School Building Projects

HC Deb 13 September 2004 vol 424 cc1446-7W

Mr. Wills

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the(a) average, (b) shortest and (c) longest length of time taken between 1997 and 2004 to complete a building project to expand capacity in a school was from the start of specifying the project to the opening of the new capacity; [187751]

(2) what the (a) average, (b) shortest and (c) longest length of time taken between 1997 and 2004 to complete a building project for a new school was from the start of specifying the project to the opening of the new building. [187750]

Mr. Miliband

School building projects are procured locally, and we do not normally, therefore, collect information on specific projects.

With the advent of the Building Schools for the Future programme, however, the Department intends to collect and use such information to improve procurement timeframes across the sector and to embed best practice over the construction life cycle. This drive for efficiency gains will be reinforced through a performance management regime across the Building Schools for the Future programme.