HC Deb 16 July 1986 vol 101 cc1002-4
18. Mr. Wood

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he plans any further design education initiatives in the higher education sector and in the schools.

Mr. Butcher

In collaboration with the Department of Education and Science and other interested bodies, the Department continues to support a wide range of design initiatives at all levels of education. In particular, I am examining proposals for the development of business training for designers, extension of the young designers into industry scheme and support for design and primary education, implementing the recent consultative report.

Mr. Wood

I thank my hon. Friend for that reply. Is he satisfied that schools and other educational institutions are paying enough attention to the needs of industry? Is he equally satisfied that industry is taking enough interest in what is going on in schools and educational institutions?

Mr. Butcher

My hon. Friend is absolutely right in his analysis. There has been criticism in the past that design departments should introduce more business discipline into the design curriculum and that business men, especially on business management courses, should understand more about why design has not been used as an effective force in reconquering markets that have been lost to British companies. My hon. Friend has it right, and we reflect those views in our education policy.

Mr. Eastham

The Minister referred to the initiatives being taken to make up for some of the deficiencies. Is it not a fact that industry already recognises many shortages of skills for various parts of industry? Does that not clearly fall at the feet of the Government, who, only three or four year ago, decided to do away with the industrial training boards, thereby creating many deficiencies? Is it not time that there was a rethink with a view to reintroducing proper industrial training?

Mr. Butcher

It is precisely because the Department of Trade and Industry recognises the representations from the engineering industry and the information technology industry in particular, that our skill shortage committee produced a whole raft of policies for reducing the skill shortage, especially in engineering and technology. Some of the other matters raised by the hon. Gentleman are for my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Employment. No doubt those views will be communicated to him.