HC Deb 19 May 1972 vol 837 cc215-6W
Mr. Grylls

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will give consideration to including the replacement of West End Holy Trinity Church of England (Controlled) Primary School in the building programme, as a matter of urgency.

Mr. van Straubenzee

The West End Holy Trinity Church of England controlled school is to become a 320-place, 8–12 middle school, and the necessary extension of the 1968 buildings is included in the current year's major building programme. The school's original buildings are to be taken over by the Surrey Authority for a county first school and a project to give this school new buildings will be considered for inclusion in the next programme to be compiled, that is, of projects expected to start in 1975–76.

Mr. Spearing

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science on what grounds, and under what regulations, she forbids education authorities to spend locally raised funds in providing school places ahead of a known future need.

Mrs. Thatcher

Capital expenditure on school building financed from revenue has been controlled administratively by successive Governments as part of their general responsibility for public expenditure, and I have imposed no new restrictions. Indeed, I have introduced some flexibility by encouraging local education authorities to use funds accruing from the sale of old school sites to a private developer or to local housing authorities to finance school building as an addition to the normal programmes.