§ Q4. Mr. Harry Ewingasked the Prime Minister if she will agree to meet a deputation from Callander Park and Hamilton colleges of education to discuss the change in Government policy towards Scottish colleges of education.
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir. My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Scotland, the hon. Member for Edinburgh North (Mr. Fletcher) has already met deputations from both colleges and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has agreed to meet a further deputation from Hamilton.
§ Mr. EwingDoes the Prime Minister recall that last time the future of colleges of education in Scotland was under consideration she took the trouble to come to Scotland and to take part in a party political broadcast on colleges of education? Does she recall that after she had accepted that there was a need to reduce the number of teachers being trained, she said that she believed that instead of merging and destroying colleges, they should be kept going? Why did she want to keep colleges going in 1977 when she was Leader of the Opposition and yet want to destroy them in 1980 when she is Prime Minister?
§ The Prime MinisterI never thought that we could keep all colleges of education going. As Secretary of State for Education I had to begin a programme for reducing colleges of education, a programme that my successors in that Department have had to uphold and, indeed, extend. It is no earthly good training teachers for jobs that will not be there due to the fall of 1 million in the number of school pupils in future. Such decisions may be painful, but they have to be taken and have been taken.
§ Mr. EwingOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of that reply, I beg to give notice that I shall seek to raise this matter on the Adjournment.