§ 24. Dr. Kingasked the Minister of Education if he will invite the National Foundation for Educational Research to investigate further the disparity between the numbers of public school and State entrants to the older universities, and the respective performances of both groups, as shown in the study recently conducted by the Cambridge University Sociological Society, a copy of which has been sent to him by the bon. Member for Itchen.
§ Mr. K. ThompsonMy right hon. Friend is still examining the document which the hon. Member was good enough to send him a few days ago. The universities themselves, of course, are responsible for the selection of students and they are most directly concerned with the performance of undergraduates.
§ Dr. KingIs the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the study seems to show that twice as many public school boys as State grammar school boys go to Cambridge and that, when they get there, they do half as well? If that is true, does not it seem to indicate that the whole method of selection at Cambridge University should be looked into in the interests both of education and justice?
§ Mr. ThompsonThe report is being examined by ray right hon. Friend, and I do not think that I would be wise to go further than that at this stage.