Community Parents Scheme (Hansard, 6 July 1977)

§ 9. Mr. Lambie
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what response he has had to the community parents scheme.

§ Mr. McElhone
I understand from Strathclyde Regional Council that it has so far received 22 firm applications from people interested in becoming community parents under this scheme.

§ Mr. Lambie
I congratulate my hon. Friend on his initiative in starting this scheme, which I think is unique in Western Europe and which was even praised by the Prime Minister last week in a speech that he made in Wales. Will my hon. Friend ensure that adequate resources will be made available for existing List D schools, including well-run schools such as Geilsland School, in Beith? When will he visit that school?

§ Mr. McElhone
I thank my hon. Friend for those kind remarks. I know that he has a keen interest in the Geilsland List D school. I know that he visits it regularly and has close contacts with the headmaster, the staff and the pupils. As he has made his request on a number of occasions, and as I know of the good record of Geilsland, I shall seriously contemplate visiting it in the Summer Recess.

§ Mr. Teddy Taylor
As the Undersecretary of State has said that there have been 22 applications, will he on a future occasion give us a firm idea of the cost of the substantial advertising and organisation of the scheme?

§ Mr. McElhone
When I initiated the scheme I was very conscious of the financial restrictions. Thanks to my right hon. Friend, we managed to get £20,000 for the project. Considering the possibility of 15 young people being involved, who would cost the State more than £100 a week if they were to remain in a List D school, the limited advertising money that has been spent on the project means that the Government are getting a good bargain financially as well as a social work return.