§ 24. Mr. RathboneTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps the Government are taking-to encourage business men to take greater interest in education and to value good education more highly.
§ Mr. Alan HowarthThe business community is becoming increasingly aware of the importance of 179W education in helping to meet the challenges of the 1990s, both nationally and internationally. The constructive involvement of the business community at all levels in education continues to be a major plank of this Government's policies. We have made statutory provision to encourage this in the governing of institutions, and have encouraged training to make this effective. We have also taken a range of other initiatives, both alone and in conjunction with other Departments and outside organisations to promote continuing links between education and industry, building on the substantial progress of the last decade.