HC Deb 13 May 1965 vol 712 cc693-4
28. Mr. Harold Walker

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what relationship exists between the qualifications required for associate membership of technical institutes and the curricula of Higher National Certificate courses.

Mr. R. E. Prentice

The Higher National Certificate is primarily a qualification in its own right for the senior technician, but it has in many cases given either full or partial exemption from the requirements of professional institutions and has thus offered a route to professional qualifications for the part-time student.

With the raising of standards on the part of many institutions it is likely that in future the H.N.C. will not afford the student as much exemption as in the past, and, while it is important that there should continue to be a part-time route, those aiming at professional qualifications should pursue a full-time or sandwich degree or diploma course where practicable.

Mr. Walker

Is my right hon. Friend aware that this relationship compels education authorities to orientate their courses towards the requirement of the institutions and in this way to enable the institutions to use their influence with regard to degree courses to supply the kind of requirements they represent? Does he realise that this is a restrictive practice which it would be desirable to investigate?

Mr. Prentice

I would not accept that it is a restrictive practice. There is here a very difficult problem, on the one hand, with the institutions which in many cases wish to raise their standards and the H.N.C. which performs a valuable rôle by training and testing people for higher technicians' work. It would be wrong to distort that sort of course to meet changes in the requirements of the institutions. It is a very difficult problem which varies between one profession and another. If my hon. Friend has any particular aspect in mind I should be glad to know about it.

Sir E. Boyle

Is it not the case that whereas part-time H.N.C. courses have played an important part in the past in helping people to gain qualifications, we hope to see less part-time routes and a growing number of those taking the full-time route? Is not it right that many more qualifications should be expressed in terms of full-time courses? Would not the hon. Gentleman agree that if the Robbins' figures get altered and we have more full-timers by 1974 it will be in line with the progress which most people want to achieve?

Mr. Prentice

We do not want to close the part-time route. I agree that more and more young people should have an opportunity of full-time courses, sandwich courses and the like, and the policy of the new industrial training board should be directed towards this and encourage expansion along those lines.