HC Deb 25 October 1956 vol 558 c818
32. Sir I. Fraser

asked the Minister of Education what progress has been made in the extension of facilities for technical education since the publication of the White Paper.

Sir D. Eccles

As the answer is long, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Sir I. Fraser

Are the figures satisfactory?

Sir D. Eccles

Yes, I think that my hon. Friend will be satisfied.

Following is the Answer : Apart from the opening of new buildings and extensions which were under construction before the White Paper was published the following developments in England and Wales have taken place :—
  1. (i) The 1957–58 and 1958–59 building programmes have been approved. As the 1956–57 programme was approved before the White Paper was issued, local education authorities already know that they can start over £40(m) worth of the five-year programme of capital investment, totalling £70(m), outlined in the White Paper.
  2. (ii) Eight colleges have been provisionally designated as Colleges of Advanced Technology : two of these designations have been confirmed and others will be confirmed shortly.
  3. (iii) The National Council for Technological Awards has published its conditions for giving the Diploma in Technology. 819 and is now considering a number of applications for approval of courses.
  4. (iv) I have had a meeting about regional co-ordination and inter-authority payments with representatives of local education authorities. An agreement has been reached, the result of which I announced in the House on 24th July last, which should go a long way towards removing the difficulties about out-county attendance.
  5. (v) The number of sandwich courses has risen from 103 is 1955 to 168 in the current session.
  6. (vi) Substantial increases of salary for technical college teachers recommended by the Burnham Committee have been approved.
  7. (vii) A Committee, drawn from the National Advisory Councils on Education for Industry and Commerce and on the Supply and Training of Teachers under the chairmanship of. Dr. Willis Jackson has been set up to report on the supply and training of teachers for technical colleges.
The publication of the White Paper, and subsequent discussion of it in public and private, have made the whole country increasingly aware of the vital importance of technical education and have made a great difference to the climate of opinion in which the education service works.