§ 24. Mr. SteinbergTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has to enable local education authorities to improve the fabric of school buildings.
§ Mr. FallonLocal education authorities and school governors are responsible for the state of their school buildings, and for deciding expenditure levels and priorities.
We are making substantial resources available to local education authorities for capital spending on school buildings. A total of £524 million will be allocated for schools for 1992–93, an increase of 11 per cent. over the £472 million allocated in 1991–92. Building grants for voluntary aided schools will also increase to £151 million, a rise of over 15 per cent. on the current year.
§ 25. Mr. Beaumont-DarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make additional moneys available to the city of Birmingham for major repairs for school buildings.
§ Mr. FallonAnnual capital guidelines for local authority capital expenditure on schools will rise by 11 per cent. in 1992–93, to £524 million. In addition, grants to voluntary aided schools will rise by 15 per cent. to £150 million. We expect to announce the distribution of these totals between education authorities shortly before Christmas.
§ 26. Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will approve an additional allocation of funds to Bradford local education authority to enable school building and renovation to take place in the current year.
§ Mr. FallonI hope to respond to Bradford's request for a supplementary credit approval shortly.