§ Mr. Haymanasked the Minister of Education what reductions he has called for in courses at art schools; and how much money he expects to save thereby.
§ Sir D. EcclesThe number of full-time students in art schools has declined from the post-war peak of nearly 15,000 in 1949–50 to under 11,000. These are spread over some 170 art schools. This distribution deprives many students of the benefits of working in groups of reasonable size and tends to be uneconomical and wasteful of staff. As a result of a careful review by Her Majesty's Inspectors last winter, I am proposing to local education authorities that about one-quarter of the 164 schools running courses leading to the Intermediate Certificate in Art and Crafts and about one-third of the 139 schools running National diploma in design courses should cease to do so after existing students have completed their courses. Most of the courses which it is proposed to discontinue have attracted a negligible number of students or none at all during the last three years. I have not yet received the authorities' estimates of their expected savings in staff.