HC Deb 15 January 1974 vol 867 cc86-8W
Mr. Sillars

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what effect the public spending cuts will have on the capital programmes of district councils within South Ayrshire.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

Local authorities in Scotland have been informed that, with some exceptions, including new house building, severe limitations will need to be placed on new capital formation with the aim of securing an overall reduction of 20 per cent. below the level of expenditure which would otherwise have been incurred in 1974–75. Authorities have been asked to submit their investment proposals for approval in principle. The effect on the capital programmes of the South Ayrshire district councils will depend on the examination of any proposals they submit.

Mr. Sillars

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the effects of the public spending cuts on Ayrshire education.

Mr. Lambie

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he can now estimate the effects of the latest cuts announced by the Chancellor on school building programmes in the Irvine New Town area and in Ayrshire as a whole in the years 1973–74, 1974–75, and 1975–76.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

As regards educational building I am sending the hon. Members a copy of SED Circular No. 888 of 21st December. There will be no further postponement of starts under the main school building programme or the programmes for special schools and minor works. The primary school improvement programme will not, however, be restarted until 1st April, while the new nursery education programme will not start until 1st October. Otherwise the school building programmes for 1974–75, apart from the small programme for school hostels, will start on 1st July and will run until 30th June 1975 ; arrangements for the 1975–76 programmes will be announced later. Education authorities have yet to be informed of the effect of the restrictions on public spending on other programmes of educational building.

The restrictions which I have asked for in current spending are set out in SDD Circular No. 124/1973 of 19th December of which I am also sending the hon. Member for South Ayrshire (Mr. Sillars) a copy.

It is for each education authority to work out the effect of these measures on its programmes.

Mr. Sillars

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what effects the public spending cuts will have on grant for road works in South Ayrshire.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

The intention is that road works already in progress will be allowed to continue: the implications for schemes which have not yet started are being examined.