§ 5. Mr. Ron Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many youth hostels are engaged for field studies; and what steps he is taking to expand this work.
§ The Joint Under-Secretary of State for Education and Science (Mr. Denis Howell)Over 200 youth hostels are available for use by school parties, and 12 of them,11 in England and one in Wales, are specially equipped for field studies. I understand that the Youth Hostels Association intends to equip a few more hostels for the purpose in 1966. My Department makes an allocation from the Youth Service building programme to the Youth Hostels Association in respect of its overall programme but not specifically for this activity.
§ Mr. LewisThis is most valuable educational work. Will my hon. Friend treat sympathetically the desire of the Youth Hostels Association to expand its programme in this direction?
§ Mr. HowellI entirely agree. We shall do what we can to aid its expansion, but it is for the Association to produce proposals.
§ 6. Mr. Ron Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress is being made with the expansion of local education authority field study and rural study centres.
§ Mr. Denis HowellI know of 29 field study centres organised by local education authorities. Others are on the way, and a number of outdoor pursuit centres and school camps are also used in part for field studies.
§ Mr. LewisI thank my hon. Friend for that reply, but will he use his good offices, perhaps through the Schools 678 Council, to persuade more local education authorities to branch out in this work?
§ Mr. HowellYes, Sir; we hope that the Schools Council will have regard to this when it is studying curricula. We shall do all we can to encourage the expansion of this activity.