HC Deb 07 May 1964 vol 694 cc1440-1
20. Mr. Duffy

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of secondary schools in the West Riding of Yorkshire have a paid careers master and/or mistress.

The Lord President of the Council and Secretary of State for Education and Science (Mr. Quintin Hogg)

The local education authority tells me that about two-fifths of its secondary schools have one or more posts carrying special responsibility allowances awarded solely or partly for careers work. Such work is also undertaken in many schools by those holding posts of special responsibility as heads of department or as deputy headmasters or headmistresses, and by the heads of the schools.

Mr. Duffy

What of the remaining three-fifths? Does not the right hon. and learned Gentleman consider it desirable that every secondary school today, not merely those in the West Riding of Yorkshire, should have one member of the staff responsible for providing information to its students about employment possibilities; in other words, acting on the recommendation of the Newsom Report that there should be at least one member of the staff acting as an essential liaison between schools, parents and the youth employment service? What will he do to urge this view on the laggard L.E.A.s?

Mr. Hogg

I share the hon. Member's enthusiasm for getting careers masters or teachers in every kind of secondary school. Certainly the West Riding authority to which this Question relates made additional posts of special responsibility available on 1st April last and it may well be that some of these go to that purpose. The authority has recently published a booklet of advice. I shall certainly do what I can to encourage local authorities generally to take the same kind of view.

Mr. Willey

While appreciating what the right hon. Gentleman has just said, may I encourage his enthusiasm and encourage him to follow the example of West Riding? Would he consider collating information about the steps very successfully taken in some schools—the careers convention, for instance, in Woodbury Downs School—and brine, that to the attention of all schools?

Mr. Hogg

I have asked my Department to see what further steps could be taken to develop careers posts in secondary schools generally. I am very anxious that this should go forward.