21. Mr. Edward Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the degree of consultation with parents and teachers which he regards as appropriate in cases in which local authorities are promoting major reorganisation schemes or school closures.
§ Mr. Gordon CampbellThe need varies with the circumstances and it would be impracticable to lay down a particular pattern, but I would take up with local authorities, as I have done, any case in which I thought their consultations were inadequate.
Mr. TaylorIs my right hon. Friend aware that the consultation over the closure of the selective schools in Glasgow consisted of the issuing of one circular letter to the parents of the children a day before the schools broke up for their holidays telling them that the schools were to close and inviting them to speak to the headmaster if they had problems? 438 The headmasters were about to go off on a two-months' holiday. If that kind of consultation which my right hon. Friend has approved for these schools were applied on the shop floor, there would be a general strike within days and many Glasgow folk would feel inclined to join in.
§ Mr. CampbellIn March last year I insisted that Glasgow Corporation should carry out consultations with the parents and teachers and it did that in June. It wrote to all the parents of pupils substantially affected, and that gave parents the opportunity of expressing their views. I agree that Glasgow Corporation could have done more. But when I pressed the corporation, it did in the end carry out consultations.