§ Mr. Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement about the school building programme in Essex, with special reference to the new school for Buckhurst Hill.
§ Mr. ArmstrongThe Essex education authority has a lump sum authorisation of £4,060,000 for major school building projects to meet basic needs for the period 1st July 1974 to 30th June 1975. Its allocation for minor works for the same period is £1,870,000. The recently announced programme of primary school improvement projects in areas of social deprivation, to be started during 1974–75, includes one project in Essex.
A new county primary school is at present under construction in Buckhurst Hill and is expected to be completed in November 1975. A replacement for the Church of England primary school was included in the preliminary list for a start in 1975–76, but the future of this project will now depend on what resources can be made available for school improvements and on the priority which the Essex authority assigns to this project within the limits of any resources which may be available.