Oral Answers to Questions — Education and Science – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 12 Tachwedd 1964.
Mr Marcus Lipton
, Lambeth Brixton
12:00,
12 Tachwedd 1964
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools in the London County Council area are housed in buildings more than 80 years old.
Mr Michael Maitland Stewart
, Fulham
I am informed by the L.C.C. that 259 maintained primary and secondary schools or departments in their area are housed in buildings more than 80 years old, but that many of them have been extended or renovated in recent times.
Mr Marcus Lipton
, Lambeth Brixton
Is my right hon. Friend aware that far too many children going to some of the schools are being educated in slum conditions? Will he at least give an undertaking not to follow in the footsteps of his unlamented predecessor who savagely cut the L.C.C. schools rebuilding programme?
Mr Michael Maitland Stewart
, Fulham
I am very well aware of this. This situation is, unfortunately, not confined to London. It will certainly be the hope of the present Government to make better progress with the whole problem.
Mr Christopher Chataway
, Lewisham North
When will the right hon. Gentleman be announcing the increased school building programme for 1965–68 to which the Labour Party is committed, particularly by the Minister for Land and Natural Resources at Question Time on 7th May?
Mr Michael Maitland Stewart
, Fulham
Announcements about this and related matters will be made in due course.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
Question Time is an opportunity for MPs and Members of the House of Lords to ask Government Ministers questions. These questions are asked in the Chamber itself and are known as Oral Questions. Members may also put down Written Questions. In the House of Commons, Question Time takes place for an hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after Prayers. The different Government Departments answer questions according to a rota and the questions asked must relate to the responsibilities of the Government Department concerned. In the House of Lords up to four questions may be asked of the Government at the beginning of each day's business. They are known as 'starred questions' because they are marked with a star on the Order Paper. Questions may also be asked at the end of each day's business and these may include a short debate. They are known as 'unstarred questions' and are less frequent. Questions in both Houses must be written down in advance and put on the agenda and both Houses have methods for selecting the questions that will be asked. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P1 at the UK Parliament site.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
