HC Deb 26 November 1969 vol 792 cc110-1W
Mr. Pardoe

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will state the number of teachers and pupil-teacher ratio in secondary schools in the educational priority areas in 1966, 1967, 1968 and 1969;

(2) if he will state the number of teachers and the pupil-teacher ratio in primary schools in the educational priority areas in 1966, 1967, 1968 and 1969;

(3) how much money has been allocated to the educational priority area programme since its inception; how he intends to measure its cost effectiveness; and if he will make a statement on progress so far;

(4) if he will state the number and percentage of children of nursery school age attending nursery schools or classes in the educational priority areas in 1966, 1967, 1968 and 1969.

Mr. Edward Short

Eighty-six local education authorities in England and Wales have benefited from:

  1. (i) My Department's school building programme for educational priority areas (£16 million in 1968–70);
  2. (ii) The special allowance of £75 per annum for teachers in schools of exceptional difficulty (£0.4 million per annum, and
  3. (iii) The education element of the Urban Programme (£3.4 million so far).

Benefit relates to parts of their areas which have been identified as suffering from multiple social deprivation. It is too soon to attempt to measure the results of this expenditure. I am sending the hon. Member all the information for these authorities which is readily available.