BUILDING SCHOOLS FOR THE FUTURE PROGRAMME

That this House recalls the disgraceful state of disrepair, discomfort and the lack of modern facilities that characterised too many schools under previous Conservative Governments; commends the last Labour Government for its widely respected Building Schools for the Future programme to build new secondary schools and refurbish others so that pupils could enjoy decent facilities and improve discipline and educational achievement; condemns the current Coalition Government for its cavalier attitude towards pupils, parents and teaching staff in schools around the country in halting over 700 school rebuilding schemes that had, in many cases, been negotiated carefully over many months or years by the Government, local authorities and schools, which were keenly anticipated by all concerned and which would also have assisted the construction industry and other sectors at a time when the economic recovery is fragile; notes, in particular that a total of 90 schools in the North East of England have been cancelled, including 14 in Sunderland, 4 in Gateshead, 15 in Redcar and Cleveland, 1 in Northumberland, 11 in North Tyneside, 6 in Hartlepool, 15 in Durham, 7 in Darlington and 17 in Stockton on Tees, with another 4 listed for discussion; and urges the Government to reconsider its decisions.