HC Deb 27 February 1962 vol 654 cc134-5W
Sir J. Pitman

asked the Minister of Education what are his plans for the future development of the colleges of advanced technology.

Sir D. Eccles

From 1st April next all the colleges of advanced technology will be administered by independent governing bodies and will receive direct grants from my Department. I am grateful to the local education authorities concerned for all that they have done to develop the colleges and for their co-operation in bringing the new arrangements into force. The colleges now have nearly 9,000 full-time students. Arrangements are in hand to increase this number to 15,000 by the mid-1960s.

I am now authorising the colleges to plan for an expansion to 21,000 places. The date by which this higher figure can be reached will depend upon decisions which have still to be taken concerning the rate of public service capital investment after 1963–64. The provision of 21,000 places should not be taken as the final limit of expansion.