Local Authorities, Scotland (General Grant)

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 15 December 1964.

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Photo of Dr Dickson Mabon Dr Dickson Mabon , Greenock 12:00, 15 December 1964

As a matter of fact, it should now be in the hands of every local authority, and I strongly suggest to the hon. Gentleman, who must be in good relations with local authorities, that he should acquire this and read it. I admit that, in practice, there ought to be common documents shared by both sides. I hope that a Labour Government would never for one moment behave like the previous Government in that regard. This is a common document in relation to local authorities.

Let me pass, however, to the question of the raising of the school-leaving age. I repeat that we had just come into office and because of that we find that little has been done. Some preparation is going on, but that preparation will have to be speeded up. I am assured that relatively little building work will be done before 1967. That is hardly our responsibility. It takes a long time to prepare and develop plans for building schools, the letting of contracts and all the rest, but the preliminary work is being speeded and I can assure the House that this, in time, will be part of our programme.

It may cover the second year of the grant and it may not. I cannot say at this stage, but it is a matter which concerns the Department and it will be pushed ahead at all speed.