HC Deb 10 November 1966 vol 735 cc1527-8
36. Mr. Shinwell

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what courses of advanced technology are available for students in the technical colleges in the new town of Peterlee in County Durham.

Mr. Crosland

There is none in Peterlee itself, but both part-time and full-time advanced courses are available at colleges which serve this area.

Mr. Shinwell

Is it not an astonishing state of affairs that in a new technical college in a new town, a modern town, students do not have facilities for studying advanced technology? Surely my right hon. Friend can do something about that.

Mr. Crosland

I slightly suspect that my right hon. Friend is warming up for supplementaries which he may ask on a later Question this afternoon. On the point of substance, he will be aware, as most hon. Members are, that it is essential, if we are to get an economic use of resources, that we should, to some extent at any rate, concentrate on places in which advanced courses are put on, and while I have great sympathy about the problems of Peterlee, the fact is that advanced courses are available in places within easy travelling distance of Peterlee.

37. Mr. Shinwell

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what decision has been reached by the Government on the siting of a technological university in the county of Durham.

Mr. Crosland

In the light of the current financial situation, I have regret- fully decided that I cannot approve the launching of a new technological university in the North-East in the years immediately ahead.

Mr. Shinwell

Is my right hon. Friend aware that when I warm up I do not require any inspiration from him or anybody else? I regard some of the answers on this subject as highly unsatisfactory. Here is a site in a new town which is modernised to the highest possible degree and in the centre of a vast population and with easy access and with many young people who want to enter universities, particularly to study technologies. Surely this is the appropriate place to have a university.

Mr. Crosland

I think that my right hon. Friend knows that I was extremely sympathetic to the idea of a new technological university in the North-East, for which I think that there are extremely strong arguments. We have decided that it cannot go ahead in present circumstances because of the country's financial situation. However, I have to add that if there were a decision that it should go ahead, there would be many other strong candidates besides Peterlee for its location.