§ 13. Mr. Roy Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will convene a conference of the chairmen of local education authorities to consider expenditure plans for the coming financial year.
§ Mr. Mark CarlisleNo. I keep in touch with the views of local education authorities by meeting members of the local authority associations. I have met them on six occasions since May. The staff of my Department also keep in close touch with officers of the associations: they are holding a joint meeting next week to consider the Government's spending plans.
§ 16. Mr. Chapmanasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his latest estimate of the total cost of public expenditure allocated to education services for 1979–80; and what was tilt total cost for 1978–79 at that year's prices.
§ Mr. Mark CarlisleIn 1978–79 expenditure on education in England and Wales—with universities in Great Britain—was about £7,900 million at outturn prices for that year. For 1979–80 the impact of the Government's request for savings on local authority expenditure on the total planned expenditure for education of £8,030 million at November 1978 prices cannot yet be estimated.
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§ 40. Mr. Strawasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has now received against the reductions in expenditure on education.
§ Mr. Mark CarlisleI have received representations from many interested organisations and individuals.
§ 49. Mr. Stoddartasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what reply he has sent to the acting chairman of Wiltshire education committee to her letter to him of 26 October regarding the effects of expenditure cuts in the education service.
§ Mr. Mark CarlisleI am sending the hon. Member a copy of my reply.
§ 52. Mr. Guy Barnettasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the Government's expenditure plans as they relate to capital expenditure for school improvements, under-fives and further and higher education.
§ Dr. BoysonBuilding starts programmes—for England only—for 1980–81 are as follows:
(£million at 1979 Survey Prices) School improvements 12.1 Special schools 5.3 Nursery schools 1.9 Higher and further education—including universities in Great Britain 25.4 Under the Government's energy conservation programme, additional allocations will be made of £12.4 million for schools, and £7.5 million for higher and further education—including universities.