HC Deb 05 July 1988 vol 136 cc499-500W
Mr. Straw

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will name the companies that have now made definite commitments to fund the establishment of city technology colleges; which individual city technology college or colleges they will be funding; and how much they will pay in(a) cash and (b) goods and services towards these colleges.

Mr. Kenneth Baker

It is for the sponsors to decide when to make public their commitment to sponsoring a CTC. Those which have already done so and the CTCs concerned areHanson plc, which has pledged £1 million towards the establishment of Kingshurst CTC. A matching contribution of £1 million is being raised by Lucas Industries, and a significant number of other companies. Sponsorship of £1 million has been provided by Mr. Harry Djanogly for the Nottingham CTC. Additional sponsorship of £0.4 million has already been raised by other companies. BAT Industries has provided sponsorship of £ I million for a Teesside CTC. Additional financial support is being given by Cameron Hall Developments, British Steel and the Davy Corporation, taking the private sector commitment to nearly £1.7 million. In addition, Dixons plc, the Philip and Pauline Harris Trust, the Mercers' Company and Thamesmead Town have each announced plans to provide sponsorship of at least £1 million each towards three more CTCs; and the CTC Trust has announced that Mr. Geoffrey Leigh, chairman of Allied London Properties, has made a personal donation towards the establishment of a CTC in Dartford.

Detailed discussions are taking place with a number of prospective sponsors, who are not yet ready to declare their hand, but who are committed in principle to providing financial support of at least £1 million. Altogether about £20 million has been pledged by the private sector to the CTC programme. In addition, the experience of Kingshurst and Nottingham has shown that local companies will come forward to make offers of goods and services following the initial announcements about individual CTCs.