HC Deb 18 July 1967 vol 750 cc243-4W
Mr. MacArthur

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new primary and secondary school places, respectively, are represented by the building allocations approved for each of the next three years.

Mr. Ross

The information presently available suggests that the approved investment allocation for projects to start in the three years 1967–68, 1968–69 and 1969–70 should enable education authorities to provide about 48,000 new primary school places and 110,000 new secondary school places.

Mr. MacArthur

asked the Secretary o: State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the number of school places approved in each of the last 15 years, and the average annual cost per approved school place.

Mr. Ross

The information is as follows:

(1) (2) (3)
Year Number of places* Value of approvals Average cost per place
£000 £
1952 25,761 4,838 188
1953 38,501 7,265 189
1954 46,881 8,997 192
1955 58,729 13,011 222
1956 42,733 9,684 227
1957 53,708 14,321 267
1958 49,642 14,824 299
1959 44,470 11,858 267
1960 45,709 12326 281
1961 51,217 16,909 330
1962 66,992 23,610 352
1963 61,007 21,294 349
1964 47,722 16,961 355
1965 31,945 10,223 320
1966 30,327 13,141 404†
* In primary, secondary, special and approved schools.
† The average cost per place for 1966 takes account of an estimate of about 2,350 places in

projects of under £50,000 not included in Col. (1.) A simplified procedure scheme introduced for these projects at the end of 1965 allowed their values to be included in Col. (2) but not the number of places in Col. (1). These are recorded at the stage of starting.