§ Mr. AshtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science why his Department refuses to give priority to capital allocation for projects carried out by governors of aided schools unless they are for basic need in housing growth areas and not simply for improvement.
§ Mr. ButcherSince resources available for providing grant aid are limited, my right hon. Friend has to apply a series of criteria in order to determine which of the many applications he receives should receive priority. These are, first, committed expenditure on projects which are already under way, second, basic need for additional school places in areas of population growth, third, building work which governors have a statutory duty to undertake as a result of proposals approved under section 13 of the 1980 Education Act and, fourth, projects to improve or replace inadequate buildings.