HC Deb 01 December 1987 vol 123 c755
12. Mr. Favell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any further plans to encourage commercially run industrial firms to maintain a close interest in schools in their locality; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Rumbold

My colleagues and I miss no opportunity to encourage these links. A particularly valuable opening arises from the requirement on most schools from next September to have representation of the business community on their governing bodies. I hope that people will seize it.

Mr. Favell

After years of bemoaning, with justification, the way in which young people are equipped for commerce and industry, is it not true that my right hon. Friend is presenting business with a great opportunity to do something about this?

Mrs. Rumbold

It is absolutely true that my right hon. Friend is doing precisely that. It is also true that last month at its conference the CBI announced the creation of a new education task force that will look at ways of developing links between schools and industry. I hope that both initiatives will prove very successful.