HC Deb 24 October 1968 vol 770 cc1559-60
2. Mr. Gwilym Roberts

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now send a circular to local authorities urging them to introduce shift systems in school and colleges to ensure that the buildings and facilities are used for the maximum number of hours per day and days per year.

The Secretary of State for Education and Science (Mr. Edward Short)

I have no evidence that shift working is necessary in schools, but school premises are often used for educational, social and recreational purposes outside teaching hours. In colleges of education and further education establishments teaching facilities are in use during the day and evening and the premises are available during vacations for short courses, conferences and the like.

Mr. Roberts

Would my right hon. Friend not agree, however, that the very desirable movement away from part-time day release and part-time courses towards fulltime and sandwich diploma courses in schools is leading to less use of the premises in terms of time, because they are used mainly on a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. day? Would he perhaps consider using a shift system for some of these fulltime and sandwich courses?

Mr. Short

There is no need for shift systems for the schools. As for the further education establishments, I suggest that my hon. Friend looks around a few of them to see how many hours a day and how many days a week they are in fact used.