HC Deb 19 January 1967 vol 739 cc622-3
7. Mr. Gwilym Roberts

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will seek power to ensure the satisfactory use of university, college, and school facilities and accommodation during the vacations.

Mr. Crosland

I am extremely anxious to ensure what my hon. Friend has in mind, and we are making definite progress in this direction. But I think that we shall do better by strong encouragement rather than by seeking new powers.

Mr. Roberts

Would my right hon. Friend agree, however, that there is an urgent need for a nation-wide O & M inquiry into the use of college staff and buildings, and that an all-the-year-round use of college facilities could greatly increase our output of trained personnel?

Mr. Crosland

I certainly agree with what my hon. Friend has in mind in the second part of his supplementary question, but I do not think that a nation-wide investigation would be suitable because different kinds of colleges have such different problems. But we know that the universities, the colleges of education, and the technical colleges have different types of external or internal inquiry going on into the utilisation of buildings.