§ Mr. Gwynfor Evansasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what cuts will require to he made in Welsh education as a part of the recently announced economy measures.
§ Mr. Gordon WalkerThe measures announced will involve the withdrawal of authorisations for capital expenditure for school building required for raising the school-leaving age, which in Wales amounted to £2–94 million for each of the financial years 1968–69 and 1969–70. There may be some compensating allocations for individual authorities which encounter special difficulties as a result of withdrawal of these authorisations. There may also be some reduction in further education and youth service building starts, but until I have further information from authorities I am not able to say by how much. The extent to which current spending by Welsh Local Education Authorities on Education will be affected by reduction in rate support grant is also not yet known, since this depends on individual authorities decisions on priorities. So far as universities are concerned the quinquennial settlement of recurrent grant is unaffected. A small reduction in capital expenditure by universities in the next two years will be made. It is for the University Grants Committee to decide how best to secure this in consultation with all universities in Great Britain.