Mr. Hence:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received respecting the shortage of primary school accommodation in the Burgh of Kirkintilloch.

Since my right hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member's Question on 27th November, he has had a request from the Town Council of Kirkintilloch for a meeting to discuss the situation.

Will the noble Lady give urgent considerationto the provision of this primary school at Oxgang, which is urgently needed because of the pressure coming from the use of the Lenzie Academy as a result of secondary students from the new town of Cumbernauld going there? Is she aware that unless something urgent is done a large number of 5-year-old children in Kirkintilloch will not be able to be accommodated in school during the next 12 months?

I understand that the authority felt that the Westergreens School was important and wished to start it in May. This is primarily a matter on which the local education authority must decide the priority.

Is the noble Lady aware that the Westergreens School gives primary education to Roman Catholic children in Kirkintilloch while the Oxgang school is a non-Catholic one and that, therefore, it does not give a fair balance to say that because one was granted the other should not be granted, since the other is just as necessary as the Westergreens School?

As I said, it is primarily a matter for the local education authority to arrange its priorities.