§ 13. Mr. Martenasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he intends to make a statement on the First Report of the Public Schools Commission.
§ Mr. Edward ShortThe Government are still considering the Report and I cannot yet give a firm date for a statement, although I hope this will be possible early in 1969.
§ Mr. MartenWhy is it taking the right hon. Gentleman so long to make up his mind, when the Labour Party conference made up its mind quite firmly in October and rejected the Report? In the light of the new Labour Party rule, is the Minister to appear before his party committee?
§ Mr. ShortIt is taking time because it is a long and complicated Report with 50 recommendations. The Commission spent a great deal of time on it, and the least I can do is to pay close attention to its recommendations and consult a great many people about them.
§ 14. Mr. Boyd-Carpenterasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now disband the Commission on the Public Schools.
§ Mr. Edward ShortNo, Sir.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterIn view of the fairly general derision with which the majority Report was received, including that expressed by the Minister of State at 1819 the Labour Party conference, would it not be better to spend the money now being spent on this Commission on more directly useful educational purposes?
§ Mr. ShortNo, Sir. The second part is particularly important because it deals with the direct grant schools; these are one of the great impediments in the way of secondary reorganisation throughout the country, and it is most important that the problem should be looked at in depth.