The Government's £40b investment programme for 2009 is central
to the Prime Minister's plan to restore economic growth and create
100,000 jobs, and schools and colleges across England are expected to
benefit from refurbishment and rebuilding.
Visiting the new Isambard Community School in Swindon, Mr Brown set out Government plans to spend £21.9 billion on school capital projects between 2008 and 2011 - a sevenfold increase on 1996/97.
Mr Brown said:
: "The economic slowdown must not be an excuse to slow down the pace
of investment and reform to strengthen our country for the future.
"And so the Government is bringing forward its capital spending
programmes, so that public investment will be increased by £10 billion
over the next two years to its highest level as a proportion of national
income for 30 years, resulting in the creation of 100,000 jobs next year
alone.
"We must invest now to prepare Britain to thrive in the future global
economy.
"That means investing in the building blocks of future prosperity - in
schools, hospitals, transport and communications infrastructure and in
the industries of the future. And it means investing in building a
world-class workforce and supporting strong communities - providing our
young people and their families the schools and facilities they need to
learn and to thrive."
Since 1997, more than 1,100 schools have been built or rebuilt - 13 of
them in Swindon alone, where the next couple of years are set to see a
further £50 million spent on school buildings and facilities - said
Downing Street.
