§ Mr. NichollsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) in determining Devon's capital authorisation for 1991–92, what assumption he made as to the amount which Devon could raise by way of capital receipts from disposal of land and other assets, in the current property market;
(2) in determining the quantum of Devon's capital authorisations for 1991–92, what assumption he made as to Devon's ability to augment this by funding from its revenue budget.
§ Mr. FallonMy right hon. and learned Friend took no account of capital receipts likely to be realised nor of possible transfers from the revenue budget in deciding the level of Devon's annual capital guideline for education for 1991–92. However, the size of Devon county council's basic credit approval, which is the limit to which it can borrow to fund all its capital programmes, reflects an estimate of Devon's likely receipts position.
§ Mr. SpellerTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science which of the projects submitted to his Department by Devon education authority as part of the bids process for capital authorisation for 1991–92 were not taken into account in the final capital authorisation of £7.7 million.
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§ Mr. FallonDevon's annual capital guideline bid was considered against the objective criteria set out in detail in the Department's letter of 31 May which sought bids for capital expenditure in 1991–92.
Allowance was made for the cost of providing new school places in respect of all of the individual projects listed in the authority's capital plans. Of projects to remove surplus school places, that at Teignmouth community college was not allowed for. No specific allowance was made for any individual improvement or replacement projects. Such work falls to be covered from the resources distributed by formula to all authorities. No allowance was made for the special education project at Exmouth Hillcrest school nor in respect of the authority's liability for those projects at voluntary aided schools which were not approved for a start in 1991–92.
The further education allocations for Devon education authority which were announced by my right hon. and learned Friend last December did not cover the capital cost arising from statutory school reorganisation in Tiverton. My right hon. and learned Friend will shortly be considering the award of a supplementary credit approval for the 1991–92 financial year for the proposed new tertiary college on the site of East Devon college of further education.
It is, of course, entirely for Devon to determine its priorities and which projects should proceed.
§ Mr. SpellerTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what account he took of the capital costs of implementing the reorganisations he has made for Axminster and Tiverton when determining the capital authorisation for Devon for the next financial year; and what figures were used when allocating the capital authorisation for Devon.
§ Mr. FallonThe Tiverton proposals had not been decided at the time that Devon education authority's annual capital guideline for 1991–92 was announced. As is normal practice, a small proportion of the capital costs of the building work arising from the proposals, as set out in the authority's 1991–92 capital bid, was included in the annual capital guideline. The balance was held back to be issued as supplementary credit approvals, if the proposals were approved. The authority has presented some revised phasing of the costing following approval, and in line with those we shall issue a supplementary credit approval of £342,000 for the Tiverton project in 1991–92.
The building works arising from the Axminster proposals were put forward by the authority as improvement/replacement work in its 1991–92 capital bid. These costs have not, therefore, been covered individually in the annual capital guideline, but will fall to be met from the formula distribution for such work made to all authorities.
§ Mr. Maxwell-HyslopTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what capital authorisations for(a) primary and (b) secondary schools he has made for 1991–92, under the headings (i) all local education authorities in England and Wales, (ii) all counties in England and Wales and (iii) Devon; and if he will indicate for each of the above headings, the number of pupils of statutory school age in January 1990.
§ Mr. FallonThe information that my hon. Friend has requested will take time to put together. I shall write to him when it is available.