The Deputy will appreciate that the length of time a school capital project takes is dependent on a number of factors including available funding and necessary planning procedures.
For a number of years the level of funding for school capital projects has been very low in comparison with the level of demand. I have already made significant advances in this area with increases versus the 1997 allocation of £12 million, or 42 per cent, in the primary sector and £12 million, or 29 per cent, for second level. As a result, I have been able to progress a large number of projects which would have otherwise been delayed, including projects which were announced as being part of the capital programme in years where no funding was provided.
I am concerned that minor projects should not be delayed unnecessarily and, to that end, have made devolved grants totalling £10.5 million available to primary schools this year. In addition, my Department will shortly be piloting alternative procedures for carrying out professional tasks in the planning and design process with the aim of reducing costs and speeding up projects.