§ 20. Mr. Buchananasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to set up, for both sides of industry, intensive productivity courses on the lines of the London Business School where the latest techniques in planning, methods study, incentives and costs could be studied, in order to improve the overall performance of Scottish industry and commerce.
§ Mr. RossA wide range of courses related to productivity and management techniques is already available in Scottish universities and other educational establishments.
§ Mr. BuchananI know that there are such courses readily available in universities for the upper echelons of industry. Is my right hon. Friend aware that a comparatively modern innovation in industry is the full-time shop steward and that these courses are necessary on the shop floor? Is he further aware that they should be made much more easily available than they are?
§ Mr. RossI am sure that my hon. Friend will appreciate that Lord Franks in 1963 was invited by the Confederation of British Industry to examine this point. The result was that there was the establishment of two such schools, one in London and one in Manchester. I am glad to say that in recent years there has been a very considerable interest in this in Scotland and I hope that it will lead to some action being taken. I would tell my hon. Friend that the University of Glasgow, in association with the C.T.C. Scottish Committee, is holding a one-day study conference on 18th March, on management training and education, at which the Scottish Department will be represented. It may be that something useful will come out of this.