1987 to 1988, and £369 million for the period 1988 to 1989, that represents an increase in allocation this year of £72 million? What are the criteria for considering what an allocation should be, and what kind of deliberations are involved in that consideration? I should be grateful if my noble friend would answer me briefly.
§ The Earl of ArranMy Lords, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State has available expenditure plans drawn up by local education authorities which set out their requirements in various categories. In the light of those, he discusses with his colleagues in the course of the public expenditure survey what resources can be made available. The level of resources provided must take account not only of authorities' plans but also of the Government's overall objectives of restraining public expenditure.
§ Lord MolloyMy Lords, we should congratulate the Minister on his patience in anticipating the supplementary question of his noble friend.
§ The Earl of ArranMy Lords, I always think that it is helpful to your Lordships' House if I can give as much information as possible on the subject on the Order Paper.
§ Baroness PhillipsMy Lords, has the right honourable friend of the Minister considered the effect of this provision on the colleges which he is proposing as distinct from the work of the local authorities, which may in some ways have a conflicting interest?
§ The Earl of ArranMy Lords, we are monitoring the situation carefully, and we shall take any action that we can to ensure that the education of students is not placed in jeopardy. However, our present evidence indicates that the overwhelming majority of LEAs are behaving responsibly towards their higher education institutions.
§ Lord Lloyd of KilgerranMy Lords, will the Minister (either now or later) indicate what proportion of the capital spending to which he has referred will be used for the better and improved teaching of science and technology in schools and colleges?
§ The Earl of ArranMy Lords, I shall be glad to have the opportunity of replying at a later date to the noble Lord's question.
§ Baroness DavidMy Lords, is the Minister aware that the survey of school buildings, which is a report published by the DES—there was a press notice about it on 3rd November last year—stated that the sum of about £2 billion was necessary to bring school buildings up to an acceptable standard for the 1999 to 2001 pupil numbers? Is the Minister further aware that the £750 million offered over the next three years for capital spending on buildings is less than half of what that survey asked for? Is that a satisfactory state of affairs?
§ The Earl of ArranMy Lords, needs have built up over the past three decades. The figure of £55 million is on top of substantial other resources so that over the next three years more than £750 million should be spent on projects to improve school buildings. Gross provision for capital spending by local authorities on schools and colleges has been increased by £100 million a year. That is 22 per cent. over the PES period.
§ Lord Lloyd of KilgerranMy Lords, does not the Minister find it a little surprising that he is unable to give me an answer to my simple question regarding the breakdown of the capital spending, and how much of it is allocated to scientific and technological matters?
§ The Earl of ArranMy Lords, I think that that enters into quite considerable detail, and I should prefer further notice of the question.
§ Baroness DavidMy Lords, is the Minister aware that that £750 million for the next three years is less than half of what the DES's own survey asked for?
§ The Earl of ArranMy Lords, I am aware of the figure that the noble Baroness gives; but I would remind her that there has been an increase of 22 per cent. on the previous year.