HC Deb 28 June 1960 vol 625 cc1123-4
12. Mr. Willis

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will now make a statement concerning the future of Moray House Demonstration School.

Mr. N. Macpherson

As my right hon. Friend has informed the hon. Member, he has been advised that under the present regulations governors of colleges have no power to close a main department of an attached demonstration school. Pupils will therefore be admitted to the secondary department of Moray House School next session. To make more room in the college itself, the governors are considering with Edinburgh Education Authority moving the secondary department temporarily to accommodation nearby.

Meantime my right hon. Friend is proposing to include a provision in amending regulations he will shortly be laying before Parliament to allow cases of this kind to be examined on their merits. The future of the school will be considered when the regulations have been made.

Mr. Willis

While we are grateful that the secondary department is to continue as it was during the 1960–61 session, may I ask the hon. Member whether he is aware that there is still a very big question mark over the future of this department? Is it the Secretary of State's intention, having obtained the powers which he is to seek, to close it?

Mr. Macpherson

It would be for the governors, in the first place, to consider whether or not to close it. My right hon. Friend's intention is to give himself a power to be consulted and, indeed, to approve or disapprove the governors' recommendations.

Mr. Hoy

Is not the Joint Under-Secretary of State aware that, following correspondence between my hon. Friend, the Department and myself, the Minister's reply contains a threat to do something to this school which we find unacceptable? Would it not be very much better for the Scottish Office to take action to consider the whole future of the school and do the thing cleanly rather than to institute amending legislation to carryout what they have found that they have been unable to do?

Mr. Macpherson

I do not think that there is a threat at all. There is an immediate problem of pressure of accommodation with which these arrangements are designed to deal. The essence of the matter remains entirely open and is by no means prejudiced by the action being taken.