HC Deb 04 April 1990 vol 170 cc657-60W
Mr. Dewar

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the capital expenditure on local authority schools in each Scottish regional and island council in each of the past 10 years in cash and constant prices.

Mr. Rifkind

The information is given in the following table, which has been compiled from local authority financial returns. The reduction in expenditure in real terms during the period reflects a substantial and progressive decline in pupil numbers which in turn reduced the requirement for new school building.

Capital Expenditure by Local Authorities on Schools
1979–80
Region/Islands Council Area At outturn prices At 1988–89 prices
Borders 552 1,039
Central 3,264 6,143
Dumfries and Galloway 1,509 2,840
Fife 2,292 4,313
Grampian 6,844 12,880
Highland 2,326 4,377
Lothian 7,745 14,576
Strathclyde 17,292 32,542
Tayside 2,228 4,193
Orkney 155 292
Shetland 2,906 5,469
Western Isles 485 913
1980–81
Region/Islands Council Area At outturn prices At 1988–89 prices
Borders 1,046 1,663
Central 2,716 4,319
Dumfries and Galloway 1,572 2,500
Fife 2,503 3,980
Grampian 8,658 13,678
Highland 2,624 4,173
Lothian 8,722 13,870
Strathclyde 19,013 30,235
Tayside 1,723 2,740
Orkney 95 151
Shetland 3,093 4,919
Western Isles 626 995
1981–82
Region/Islands Council Area At outturn prices At 1988–89 prices
Borders 921 1,334
Central 2,419 3,504
Dumfries and Galloway 1,668 2,416
Fife 2,471 3,579
Grampian 11,803 17,095
Highland 3,203 4,639
Lothian 7,073 10,244
Scrathclyde 23,468 33,990
Tayside 1,799 2,606
Orkney 602 872
Shetland 3,555 5,149
Western Isles 1,422 2,060
1982–83
Region/Islands Council Area At outturn prices At 1988–89 prices
Borders 643 869
Central 1,388 1,875
Dumfries and Galloway 2,042 2,758
Fife 2,330 3,147
Grampian 8,583 11,594
Highland 2,813 3,800
Lothian 8,003 10,811
Scrathclyde 19,013 25,684
Tayside 2,003 2,706
Orkney 1,212 1,637
Shetland 2,710 3,661
Western Isles 1,638 2,213
1983–84
Region/Islands Council Area At outturn prices At 1988–89 prices
Borders 703 907
Central 1,068 1,378
Dumfries and Galloway 2,400 3,097
Fife 1,705 2,200
Region/Islands Council Area At outturn prices At 1988–89 prices
Grampian 6,499 8,388
Highland 1,649 2,128
Lothian 5,898 7,612
Scrathclyde 19,724 25,456
Tayside 1,449 1,870
Orkney 897 1,158
Shetland 2,507 3,236
Western Isles 917 1,183
1984–85
Region/Islands Council Area At outturn prices At 1988–89 prices
Borders 913 1,123
Central 1,083 1,332
Dumfries and Galloway 2,376 2,921
Fife 2,881 3,542
Grampian 5,805 7,137
Highland 817 1,005
Lothian 5,941 7,305
Strathclyde 19,969 24,552
Tayside 2,114 2,599
Orkney 1,253 1,541
Shetland 1,829 2,249
Western isles 964 1,185
1985–86
Region/Islands Council Area At outturn prices At 1988–89 prices
Borders 1,064 1,242
Central 1,407 1,642
Dumfries and Galloway 2,463 2,874
Fife 4,284 4,999
Grampian 8,247 9,624
Highland 1,320 1,540
Lothian 6,132 7,156
Strathclyde 20,072 23,424
Tayside 2,751 3,210
Orkney 1,211 1,413
Shetland 1,055 1,231
Western Isles 1,188 1,305
1986–87
Region/Islands Council Area At out-turn prices At 1988–89 prices
Borders 876 989
Central 2,378 2,684
Dumfries and Galloway 2,102 2,372
Fife 4,589 5,179
Grampian 7,931 8,951
Highland 1,125 1,270
Lothian 3,732 4,212
Strathclyde 17,290 19,514
Tayside 2,012 2,271
Orkney 913 1,030
Shetland 502 567
Western Isles 3,244 3,661
1986–87
Region/Islands Council Area At out-turn prices At 1988–89 prices
Borders 951 1,019
Central 2,798 2,997
Dumfries and Galloway 656 703
Fife 2,077 2,225
Grampian 2,262 2,423
Highland 2,521 2,701
Lothian 8,108 8,685
Strathclyde 19,714 21,118
Tayside 3,267 3,500
Orkney 979 1,049
Region/Islands Council Area At out-turn prices At 1988–89 prices
Shetland 537 575
Western Isles 3,872 4,148
1988–89
Region/Islands Council Area At out-turn prices
Borders 1,060
Central 4,372
Dumfries and Galloway 1,661
Fife 4,753
Grampian 3,409
Highland 3,655
Lothian 7,828
Strathclyde 24,897
Tayside 3,605
Orkney 1,027
Shetland 929
Western Isles 2,196

The figures include expenditure on nursery, primary, secondary and special schools.

Out-turn figures have been converted to 1988–89 prices using the GDP deflator.

Sir David Steel

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he has taken, and proposes to take, to ensure that schools meet an acceptable level of first aid provision by(a) meeting the Government's own guidelines and (b) matching the health and safety requirements required of factories and offices; and what time limit he has set for the attainment of such standards.

Mr. Rifkind

Education authorities are responsible for the operational management of schools and are responsible for the safety of pupils attending schools under their management. Health and safety legislation applies to schools as it does to other workplaces. Health and Safety Commission guidance on first aid in educational establishments recommends that the total number of people on site, not just the number of employees, be considered in assessing first aid needs.

Regulations, which also provide for playground supervision in Scottish schools, came into force on 1 April this year putting a statutory duty on education authorities to take reasonable care for the safety of all pupils attending schools under their management. In addition, my Department is currently preparing guidance on first aid provision in schools and colleges which will be issued to education authorities.

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