Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Tony Lloyd Excerpts
Monday 7th June 2010

(14 years, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Nick Gibb Portrait Mr Gibb
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My hon. Friend will be pleased to see in the Academies Bill, which is receiving its Second Reading in another place, that primaries will be able to apply for academy status. Indeed, the 250 outstanding primaries that have registered an interest with the Department will be fast-tracked to that status by, I hope, this September.

Tony Lloyd Portrait Tony Lloyd (Manchester Central) (Lab)
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12. What his Department’s priorities will be in allocating funding for new school building.

Michael Gove Portrait The Secretary of State for Education (Michael Gove)
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I am currently reviewing the methods by which capital has been allocated to schools, to ensure that we can build schools more effectively and cost-efficiently in the future.

Tony Lloyd Portrait Tony Lloyd
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I thank the Secretary of State for his answer. During the period of the last Labour Government, many roofs were repaired—when the sun was shining. Can he give an absolute guarantee that schools in a constituency such as mine, which were not part of that programme but still need some catching up, will be rebuilt or properly maintained?

Michael Gove Portrait Michael Gove
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I know that the hon. Gentleman has a number of great schools in his constituency that have benefited from investment, not least Manchester academy, which is achieving outstanding results. Manchester is approaching the conclusion of its final business case for specific funding under the Building Schools for the Future programme. I want to make sure that before we go any further we strip out any bureaucratic costs with which either Manchester’s council tax payers or Manchester’s teachers might be saddled to ensure that we get the maximum amount of spending to the front line.