§ Mr. John E. B. Hillasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the actions that have been taken over the past five years to help schools in educational priority areas; and if she will make a statement about the future of this programme.
§ Mr. St. John-StevasUnder the urban programme, over 24,000 additional places are being provided in nursery schools and classes in areas of multiple social deprivation. More than half of these have been approved since June 1970.
In 1968–69 and 1969–70, £23 million-at 1972 prices—was earmarked for schools in educational priority areas, and in 1970–71 £12 million was allocated for the replacement of schools in such areas. An additional £22 million was allocated in 1971–72 for the replacement of a number of pre-1903 schools, particularly primary schools, again in areas of severe social deprivation. A substantial proportion of the £50 million for the improvement-replacement of pre-1903 schools in 1972–73 was also devoted to urban areas of social deprivation.
In 1968, the Burnham Primary and Secondary Committee introduced a special salary addition of £75 per annum for teachers in schools of exceptional difficulty, measured in the main by the socio-economic circumstances of the pupils. This addition has since been twice increased and now stands at £105 per annum. 572 schools were recognised for this purpose.
Following the recent announcement of a major expansion of provision for children under five in which some priority will be given to deprived areas, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State intends in future to concentrate urban programme resources elsewhere in the education service.
§ Mr. John E. B. Hillasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many of the primary and secondary schools whose teachers receive special increments under the education priority area programme were built before 1903.
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§ Mr. St. John-StevasInformation in this form is not readily available in the Department.