HC Deb 17 December 1970 vol 808 cc1547-9
14. Mr. Gurden

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice she has given to the Birmingham education authority in the matter of the large increases in the numbers of newly-arrived immigrant children.

Mrs. Thatcher

I have made a further minor works allocation to provide additional school places.

Mr. Gurden

I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for that news. Will she have a word with her Cabinet colleagues to see how much longer these half-dozen or so industrial areas have to carry the exceptional load of all the dependants, so-called dependants and illegal immigrants continually coming into the country?

Mrs. Thatcher

There are problems where large numbers of children require extra school provision, but I assure my hon. Friend that we are doing all we can to help.

Mr. Bidwell

Will the right hon. Lady assure the House that nothing under existing arrangements or future arrangements under the new Bill about immigration which is to come before Parliament, and nothing which she does herself, will prevent children from joining the bread-winners in this country, notwithstanding the difficulties which that presents to local authorities, education committees and so on? Does not the right hon. Lady deplore the remarks which her hon. Friend has just made, which suggest that the matter of illegal immigration has something to do with the statutory right of children to join their parents here?

Mrs. Thatcher

My duty is to see that education is provided for children who are here, whatsoever their background, and we try to do that.

Miss Lestor

Would it not be helpful if the hon. Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Mr. Gurden) would pay tribute to the teachers in Birmingham and many other areas who have made such tremendous efforts and strides in the education of children from overseas? Second, does the right hon. Lady include in her review of teacher training the question of an increase in facilities for the training of teachers in colleges of education to deal with children from overseas, and an increase in in-service training, too?

Mrs. Thatcher

On the first point, I am sure that my hon. Friend would gladly pay that tribute, and I join him in doing so. On the second point, I hope that the teacher training inquiry will include that.