§ Mr. Swinglerasked the Minister of Education if he will publish a table of figures showing the original estimate of the birth rate made in his Department for the purpose of assessing the future of the schoolbuilding programme, and the actual birth rate, in each of the last five years; and what estimate he now makes for the same purpose for each of the next five years.
§ Sir E. BoyleFollowing is a table showing the actual live births for each of the years 1957 to 1961 together with the132W estimates made at various dates both for these years and for the years 1962 to 1966. Any error in these estimates would affect the school building programme only to the extent that decisions are made on schools to be completed as much as five years ahead.
LIVE BIRTHS (000) — Estimates made at the beginning of Actual The year preceding The year itself The year following 1957 … 640 692 723 723 1958 … 685 720 739 741 1959 … 715 730 750 749 1960 … 722 738 782 785 1961 … 725 825 804 811 1961 1962 1963 1962 … 804 845 840 * 1963 … 804 821 858 † 1964 … 804 802 864 † 1965 … 804 804 869 † 1966 … 803 1 808 871 † * Not available. Not applicable.