§ 16. Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make an estimate of the current outstanding repairs in schools in England and Wales.
§ 47. Mr. David HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make an estimate of current outstanding repairs on schools in England and Wales.
§ Mr. Alan HowarthThe DES school building survey in 1987 estimated the cost of implementing the main structural requirements related to the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981 and other physical requirements in primary and secondary schools in England was about £1.1 billion. Substantial sums have since been devoted to improving school premises. The repair of schools in Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
§ 60. Mr. BarronTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he is taking to ensure that schools are in good repair, prior to the local management of schools being effected.
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§ Mr. Alan HowarthI refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. Mullin).
§ 55. Sir Michael McNair-WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps are being taken to assist local education authorities to maintain the upkeep of school-buildings.
§ Mr. Alan HowarthThe 1990–91 grant settlement allows for local authorities in England to spend almost £15 billion on education; that is over 9 per cent. higher than the comparable total for last year. Annual capital guidelines for capital works by LEAs for education are some £485 (compared with capital allocations, under the old system, of £352 million in 1989–90); and £118 million for the voluntary aided, special agreement and grant-maintained sectors. LEAs will continue to use capital receipts to increase expenditure above that financed by borrowing. It is for local education authorities and governors to maintain the upkeep of school buildings from within the resources available to them.