asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what sum is allowed under his policy of cutting capital expenditure for building costs for schools up to June, 1948; and what proportion this allowance bears to the total costs for all building permitted under proposals of the interim Budget.

I am not able at this stage to say how much will be spent on education for the period ending June, 1948, but the expenditure estimated to be involved in the educational building programme for England and Wales in 1947 is £20¼ million and for 1948 £32 million, while for Scotland comparable figures are £2·6 million in 1947 and £4·6 million in 1948. The labour force on schools and other educational building in England, Scotland and Wales will, it is expected, represent about 2½ per cent, of all those engaged in June, 1948, on building and civil engineering work.