§ 8. Mr. Flanneryasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many children in Northern Ireland are presently receiving their education in (a) Catholic and (b) Protestant schools in the state system.
§ Mr. ScottIn January 1983 there were 162,749 pupils in grant-aided schools under Roman Catholic management, and 190,091 pupils at controlled schools—which are non-denominational — and at voluntary grammar schools not under Roman Catholic management. These figures cannot automatically be equated with the denomination of the pupils concerned.
§ Mr. FlanneryDoes the Minister accept that when the Select Committee last went across to examine the state of education in Northern Ireland the two figures were much nearer to each other than those that he has given? The imagination boggles at what the Unionists will have to do to keep ahead.
It is a disgrace to all of us that those children have been brought up during the troubles. I hope that in the future there will no longer be two separate communities and that the hand of friendship will be stretched out from the unionist to the Catholic community. Not communalism, but democracy, as we have it here, will solve that particular problem.
§ Mr. ScottAs in the rest of the United Kingdom, children in Northern Ireland are educated as far as possible in accordance with the wishes of their parents. Having said that, however, I shall lose no opportunity of encouraging teachers, parents and school authorities from both sections of the education system in Northern Ireland to co-operate, wherever possible, on both study and community projects. That would be of benefit to everyone concerned.
§ Mr. AlexanderDoes my hon. Friend agree that more children should be encouraged to attend schools of mixed faith, so that the early barriers of hatred and mistrust can be cut down as soon as possible?
§ Mr. ScottAs I said, the Government would support integrated education, and they have demonstrated that by
1227 their support for Lagan college. My hon. Friend should not underestimate the degree of integration that takes place in other schools in Northern Ireland due to conscious wishes of parents and to the determination of some teachers to take a lead in the matter. But the wishes of the parents must be our predominant concern.
§ Mr. ArcherIn view of the Minister's encouraging answer that children should be educated in accordance with their parents' wishes, is he aware that the number of children whose parents would like them to be educated in inter-community schools such as Lagan college now substantially exceeds that college's capacity? Will he consider capital funding for an extension of Lagan college on a different site?
§ Mr. ScottAs the right hon. and learned Gentleman knows, Lagan college is in temporary accommodation and is seeking a more permanent home. We would obviously consider how capital requirements could be met. However, there is a long queue of very deserving capital projects in education in Northern Ireland and I do not think that it would be right to give Lagan college special priority.