asked the Minister of Education why he has refused to allow Blackburn local education authority to proceed with any major school building projects in 1964–65, in view of the urgent need to replace some of the outworn schools in the town, particularly the St. Mary's Roman Catholic Secondary School for Boys.

The 1964–65 school building programme consists mainly of projects needed to keep pace with housing developments and to complete the reorganisation of all-age schools. Blackburn had no projects in these categories. It was possible for me to include only a relatively small number of proposals to replace and improve existing schools. The proposals put forward by the Blackburn authority for this category were less immediately urgent than others, which were included, from other parts of the country.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Blackburn education authority submitted six major proposals to him, all of them urgent, for 1964–65 and that he has turned down every one? Is he also aware that the authority gave top priority to the rebuilding of St. Mary's Roman Catholic School for Boys, and that his own Department is in no doubt that this should take place as quickly as possible because the school is housed in the worst education buildings in the town? Is he further aware that the Roman Catholic authorities have their plans already made, and that they have played their part very fully in the reorganisation of all-age schools? Yet they are now being penalised. Will he reconsider this matter?

I am aware of what the hon. Lady has said. I wonder whether she is aware that an adjoining authority, Lancashire, was given four major replacement projects. It is difficult to allocate these things absolutely fairly, but I would point out that this is only the second occasion since 1952 that Blackburn has had a blank programme, which is not a bad record for an authority of that size. Altogether, 15 major projects have been approved there in the last 13 building programmes.

Has my right hon. Friend seen photographs of this school? If he has, would not he agree that it was worn out many years ago and is now a scandal?

I have seen photographs. I accept that it was extremely difficult, particularly in the North, to decide the exact order of priorities for replacements. Without any reference to this particular school, it is my hope to make a further statement shortly about the school building programme.

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall seek to raise this matter on the Adjournment.