the future program, which affects five local schools in the borough of gateshead. this deeply concerns both communities, which have lost much needed investment, and liberal democrat councillors in some of those areas, who now fear losing their seats. will the deputy prime minister agree to meet the borough's mps to discuss a way forward for those schools, which have had much needed investment wrenched from their grasp by this government's action? >> of course i understand the honorable gentleman's concern about schooling in his constituency, but we should be under no illusions. the building schools for the future program would have had to be cut even if labor were still in power. it was the labor government who cut capital investment by 50% but did not deign to tell people what that would mean. building schools for the future was a program that was not effectively run: it took three years after it had begun before the first brick was laid. of course we will look at new ways of ensuring that capital investment continues to flow into existing schools and new schools