§ 43. Mr. MacCollasked the Minister of Education whether in designating colleges as regional colleges of technology, he will provide for their continuing to offer courses designed to lead to university degrees.
§ The Minister of Education (Sir David Eccles)Neither colleges of advanced technology nor regional colleges which prepare students for university degrees will be prevented by me from continuing to do so, so long as the courses concerned remain efficient and economical. But, for the reasons given in paragraph 60 of the White Paper on Technical Education (Cmd. 9703), I regard it as important that students in technical colleges should be able to work for a qualification of high standing that would not involve the disadvantages inherent in an external degree.
§ Mr. MacCollWould the right hon. Gentleman agree that, if the regional colleges are encouraged to give university courses, it will maintain the quality of their staff and increase the general interest which they are taking in their work and make them feel that they are not being discriminated against for the benefit of the national colleges?
§ Sir D. EcclesThere will not be any difference between regional colleges and the national colleges in regard to the Hives' award, and we think that it will be more in the interests of the students that courses should be drawn up to suit local needs, possibly local industry. The disadvantage of the external degree lies in that direction.