§ Mr. Robert Banksasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress is being made in promoting enterprise activity in secondary schools.
§ Mr. BrittanThe Government are concerned to stress the importance of enterprise at all levels of society and my Department has therefore established a Mini-Enterprises in Schools Project to encourage every middle and secondary school to take part in mini-enterprise activity during industry year 1986.
The project is to be based at Warwick University with regional co-ordinators throughout the United Kingdom. The Project Team will be seeking to help local education authorities and schools understand and adopt various methods of enterprise activity. It will also be seeking to provide teacher training courses on request from local education authorities and schools.
The project is also being supported by National Westminster Bank who are providing a cash grant of £30 to each participating school in England and Wales as well as a £50 overdraft facility at 5 per cent. interest for each mini-enterprise. In addition, bank staff will hold an interview with each mini-enterprise to discuss the application for an overdraft facility.
The project is an important element of the response by my Department to Industry Year. It will provide an opportunity for young people to understand something about business and commerce while also learning about working together and about dealing with the local community. I hope that all schools will seek to take advantage of the help available under it.