HC Deb 15 February 1988 vol 127 cc703-4
58. Mr. Butler

To ask the Minister for the Civil Service when he next intends to visit the Civil Service college to discuss the future of the college.

Mr. Luce

I discussed the future of the college with its management last week, and I shall be following that up when I visit the London site on 2 March.

Mr. Butler

My right hon. Friend has informed me before of the beneficial close connections that the Civil Service college has with the private sector. Is it not time that the college moved into the private sector?

Mr. Luce

It is right that my hon. Friend should draw attention to the fact that there is already close cooperation between the college and the private sector. Some 60 per cent. of all the speakers who come to the college are from the outside world, and a large number are from the business world. We want to develop that still further. The college provides about 5 per cent. of the total training of the Civil Service, its emphasis is upon general management, and some 20 per cent. of all the training is already done through outside organisations in the private sector.