§ Mr. Hamlingasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he will take to include colleges in the non-autonomous sector of higher 288W education in the university clearing house scheme.
§ Mr. CroslandIt has been the practice of the Universities Central Council on Admissions in appropriate cases to bring to the notice of applicants the opportunities to pursue degree and other advanced courses in regional and other technical colleges. The need, however, is not so much for a central clearing house as to ensure that qualified school leavers are aware of the facilities which are available. Proposals to this end were made in the Alexander Report on the Public Relations of Further Education which was commended to local education authorities and colleges in a circular last December.
§ Mr. Hamlingasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has for the future role in higher education of colleges in the non-autonomous sector of education, in particular of regional colleges and others doing a large proportion of higher educational work; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. CroslandAs I told the House in the debate on higher education on 25th March, I hope shortly to initiate discussions about the future pattern of advanced work in the further education system, with the aim of ensuring that the technical colleges make their maximum contribution to the higher education needs of the country in their own distinctive way.