To ask the Minister of Education for her assessment of the condition of the school estate in East Antrim.

Miss McIlveen

My Department’s capital programme aims to ensure that school premises are planned, delivered and improved to support the delivery of the desired education outcomes and to provide a safe and secure environment for all users. I understand that, in the East Antrim constituency, over the last three financial years, approximately £6·3 million has been invested in minor works schemes to improve existing assets. Under my Department’s major capital works programme, which was initiated in 2012, five schools were announced as proceeding in planning for major capital investment. With an investment of in the region of £8·7 million, two of those projects, Woodburn Primary School and Corran Integrated Primary School, have been completed. A further three schools are progressing through various Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) stages: Abbey Community College, St Killian’s College and Islandmagee Primary School. Over £5 million has been invested in Acorn Integrated Primary School and Belfast High School under the first school enhancement programme (SEP). A further four schools have been announced to advance in design under the second call, with a total estimated investment of £16 million. Those projects are at an early stage of planning and design. The schools are Roddensvale School, Thornfield House School, Carrickfergus Grammar School and Greenisland Primary School. Ulidia Integrated College was announced as a major capital project under the Fresh Start programme in March 2016. The business case for a new build school on the existing site was approved in December 2018. That £25 million investment will provide up-to-date accommodation and sports facilities for 700 pupils. Whilst significant capital investment is under way in the East Antrim constituency, I acknowledge that a large number of schools in the constituency require maintenance, which is funded from the resource budget. The budget for school maintenance is just one of the budgetary pressures currently faced by my Department, which allocated £20·5 million to the Education Authority for maintenance for 2021-22. This year, an estimated spend of £800,000 will be committed for planned maintenance and statutory remedial projects in schools in East Antrim.

Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Beggs)

Will the Member come to his question?

Miss McIlveen

I thank the Member for his question, which is similar to the question asked by my colleague about the anticipation of a new build when an amalgamation takes place. It is my intention to make a major capital works call before the end of the current financial year, and that may assist with that project. I am more than happy to accept his invitation to visit both schools.

Mr Lyons

I also congratulate the Minister on her appointment and wish her well in her new role. I echo Mr Dickson's comments, especially about Larne High School, which is in need of an urgent upgrade. I am pleased to hear what the Minister said about the capital works programme. Can she give any more detail on when it is likely to be in place? I also raise with her the issue of Greenisland Primary School, which is in a similar state of disrepair.

Miss McIlveen

I thank the Member for his question. I assume that he is looking for information on Larne High School. In October 2017, there was a call for minor works applications. Two applications were made for the school, for an upgrade of boiler flues and roofing, but they did not rank highly enough. Since 2019, four business cases have been approved for minor capital works: accommodation works for special educational needs (SEN), which were completed in 2020; Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)-specific accommodation, which was completed in 2019; the refurbishment of a 2G synthetic pitch, which is due to complete RIBA stage 5 in July; and strategic investment in the school meals accommodation project, which is due to complete RIBA stage 5 in September. I understand that the EA maintenance service will scope the changing rooms and gym hall for consideration for delivery in either financial year 2021-22 or in subsequent years, subject to capital budget availability. Larne High School was not put forward by the EA for consideration under the most recent major works call, which closed on 31 October, nor was an application made on behalf of the school submitted under the latest school enhancement programme call. I do not have any information with me on Greenisland Primary School, but I am happy to accompany the Member on a visit, if he so wishes.

Mr Sheehan

I also wish the Member well in her new role as Education Minister. The Minister will be aware that the school estate across the North is crying out for investment. Many schools have been operating in outdated, inappropriate and so-called temporary accommodation for 20 years. Can she outline her investment plans for the school estate that our young people need and deserve?

Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Beggs)

I remind the Member that the question was a constituency question specific to East Antrim. The Minister may or may not wish to respond.

Miss McIlveen

I am content to respond. I agree with the Member when he says that the school estate is crying out for investment and that far too many schools have outdated accommodation. In the past two weeks, I have visited quite a number of schools that went from one extreme to the other: from exemplary accommodation to accommodation that school leaders despair of. It concerns me that we still have not seen delivery of projects that have been prioritised for in excess of 10 years. It also concerns me that there is a significant backlog of minor works. We had 6,000 applications in the last call, and only around 1,300 of those have been progressed. I know that the reason for that is the number of emergency applications. I am concerned, and I agree with what the Member said. As I said in a previous response, I plan to issue further calls. I am meeting my officials to see how we can be better prepared so that we have shovel-ready projects when capital becomes available.

Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Beggs)

I call Jim Allister, and I remind him that it is a constituency question.

Mr Allister

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I suggest to the Minister that it is a false economy not to maintain our schools. By way of example, I cite Moorfields Primary School, and I declare an interest as chair of the board of governors. A new school was provided a dozen years ago, yet, because of a failure to address plaster failings and a failure to repaint it, it is now riddled with cracks and growing moss, and it will take a lot of money to repair it at some time in the future. Why are we not keeping the stock that we have at such a level as to protect against excess expenditure in the future?

Miss McIlveen

I thank the Member for his question, and I do not disagree with what he has said. I understand that some of what he spoke of is to do with resource pressures, but I am happy to go back to officials to see what Moorfields Primary School's current status is and then come back to the Member.