HC Deb 16 November 1961 vol 649 cc654-5
19. Mr. Grimond

asked the Minister of Education how many technical colleges and schools there are in Great Britain; what is the number of students attending them; how many are in course of construction; and how many are planned.

Sir D. Eccles

As the Answer contains a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Grimond

Has the right hon. Gentleman any hope to give to the House that we shall catch up on the present serious leeway we have lost to other countries? I think I am right in saying that we have about one-third of the number of full-time technical students which France has. Is the right hon. Gentleman's programme designed

GRANT-AIDED MAJOR ESTABLISHMENTS OF FURTHER EDUCATION
— England and Wales Scotland Total
Number of establishments 761 92 853
Number of students attending these establishments in the 1959–60 session:—
(a) Full-time 112,768 12,549 125,317
(b) Sandwich 10,038 * 10,038
(c) Part-time 501,003 35,609 536,612
(d) Evening 784,584 52,696 837,280
Number of projects included in major further education building programmes where construction is in progress 126 18 144
Number of projects approved under further education building programmes up to and including 1962–63 on which work has not yet started 217 25 242
* No separate figures in respect of sandwich students are available for Scotland. Few such courses are now available and virtually all students are attending three-term full-time courses.
SECONDARY TECHNICAL SCHOOLS: ENGLAND AND WALES*
(a) Maintained secondary technical schools … … … … … … 232
(b) Direct grant secondary technical schools … … … … … … 5
Total … … … … … … 237
Number of students at (a) at January, 1961 … … … … … … 97,039
Number of students at (b) at January, 1961 … … … … … … 838
Total … … … … … … 97,877
* There are no comparable schools in Scotland, where technical education forms part of the general secondary curriculum.