§ 7. Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assessment his Department has made of the progress of education authorities in teaching the use of computers and related subjects; and whether he is satisfied with the Inner London Education Authority in this respect.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneThe Department receives information from Her Majesty's Inspectorate about the work of schools, colleges and local education authorities in this field, and a survey of authorities' arrangements for the provision of software in schools has been commissioned under the microelectronics education programme. So far as can be judged on the evidence available, the Inner London Education Authority has made a substantial investment in hardware, in-service training and supporting services.
§ Mr. DobsonI welcome the Minister's acknowledgement of ILEA's prowess, but is that not ironic after the authority has been roundly denounced by the hon. Member for St. Marylebone (Mr. Baker), who is now the Minister responsible for computer science?
§ Mr. MacfarlaneIt is encouraging to note that the ILEA, like a number of other local education authorities, has invested cash in the programme. I am happy to see that the ILEA chief inspector responsible for computer education is contributing to the national programme sponsored by my Department.
§ Mr. John MacKayDoes not the fact that yesterday the Prime Minister launched the campaign for a computer in every secondary school show how seriously we take the future educational development of microprocessors and microcomputers?
§ Mr. MacfarlaneDevelopments are extremely encouraging. The Department of Industry is sponsoring the provision of hardware, which is complementary to the Department of Education and Science programme for in-service training and software analysis.
§ Mr. Dalyellrose—
§ Mr. SpeakerMr. Roy Hughes, Question No. 8.
§ Mr. Mark Carlislerose—
§ Mr. Dalyellrose—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I missed an Opposition Front Bench speaker, but there is no prescriptive right for Front Bench Members to be called, any more than there is for Back Bench Members. However, it is a "maiden" Front Bench question for the hon. Member.
§ Mr. DalyellWhat is the cost of the in-service training programme?
§ Mr. MacfarlaneSo far, my Department has spent just under £1 million on 34 projects. About one third have 804 come from 36 local authorities. We are happy to say that more background is now being provided by the Council for Education Technology, which is beginning to mount a series of six-week courses. In the past 12 months, 800 teachers have been through the programme.