§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many local education authorities in England have reduced their projected spending on nursery building for 1974–75; and if he will list them;
(2) how many local education authorities in England have not taken up their allocation of funds for nursery building for 1974–75; and if he will list them.
§ Mr. ArmstrongThe following local education authorities have notified my Department that they will not be taking up in full their nursery education building allocation for 1974–75: Avon, East Sussex, Kent, Shropshire, Somerset, Wiltshire, Bromley, Coventry. Of these, Avon, East Sussex and Bromley will not be taking up any part of their allocation.
The allocations represent the total value of building projects which may be started during the 1974–75 education building year. Authorities are not required to submit forecasts of their actual 336W expenditure on building projects year by year.
§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now review the form in which allocation of funds for nursery building was made for 1974–75; and if he will consider proposing replacing loan sanctions to finance nursery building by a programme of direct financial aid from the DES.
§ Mr. ArmstrongNo. Loan charge payments by local authorities stemming from building programmes are taken into consideration in determining the rate support grant settlement.