§ 30. Rear-Admiral Morgan-Gilesasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many local authorities currently decline to allow service careers officers to visit schools in their areas; whether he has written to these authorities; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ReynoldsThere are currently about 16 areas in which local authorities decline to allow careers officers to visit schools. The Services recruiting organisations continually take all possible measures to achieve full co-operation.
§ Rear-Admiral Morgan-GilesWill the right hon. Gentleman not think again as to whether it would not be constructive to write to these authorities and urge them to allow careers officers to pay such visits? May I point out, without carping, that he may find these authorities more liable to help now that so many more of them are in the hands of the Conservatives?
§ Mr. ReynoldsWe are constantly in touch with the local authorities on this. The list of authorities is continually changing. It does not consist of the same authorities all the time. As one would expect with any list of local authorities at present, the majority of them are Conservative.
§ Mr. Scott-HopkinsIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that one school has become closely associated with a certain vessel in the Royal Navy? Will he encourage this kind of association between schools not only with vessels of the Royal Navy but also with R.A.F. units and regiments in the Army?
§ Mr. ReynoldsWe have to consider the cost, both in particular and in general, but I am certainly prepared to encourage this kind of association. But policy in the schools not only towards Service visits but also towards visits by industry is a matter for the local education authorities and the head teachers concerned.