Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Barry Sheerman (Labour). It was answered on Thursday, 16 June 2005 on behalf of the Department for Education and Skills.

Schools Building Programme

Question: Everyone welcomes the massive expenditure and investment in our schools building programme, but does my right hon. Friend agree that the schools that we build in the future can be either awful or wonderfully well designed and sustainable? This morning's Financial Times contained a worrying article in which a member of her Department said that future schools—and even academies—could be built more cheaply and effectively using off-the-shelf designs. For me, off the shelf means that the buildings will be poorly designed and unsustainable.

Answer: I can guarantee that school building designs will never be off the shelf, but that does not mean that there will not be a range of designs available to inform architects' design processes, and into which head teachers can have an input. However, it is important that we include an element of innovation in school design as we move forward.

Secondary information

Type: Oral question
Reference: 435 c376
Session: 2005-06
Oral question type: Supplementary
Chamber / Committee: House of Commons chamber
Subjects: Construction Schools Buildings Capital investment Repairs and maintenance Southend on Sea
Link: View this Oral question on www.publications.parliament.uk