§ 15. Mr. Robin F. Cookasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he now expects to implement the recommendations of the Russell Committee on adult education; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PrenticeI have already implemented some of the proposals—for example, State awards for students at long-term residential colleges and the provision of resources to fight adult illiteracy. Further progress will follow discussions with the main adult education interests, but the rate of progress is bound to be affected by the economic situation.
§ Mr. CookIs my right hon. Friend aware that we have recently passed the second anniversary of the date on which the Russell Report was originally lodged in the Department? Does he not accept that two years is an intolerably long time in which to take action on a report which many Labour Members condemned at the time as being too modest and too cautious in its approach? What possible group of people does my hon. Friend still need to consult two years afterwards, and what further stages does he have to go through before taking decisions on 1346 those remaining modest recommendations?
§ Mr. PrenticeI said that we had implemented some of the proposals. Others are being implemented by the local authorities without the need for their consulting each other or central Government. On the second part of the question, I propose to invite local authority associations, teachers' associations and representatives of the voluntary bodies concerned to have further discussions, with a view to making progress on the implementation of the report. I must reiterate that the pace of that progress will depend on the difficult economic situation faced by local authorities and the country as a whole.