§ Mr. John MacKayasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a further statement about his decision to close or merge certain colleges of education.
§ Mr. YoungerIn my statement of 6 August 1980—[Vol. 990, c.87–89.]—I announced my decision that Hamilton and Callendar Park colleges of education should be closed and that Craiglockhart college of education should be merged with another institution. After considering a number of representations by the bodies concerned I have reached the conclusion that my decision was well founded and should be implemented as soon as practicable.
I propose within the next two months to make regulations under section 77 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 in implementation of my decision to close Hamilton college. The effect of the regulations will be to dissolve Hamilton college after the end of the current academic session and to provide for the transfer of its staff and of its property, rights, liabilities and obligations to Jordanhill college of education; the same regulations will make any consequential modifications in the constitution of the governing body of Jordanhill college. The regulations will also make provision to the effect that the Hamilton site may be retained for one further academic session in order to permit students in mid-course to continue their studies at Hamilton during that period. Arrangements will be made to accommodate thereafter at Jordanhill those students who will not have completed their courses by the end of the 1981–82 academic session; the Hamilton premises also will then be disposed of. I am consulting both colleges about the detailed arrangements and will also consult interested bodies about the content of the proposed regulations.
A tripartite working party, comprising representatives of the governing bodies of Notre Dame and Craiglockhart colleges of education and of my Department, has been examining the feasibility of a merger between Notre Dame and Craiglockhart colleges on the basis that a Roman Catholic training facility will be retained in the east of Scotland. I expect to receive a report on this subject in the near future and hereafter to have consultations with interested bodies about the content of regulations to implement my decision.
I have invited the governing body of Callendar Park college of education to begin detailed discussions on the implementation of my decision to close that college. I am awaiting a response, but I hope that these discussions also can start soon. I intend within the next two months to make regulations to implement my decision.