§ 19. Mr. Albuasked the Minister of Education which of the colleges of advanced technology and regional colleges have provided, or are in course of providing, individual work rooms for senior staff other than heads of departments.
§ Sir E. BoyleAll the colleges of advanced technology provide work rooms for staff other than heads of departments. Some are allocated to individuals, but most are shared by groups of staff within a department. Many more such rooms will be provided under current building programmes. My right hon. Friend has no information about the regional colleges.
§ Mr. AlbuDoes not the hon. Gentleman agree that it is highly desirable that senior staffs, at least in the colleges of technology, should have individual work rooms in future?
§ Sir E. BoyleYes, Sir. I entirely agree that it is important that all senior staff should have suitable places to work. Different colleges have adopted different policies, but I am glad that the hon. Member has called attention to this important matter.
§ 20. Mr. Albuasked the Minister of Education which of the colleges of advanced technology and regional colleges have not yet provided staff common rooms and which are in process of providing them.
§ Sir E. BoyleStaff common rooms are provided now at all colleges of advanced technology, and further provision will be made under early building programmes. My right hon. Friend is not aware of any regional college which does not have at least one staff common room, or which will not have one when building projects now planned or under construction are complete.
§ Mr. AlbuMay I give the Parliamentary Secretary privately the names of colleges which do not have staff common rooms? Does he not agree that if the new diploma in technology is to be considered the equivalent of a university degree, teachers in the regional colleges and in the colleges of advanced technology should have conditions equivalent to those of teachers in universities?
§ Sir E. BoyleMy right hon. Friend is entirely in agreement about the importance of providing suitable common rooms for staff. If the hon. Member has any particular case to bring to my notice, I should be very pleased to see him.