§ Mr. Dudley Smithasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to encourage local education authorities and other educational supervisory bodies to install anti-burglar alarm systems in schools, in view of the large financial losses incurred over the last year as a result of break-ins.
§ Dr. BoysonIt is for the local education authorities and governing bodies to decide what combination of steps are best suited to protect individual buildings, taking account of local circumstances and considering the question of design and maintenance, and the ways in which the buildings are used and managed by teaching and caretaking staff.
The Department issued in 1978 a leaflet "Vandalism in Schools and Colleges. Some possible ways of reducing damage." This leaflet was intended for local education authorities and governing bodies of educational institutions and suggests a range of practical topics, including alarm systems, which might be considered in trying to reduce wilful damage to school and college premises.