§ 1. Mr. Blairasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the progress made in the implementation of the proposals, contained in "Training for Jobs", for the funding of further education.
§ The Secretary of State for Education and Science (Sir Keith Joseph)The Manpower Services Commission is seeking views from employers and from the education system on the implementation of the new funding arrangements, which will operate from April next year.
§ Mr. BlairIs not the failure of the Secretary of State at recent meetings with the Association of Metropolitan Authorities and the Association of County Councils to convince them to change their opposition to the proposals in the White Paper "Training for Jobs" a classic illustration of the danger of making decisions without adequate consultation first? Would it not be common sense, whatever sense of Government virility may impel the right hon. Gentleman, to accept gratefully the AMA's proposal for a national review body to examine the whole matter of non-advanced further education, instead of making rash and ill-thought-out decisions?
§ Sir Keith JosephI regret that at the moment the local authority associations do not seem eager to co-operate with the MSC. I do not find it possible to accept the AMA's proposal, because the Government's decision to change the funding stands, although obviously we want consultation on the implementation of the arrangements.
§ Mr. EasthamIs the Secretary of State aware of the acute embarrassment felt by the MSC when the Department issued the White Paper "Training for Jobs", because there had been no consultation with the MSC? That delayed the fulfilment and completion of the corporate plan.
§ Sir Keith JosephIt was a decision by the Government, for which the Government must take responsibility.
§ Mr. SheermanIs the Secretary of State aware that what he is doing in technical and vocational education is a disaster? The right hon. Gentleman must bear the responsibility for destroying the coalition that produced the vocational and technical education for our young people. The high-handed way in which he has treated the AMA and the ACC is well illustrated, yet again, by the fact that, when the matter is put to it, the Conservative-controlled ACC will choose the Labour-controlled AMA's proposals, not the right hon. Gentleman's. Is that not symptomatic of the disastrous proposals and way in which they have been introduced?
§ Sir Keith JosephThere is much common ground. The local authority associations do not say that everything in non-advanced further education is perfect. They agree with the Government that there is room for improvement. The MSC is already a client of work-related non-advanced further education to the extent of 9 per cent. of its services. The Government propose only that that level should increase to 25 per cent.