HC Deb 17 March 1965 vol 708 cc287-8W
Mr. Eldon Griffiths

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how much money he is making available to the West Suffolk County Council for the construction of schools in the year 1965–66; and by how much this sum differs from the requests made for such money by the county council;

(2) how much less money will be available from his Department to the West Suffolk County Council for school construction in 1965–66 compared with 1964–65;

(3) how many proposals to improve schools in West Suffolk at a cost of less than £2,000 per school are now before him; and which schools are involved;

(4) which schools in West Suffolk which it was intended to modernise or extend in the year 1965–666 will not now be modernised or extended until a later date;

(5) how many fewer primary schools will be extended or modernised in the year 1965–66 in the county of West Suffolk than would have been extended or modernised if he had not reduced the amount of money available to the county council.

Mr. Crosland

The West Suffolk Local Education Authority proposed seven projects at a cost of £858,000 for the 1965–66 major school building programme. Two projects at £262,000 were approved in the programme announced by the previous Government. The Authority's proposals for 1964–65 were seven projects at a cost of £666,000 and the approved programme was three projects at £226,000. Three improvement projects for primary schools and one for a secondary school which were submitted for the 1965–666 programme remain to be considered for a later programme.

The Authority's minor works allocation for 1965–66 is £75,000 compared with £50,000 for 1964–65. The Authority did not compile a firm programme of projects costing between £2,000 and £20,000 until they knew what their allocation would be. They supplied information however to support their claim for a fair share of the available resources. For this reason it is not possible to talk of intended modernisation or improvement projects. The Authority planned to spend up to £40,000 in 1965–66 compared with £26,000 in 1964–65 on minor projects costing less than £2,000. I am sending the hon. Member a list of these projects which relate to schools which has been supplied to me by the local education authority. Under the arrangements I have recently announced, the cost of these projects must be charged against the Authority's minor works allocation. It is for the Authority to decide which projects to carry out in 1965–66.