§ Mr. Nobleasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many visits were made by Her Majesty's inspectors to Workers' Educational Association districts to inspect provision of work in industrial studies; and what advice has been given as a result of such visits.
§ Mr. Oakes:This information is not available, but members of Her Majesty's inspectorate are in regular contact with the district secretaries of the Workers' Educational Association and visit classes, including those in industrial studies. Their most recent reports are being evaluated as part of the current review of WEA work since 1976–77.
§ Mr. Nobleasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she proposes to grant-aid any further appointments in the Workers' Educational Association in the field of industrial studies.
§ Mr. Oakes:This matter will be decided in the light of my Department's forthcoming review of all WEA work over the past three years.
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§ Mr. Nobleasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science is she is satisfied with progress made by the Workers' Educational Association in developing work in the social, industrial and political fields outlined by the Russell report; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. Oakes:Information so far available indicates that there has been an encouraging shift of emphasis in the work of the English districts of the Workers' Educational Association towards these priority areas. A review of the work of the association is proceeding and a detailed statement must await its outcome.
§ Mr. Nobleasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many full-time appointments in the Workers' Educational Association in industrial studies she currently grant-aids.
§ Mr. Oakes:The latest information available is that in the English district of the Workers' Educational Association 16 full-time tutors are employed exclusively on industrial studies and about another 45 offer tuition in industrial studies as part of their duties.
§ Mr. Nobleasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the year-on-year rate of growth in the provision of classes in industrial studies by the Workers' Educational Association since 1976–77.
§ Mr. Oakes:Provision of classes in industrial studies by the English districts of the Workers' Educational Association in 1977–78 was 25 per cent. greater than in 1976–77. Similar information for 1977–78 is not yet available.
§ Mr. Nobleasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total amount of her Department's financial support to the Workers' Educational Association in the current year; how it has been allocated by district; how it has been allocated by subject area according to the recommended growth areas in the Russell report; what were the comparative amounts for each year since 1976; and what are her proposals for 1979–80.
§ Mr. Oakes:My Department has made provision in 1978–79 for payment of grant to the English districts of the Workers' 182W Educational Association totalling £1,059,000. Details of the distribution of this sum among the districts were given in the answer to Question No. 54 of 21st July.— [Vol. 955, c. 781–84.] The national office of the association is also grant-aided by my Department and will receive the sum of £ 36,000 in the present financial year.
Grant paid to the districts is not allocated according to activity in specified subject areas, but it was a requirement of the cash-limited grant arrangements introduced in 1977 that the districts as a whole would shift the emphasis of their work by prescribed minimum percentages towards the three specified"Russell"priority areas. The level of grant for 1979–80 has not yet been decided.
Grant for the two WEA districts in Wales is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.