§ Mr. G. Elfed Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps before next winter to provide for the conversion of boiler houses serving educational establishments now heated by gas coke to coal.
§ Miss BaconWhere local education authorities satisfy me of the need to convert boilers because of a prospective 23W shortage of coal or similar fuels I am prepared to facilitate this by making a special capital allocation available. Whether to convert to coal or some other fuel in any particular case is a matter for the authority to determine for itself.
§ Mr. Prenticeasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will issue fresh advice about heating to local authorities, in view of the shortage of hard coke supplies, in order to prevent the closure of schools next winter.
§ Miss BaconFollowing correspondence between my Department and local authority associations, local education authorities are now aware of the problem; and I am prepared to make a special capital allocation to facilitate changes in heating systems when authorities satisfy me that this is necessary because of the shortage of hard coke.