3. Mrs. Slaterasked the Minister of Education if he will take powers to license correspondence colleges so as to enable him to ensure that diplomas issued by them are of true educational value.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education (Mr. Kenneth Thompson)A Bill to require correspondence colleges to be registered is already before this House and it would not be right for me to anticipate the forthcoming debate upon it.
Mrs. SlaterYes, but would not the hon. Gentleman agree that something needs doing quickly, some statement, perhaps, if not anticipating the Bill, to prevent some of these colleges issuing false prospectuses misleading people, as some of them do deliberately? As happened in one case quite recently certificates were issued, mainly to colonial people, saying that they had medical value but which were of no use at all, and some even issue statements that they can train public health inspectors, yet when people have undertaken the examinations they find that they are of no use at all without going through the proper channels? Could not the Minister make a statement?
§ Mr. ThompsonI think that a lot of that would be appropriate for the debate on the Private Member's Bill and that we should wait to see how we get on when that Bill comes before us.