§ Mr. Frank R. Whiteasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much of their original allocations have been returned to his Department by 736W local education authorities; what is the policy regarding the redistribution of these resources; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Mark Carlisle£750,000 of the final allocations for school building in the financial year 1979–80 has been returned and most of this has been reallocated to local education authorities, including £33,000 to Bury. My Department's normal practice is to reallocate surrendered resources, on the basis of need, to those local education authorities which make bids for increases in their allocations.
§ Mr. Frank R. Whiteasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will consider an additional allocation of money to the Bury education authority for the Ashmeadow project out of the returned allocations from other education authorities; and whether this money would be available within the present financial year.
§ Mr. Mark CarlisleFollowing a meeting with a deputation from the Bury education authority in October 1979, my noble Friend the Minister of State considered the authority's request for an increase in its school building allocation for 1979–80 in respect of Ashmeadow school. She was unable to make such an increase because the necessary resources were not available, but she undertook to bear the request in mind if additional surrenders were made. That remains the position.