HC Deb 23 November 1972 vol 846 cc450-1W
30. Mr. Brocklebank-Fowler

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science by what criteria she has decided the capital allocations to individual county education authorities for major pre-1903 primary improvement programmes for 1972–75.

Mrs. Thatcher

The allocations for 1972–73 gave some priority to counties containing socially deprived urban areas. Allocations for 1973–75 were based on the number of children in primary schools built before 1903.

38. Mr. Deakins

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pre-1903 primary schools remain in the London Borough of Waltham Forest; and what plans she has approved for replacing them.

Mr. St. John-Stevas

Of the 13 remaining pre-1903 primary schools for which there is likely to be a continuing need, when projects under construction have been completed, four will be replaced in the 1972–75 building programme.

41. Mr. Tilney

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will consent to the expediting of the rebuilding of temporarily built wooden primary schools in the Liverpool area.

Mr. St. John-Stevas

My right hon. Friend has had in mind the deficiencies of some of these schools when considering the 1974–75 school-building programme.

49. Mr. Jessel

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimate she has made of the number of primary schools that will be replaced or improved in each of the next four years; and what are the comparable figures for each of the past six years.

Mrs. Thatcher

The following are the available figures:

Major building programme Primary schools to be improved or replaced in England and Wales
1968–69 109
1969–70 222
1970–71 178
1971–72 198
1972–73 460
1973–74 607
1974–75 525

NOTES.

  1. 1. Figures for 1966–68 are not available. The programme for 1975–76 is under consideration.
  2. 2. The figures for 1968–72 include about 160 projects designed to provide extra places as well as to improve old schools.

Primary school improvements are also carried out by minor works. In 1974–75 minor works allocations are specially increased for authorities with large numbers of small pre-1903 primary schools.