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School Building Programme

Volume 808: debated on Thursday 17 December 1970

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13.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many projects for the improvement or replacement of primary schools will be included in the building programme for 1970–71, 1971–72 and 1972–73 respectively.

Projecting those encouraging figures further forward, will my right hon. Friend confirm that she hopes to get rid of the last of the Victorian primary schools some time in the mid-1970s?

I confirm that it is my aim to replace the worst of the schools built in the last century, for which there is a continuing need, over the five years of which the first is the programme year 1972–73.

How can the right hon. Lady be so confident of completing that programme when she has admitted to me in correspondence that she does not even know the requirements for replacement of primary schools in my constituency? How can she determine what a programme is likely to be until she first acquires knowledge of the requirements?

The hon. Gentleman has a Question later on the Order Paper, and he will receive an answer then.

18.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the cost to her Department of building new primary schools in Bradford in each of the financial years 1967–68, 1968–69, and 1969–70; and how much her Department plans to spend on this in each year from 1970–71 to 1972–73, inclusive.

As the answer contains a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate the information in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

In view of the not very informative nature of my hon. Friend's reply, may I remind him that 80 or 90 of the 115 primary schools in Bradford were built before 1903? Will he confirm his right hon. Friend's promise that by 1977 all these Victorian buildings will be replaced?

I think that my hon. Friend will find that this is a highly informative answer, as are all answers given by Ministers of this Government.

Is the Minister aware that whatever figures may appear in the OFFICIAL REPORT for the City of Bradford, the figures for Derbyshire are appalling? The fact is that they have been sliced from £450,000 to £150,000 in two years. Will he therefore meet a deputation from the Tory-controlled education committee of Derbyshire, whose chairman, incidentally, has condemned this sum as being very paltry indeed?

There is, as the hon. Gentleman well knows, a Question in his name later in the Order Paper with which, out of courtesy to him, I must deal at that time.

Following is the information:

PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN BRADFORD

Year

Gross cost of building work

£
Started in 1967–68730,000
Started in 1968–69153,000
Started in 1969–70308,000
Authorised starts for 1970–71130,000
Authorised starts for 1971–72330,000
Design List for 1971–72 which will form the basis of the starts list for 1972–73221,000

27.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how she proposes to achieve a balance in her replacement programme of primary schools, in view of her lack of knowledge of the requirements in education authority areas; and if she will make a statement.

Local education authorities have provided lists of primary schools built before 1903 for which there is a continuing need and which are below standard. I have now asked authorities which schools they regard as most urgent for replacement or improvement.

The right hon. Lady will be aware that I asked her for information in connection with the date of building schools in my constituency. She said categorically that this was not information that the Department collated. If she wants to be serious in projecting a programme for the replacement of schools, it is essential that she has such knowledge. Will she initiate a study with a view to obtaining the knowledge?

The hon. Gentleman's previous question to me asked the year in which specific schools were built. I do not have that information in that form. I have a list of schools built before 1903. It is on the basis of that list that I am selecting projects, with the help of the local authorities, for the biggest primary schools improvement programme on record.

Does the right hon. Lady recognise that many secondary schools are in the same category, and will she take the same action about them?

I have given priority for improvements to the primary schools. Secondary schools will have a very large building programme with the raising of the school-leaving age.

The right hon. Lady will be aware that there is a considerable discrepancy between the figures that she has given for pre-1903 schools and the school building survey of 1962? Will she explain how she has arrived at her figures?

As far as I am aware, I am operating on the school building survey which was conducted shortly before I came to the Department. There has not been another one since.