§ 66. Mr. HARRISasked the President of the Board of Education whether any survey of technical education in England and Wales has yet been made; and, if not, whether he will consider how far the needs for technical education in the various industries in the country are at present met by education authorities?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of EDUCATION (Lord Eustace Percy)I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave him on the 21st March last, and also to the Board's pamphlet on Technical and Further Education in England and Wales, a copy of which I am sending him. For certain industries, including paper manufacture and leather manufacture, the coal-tar industries, structural engineering, foundry work, engineering crafts and automobile engineering, the Board have published more detailed surveys, and others are in course of preparation. If the hon. Member will refer to the "Suggestions by the Board of Education" contained in the last Report of the Committee on Industry and Trade (pages 185–190) he will see that, in the Board's view, the next and most necessary step towards estimating the need for technical education in the various industries is the formation by each industry of a representative 849 body capable of studying its needs and advising the Board and local authorities upon them.
§ Mr. HARRISWhile aware of the suggestions for various industries, may I ask if the Board are considering the necessity for co-ordinating technical education over the whole country in relation to various industries?
§ Lord E. PERCY"Co-ordination" is a blessed word. I think it had better be debated to-morrow.