Beith secures promise of Ministerial involvement in bid for new school buildings

4.15.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 21st Jul 2009

Alan Beith is continuing to push for help to get new school buildings for Alnwick.

The future of Alnwick's schools was tackled today in a Parliamentary debate brought in by longstanding Liberal Democrat MP Sir Alan Beith.

During the debate Sir Alan outlined the problems with buildings at the Duchess Community High School as well as other school buildings in the Alnwick partnership, which he described as "deplorable". Following the debate he said

"The Minister has promised to visit Alnwick and see for himself the problems facing the Duchess High School and other schools in the town.

"I raised the fact that the Duchess High School produces excellent results but that this counts against us when trying to access funds for new buildings, and that there is extremely strong community support for a new learning campus for the town."

The Government was represented in the debate by Rt Hon Dawn Primarolo MP, the Minister for Children, as the Schools Minister Vernon Coaker MP was unable to attend. Sir Alan has had discussions with Mr Coaker and added

"Although the Minister's response in the debate did not take the issue any further forward, I have spoken privately to the Schools Minister who has given me his firm commitment that he will visit Alnwick as soon ass we can fix a date and will take a serious interest in pushing this issue forward."