§ 32. Mr. J. Johnsonasked the Minister of Education what action she is taking to increase the production of technologists.
§ Mr. PickthornThe hon. Member has already seen Circular 255 describing the arrangements for making improved financial assistance available for selected technical colleges and courses. Applications for additional grant under this circular are now being considered, and have in some cases already been approved.
§ Mr. JohnsonIs the Minister aware that these measures, while welcome, are quite inadequate, and cannot he make another effort to persuade his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to upgrade perhaps six of the major technical colleges to university college status so that we might tackle the job and spend more money on this vitally important task?
§ Mr. PickthornI do not think that the usefulness of this device—for the approval of which by the hon. Gentleman I am extremely grateful—has been by a very long chalk exhausted yet, and I think we must go on with this method. As to organisations promoted to university rank, as I indicated in another connection, that is not one of the matters for which I have to answer here.