§ Mr. Swinglerasked the Minister of Education to publish in HANSARD a table of figures showing for each of the last five years the originally planned programme of starts in school building and the programme which was in fact achieved.
§ Sir D. EcclesThe following is the information:
VALUE OF MAJOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL PROJECTS INCLUDED IN PROGRAMMES APPROVED BY THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION: AND VALUE OF PROJECTS STARTED—£ MILLION Year Value of projects in approved programme (a) Value of contracts started during year on all programmes (b) 1951–52 … 13.9 (c) 24.7 1952–53 … 45.8 37.6 1953–54 … 46.6 47.2 1954–55 … 51.6 44.2 1955–56 … 76.4 57.5 (a) The figures below include, in addition to projects included in approved programmes for the years shown, certain projects transferred from previous programmes which had not started during their programme year. They also reflect, where appropriate, changes in the limits of cost, variations in the value of projects and interchange of projects between programmes during the course of the year. (b) The figures below include (i) certain projects from earlier programmes which, though started in the years shown, were retained in their original programmes, and (ii) certain projects in future programmes started in advance, and (iii) miscellaneous contracts outstanding from previous programmes (i.e. playing fields at schools already being built.) In 1955–56, for example, work falling under the above categories (i)—(iii) amounted to £13.4m, so that, of the programme of £76.4m, only £44.lm. started during the year, leaving £32.3m. unstarted. (c) This figure shows the effect of the moratorium imposed on school building in February, 1952.