Oral Answers to Questions — Education and Science – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 6 May 1965.
Mr Peter Mills
, Torrington
12:00,
6 May 1965
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science in what way provision of classrooms, showers, toilets, and other accommodation at Bideford East of Water falls short of the standards laid down by his Department.
Mr Reginald Prentice
, East Ham North
I understand from the Devon Authority that the teaching area of the school is 1,600 sq. ft. below the minimum standard. The school is short of five toilet fittings and seven washbasins, and there is an insufficient supply of warm water. There is no staff room. Both the site and playing fields are below the minimum size laid down. There is no requirement for showers in a primary school.
Mr Peter Mills
, Torrington
Will the Minister bear in mind the very real problems through which this school is going and also that it is in a development district and therefore is an area with a rising population? Will he see that adequate funds are provided so that the school can be rebuilt?
Mr Reginald Prentice
, East Ham North
The Devon local education authority included this school among its proposals for the programmes from 1965 to 1968. It was not included in the programmes approved by the late Government. The authority has recently made further representations with particular reference to the point, which the hon. Member has made, about it being in a development district. We are considering these carefully at the moment.
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.
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.
