§ Mr. Ashtonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will increase the value of school building programmes, in view of the increase in building prices since July, 1966.
§ Miss BaconYes. I have today increased by 10 per cent. the cost limits which apply to individual school building projects. The value of the starts programmes for 1970–71 and 1971–72, including the allocations for raising the school leaving age, will go up in the same proportion to £178 million and £193 million respectively. This increase does not take into account the productivity agreement recently concluded in the construction industry, and I shall be keeping the trend of building costs under review.