§ 8. Mr. KnapmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent initiatives have been taken by his Department to develop closer links between schools and industry; and what resources have been committed for 1990–91 to help foster such links.
§ Mr. FallonThe Department collaborates closely with other Government Departments in a range of activities including, in particular, an initiative to stimulate and support local education-business partnerships. We are also co-funding the new Foundation for Education Business Partnerships. This year, we expect to spend some £250,000 in direct grants to school-industry links; that is in addition to the considerable resources devoted to that purpose by local education authorities.
§ Mr. KnapmanMay I congratulate my hon. Friend on his consistent support for closer relationships between industrialists and educationists, because it is important that local education and training is directly tailored to the needs of the local community? What progress is being made by the education-business partnerships initiative recently announced by the Department of Education and Science?
§ Mr. FallonThe partnerships initiative is making good progress. Already, about 90 per cent. of secondary schools have links with industry, as have more than half of all primary schools, but there is still more to be done.
§ Mr. HardySuch initiatives are clearly desirable, but would the Minister care to tell us how we can further pursue them in my constituency, since, if the level of present central support and rate capping persists next year, we seem bound to lose up to six teachers in every secondary school? Does he realise that teachers who would be involved in the initiative cannot be sure that they will retain their employment and thus take part in the initiative that the Government are eager to sponsor and applaud but quite unwilling to fund?
§ Mr. FallonThe Department provides a considerable amount of money to help fund the initiatives and many heads, governors and teachers are co-operating closely with their local industries.
§ Sir John StokesDoes my hon. Friend agree that one of the difficulties is the apparent reluctance of some of our well-known industrial leaders to speak on this subject on radio, television or directly to schools and to point out the satisfaction, scope and challenge of a career in industry?
§ Mr. FallonI agree with my hon. Friend. The object of school-industry links is to improve young people's readiness to cope with the opportunities, responsibilities and experience of working life, and to give them proper understanding of the enterprise culture and the importance of wealth creation.