§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSasked the President of the Board of Education the approximate time it will take to purchase land, prepare plans, secure the sanction of his Department, and finally erect an elementary school capable of holding 1,000 pupils?
§ Lord E. PERCYI am afraid that the circumstances of particular cases are so different that it is scarcely possible to give even an approximate estimate of the time required. If the requirements of Section 18 (1) of the Education Act, 1921, with regard to the issue of notices are taken into account, perhaps 18 months or two years might reasonably be taken as the period likely to elapse between the inception of a building scheme and the occupation of the buildings; but, of course, at the present time, the difficulty of securing suitable sites and of getting labour and materials exactly as and when they are required is likely to upset any calculations made. So far as administrative arrangements are concerned, I shall do my best to simplify and expedite procedure.