HC Deb 07 February 1961 vol 634 c185
4. Mr. Swingler

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has now considered the Report of the Committee under Sir David Lindsay Keir on industrial and technical education for Africans in Northern Rhodesia; what recommendations have been made; and what action he will take.

Mr. Iain Macleod

This Report has been completed, but not yet published. The Copperbelt Technical Foundation, the Northern Rhodesia Government and the Federal Government who were the joint sponsors of the inquiry, are now considering what joint action should be taken concerning publication and the Report's recommendations.

Mr. Swingler

Will not the right hon. Gentleman agree that it really is urgent to expedite these matters? Is it not a fact that the plans for trying to spread education for Africans are at the present moment extremely limited, and that the foundation, considering the inadequacy of secondary education, is a very small one? Will he do something to urge on and speed up consideration of these plans, and especially their implementation?

Mr. Macleod

I agree with what the hon. Gentleman has said. The Keir Report recommends a considerable expansion of facilities for technical education, and I hope that joint action on it will shortly be agreed.