HC Deb 23 January 1958 vol 580 cc200-1W
95. Mr. Swingler

asked the Minister of Education his current estimates of the size of the primary school population in each of the next five years; and what alterations are being made in school building plans to accord with changes in the birth rate.

Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd

Estimates published last year were as follows:—

Number of juniors and infants in maintained schools
January, 1959 … 4,205,000
January, 1960 … 4,099,000
January, 1961 … 4,044,000
January, 1962 … 4,052,000
January, 1963 … 4,068,000

Provisional figures for births in 1957 suggest that the estimate for 1963 will need to be increased by about 30,000. These estimates do not at present make necessary any change in building plans.