§ 7. Mr. Dormandasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the progress being made in establishing a significant centre of teacher education and training in the north-east of England.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Education and Science (Mr. William Waldegrave)I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Mr. Beith) on 22 February 1983.
§ Mr. DormandCan the Minister tell the House why, after the closure of 10 such colleges in the north-east in recent years, the Secretary of State gave a firm promise in November of last year that he would establish what he called a significant centre of teacher education in the area? If he meant that, will he, some six or seven months later, give a date for the establishment of such a centre and its location? There is considerable mistrust in the north-east of the Minister's intentions.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe commitment is firm. When I answered the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed I made it clear that the Government would need to examine the demand for places in existing colleges. The Government must receive the report from ACSET next year. The Government's firm commitment is to build up such a centre in one of the most obvious centres, during the next two or three years.