§ Mr. John MacKayasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a further statement about his decision to merge Craiglockhart college of education with another institution.
§ Mr. YoungerIn my reply on 14 April I indicated that a tripartite working party, comprising representatives of the governing bodies of Notre Dame and Craiglockhart colleges of education and of my Department, was considering the feasibility of a merger of these two colleges on the basis that a Roman Catholic training facility would be retained in the East of Scotland.—[Vol. 3, c.78.] I am happy to report that agreement has now been reached that the two colleges should merge after the current academic session.
I propose shortly to make regulations under section 77 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to implement this merger. The effect of the regulations will be to dissolve both of the existing colleges and to constitute a new Roman Catholic college of education to which the staff and the property, rights, liabilities and obligations of the two existing colleges will be transferred. Discussions will be held with interested parties about the precise composition of the new governing body and about the content of the proposed regulations generally.
Discussions about the detailed arrangements for the merger will continue with both colleges.