§ Baroness DAVIDMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements they are making to invite representations from parents, teachers, and residents of Inner London Boroughs who have not hitherto been involved in the discussion about the future of the ILEA.
§ The PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY of STATE, HOME OFFICE (Lord Belstead)My Lords, as my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science and my noble friend the Minister of State have made clear, all written representations received on this matter will be given full consideration in the course of the internal Government examination.
§ Baroness DAVIDMy Lords, while thanking the Minister for that reply, may I ask whether a closing date has been fixed for representations to be received and is any timetable planned for the whole operation?
§ Lord BELSTEADMy Lords, written representations should be sent to my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science as soon as possible, and, so far as the timetable is concerned, in any event not later than the end of June.
§ Lord MISHCONMy Lords, can the Minister give an undertaking that, in considering the future of the Inner London Education Authority— which has had such a very fine history in the educational world— political considerations will not be in the Minister's mind, only educational ones?
§ Lord BELSTEADMy Lords, the examination will indeed need to assess and to take account of the Inner London Education Authority's performance, to which the noble Lord, Lord Mishcon, has just referred, in the light of the situation in inner London. My right honourable friend and his colleagues are concerned to ensure that the administrative structure for education is such that teachers, their advisers and officials, are able to give their best performance and that taxpayers and ratepayers are getting good value for money.
§ Lord WYNNE-JONESMy Lords, will Her Majesty's Government also pay attention to the political performance of those who have been agitating for the abolition of the ILEA?
§ Lord BELSTEADMy Lords, this is, in essence, an internal Government review which was commissioned really by the London Government Act 1963 which said that such a review should be put before Parliament in 1970. But, of course, that provision was removed by the Labour Government in 1967. In undertaking this review the issues which I have indicated to the noble Lord, Lord Mishcon, will be before the review.
§ Baroness DAVIDMy Lords, do I understand from the Minister that, as only written representations will be received, there will be no public meetings at which teachers, parents and students— and we must remember that the ILEA area provides for a quarter of a million adult students— will be able to say what they wish to say?
§ Lord BELSTEADMy Lords, the reason why I made a point about the nature of the review and from what it stems— namely, originally the London Government Act 1963— is that this is not a public inquiry. However, I should like to repeat the assurance that I gave at the beginning of this exchange with the noble Baroness, that all the representations which my right honourable friend receives will be very carefully considered.
§ Lord PEARTMy Lords, is the Minister not aware that there is a strong feeling in London that the Government will be spiteful about this matter because they dislike comprehensive education in 453 particular, and that it would be a tragedy if the ILEA were harmed in any way? I speak as a parent of a son who went to a comprehensive school in the ILEA area.
§ Lord BELSTEADMy Lords, in all friendliness to the noble Lord, and recognising his long experience of politics, I really think that the first assertion which he has made in his question is unfounded. As regards what will be the outcome of the review, I must say that that is precisely why the review is being undertaken and I think we must await its result.
§ Baroness DAVIDMy Lords, I should like to ask one final question. When the review is completed, I take it that it will then be circulated for comment?
§ Lord BELSTEADMy Lords, I think that my noble friend the Minister of State, who cannot be here today, in fact said during the previous exchange on 28th April that it would be published.