§ 18. Mr. Newensasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is satisfied that education standards have not been adversely affected by cuts in public expenditure.
§ Sir Keith JosephI cannot in general isolate the effect of local expenditure policies from the many other factors which determine education standards.
§ 25. Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about Her Majesty's Inspectors' report on education standards in England and Wales for 1981.
§ 38. Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the comments made by Her Majesty's Inspectors concerning the effect of reduced educational provision.
§ Sir Keith JosephThe report, which was published on 5 April, summarises the observations of Her Majesty's Inspectors on the standard of provision in English schools and colleges in the autumn of 1981. What HMI have observed is the combined result of the expenditure policies of local authorities and several other factors, including inherited levels of provision and long standing mismatch between teachers' main subject specialisms and curriculum needs as well as the continuing fall in pupil numbers. The report states that most of the schools observed were well found and most pupils adequately 77W served: it is the growing disparities that cause concern. In higher and further education HMI report that the service is generally well provided.