HC Deb 02 December 1976 vol 921 cc227-8W
Mr. Frank Allaun

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now estimate the total cost of repairs to school buildings which used high alumina cement, borne by the taxpayer and ratepayer, to date.

Miss Margaret Jackson

The following table shows in £ million the expenditure which my Department has approved to date for the repair of school buildings in which high alumina cement had been used. In addition expenditure of approximately £1 million has been approved in principle.

£ million
Remedial Work … 4.7
Temporary Accommodation … 1.4
Fees … 0.7
Testing … 0.5
Temporary Propping … 0.1
Total … 7.4

Of the total of £7.4 million, £4.2 million is for expenditure at local education authority schools, for which loan sanction has been given and which is taken into account in the rate support grant settlement. The costs for voluntary aided and special agreement schools are borne partly by local education authorities and partly by managers and governors. The authority's share is eligible for loan and admissable for rate support grant. Expenditure borne by managers and governors is eligible for 85 per cent. grant from the Department under the usual arrangements.