HC Deb 19 October 1999 vol 336 cc541-2W
Dr. Gibson

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if he will list the cases where private finance initiative resources have been given to science laboratory development; [93706]

(2) how much private funding initiative resource has contributed to capital budget funding for science laboratory development in the last five years. [93707]

Mr. Wicks

In the Schools sector, five Private Finance Initiative (PFI) projects have been signed, with many more in the pipeline, to provide new or replacement secondary schools. All of these schools will have modern science laboratories fully capable of delivering the national curriculum. The PFI credits given by the Government to support these projects do not include separately identifiable amounts for specific aspects of each development.

In the Higher Education sector two of the seven signed deals include modern facilities for teaching and research in the fields of medical, biological and clinical science. In the Further Education sector, the seven PH deals signed to date do not include specific science laboratory elements.

Dr. Gibson

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will publish the results of the examination of the design needs of scientific laboratories in secondary schools under Building Bulletin 80. [93715]

Jacqui Smith

The Department has reviewed its guidance on science accommodation in secondary schools, and a revised building bulletin updating Building Bulletin 80, 'Science Accommodation in Secondary Schools: A Design Guide', will be published shortly.