HC Deb 04 December 1947 vol 445 cc559-60
39. Mr. Peart

asked the Minister of Education if he will sponsor a central organisation which would help individuals to find suitable vacancies when applying for admittance to universities and training colleges.

Mr. Tomlinson

There is an unofficial clearing house which serves the purposes to which my hon. Friend refers for the great majority of the teachers' training colleges. The admission of students to universities is not a matter which comes within my administration.

Mr. Peart

Will my right hon. Friend consult with the university authorities and with his right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who has some control of university finance? The Minister must be aware that students who make applications to universities or training colleges often have to make ten different applications. Surely, this is unnecessary and there should be some unifying control for training colleges and universities?

Mr. Tomlinson

I will take into consideration what my hon. Friend says, but I think every Member of the House knows the difficulty, in maintaining the independence of the universities, of interference of this kind.