Miss WARD:

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he will arrange to have a survey of school buildings made and a five-year plan prepared for replacement where necessary?

The question of replacing defective school buildings is a matter in the first instance for local education authorities, managers or governors, as the case may be, and their proposals are considered by my Department on their merits as and when they are submitted. I do not think that it would be of any assistance to those bodies or to my Department to institute a five-year plan for dealing with the matter.

Miss WARD:

Is my hon. Friend aware that schools on the black list form the basis of replacement, and that at least two schools that I know of which were not on the black list collapsed, and does he not think it would be advantageous to have a new survey, which might result in no dilapidated schools being omitted?

I think the local education authorities are fully alive to their responsibilities. If any authority wishes to make a five-year plan, there is, of course, no objection, but I see no special virtue either in the five years or in the word "plan."

Miss WARD:

Might it not be advantageous for the Board of Education to take the initiative?

Will the hon. Member consult the noble Lord the Member for Hastings (Lord E. Percy), who is the planner and who does believe in planning?