§ 15. Mr. Ledgerasked the Minister of Education on what date the Summerson Committee Report on the implementation of the National Advisory Council proposals for the new Diploma in Art and Design will be published; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir E. BoyleI am informed by the National Council for Diplomas in Art and Design that it expects to publish a Report on its recent decisions on the approval of courses leading to the diploma during the coming autumn term. For a statement on the diploma I would refer the hon. Member to the Written Answer given to the hon. Member for Sunderland, North (Mr. Willey) on 27th June.
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§ Mrs. Whiteasked the Minister of Education what new decisions he has taken to assist students who are unable to obtain places for the new Diploma in Art and Design and, in particular, to deal with the anomalies notified to his Department.
§ Sir E. BoyleI wrote to the hon. Lady on this subject on 9th July, agreeing to her suggestion that the special arrangements communicated to art schools and local education authorities on 3rd January last should no longer be confined to students having the necessary educational qualifications for entry to a Diploma in Art and Design course. Local education authorities and art schools will be informed of this as soon as possible. I have been unable to agree to the hon. Lady's further suggestion that students who have successfully completed one year of the intermediate course and a one year pre-diploma course should be exempted from the intermediate examination and accepted as holders of that award. I have considered this suggestion carefully but I am satisfied that it would give rise to very serious difficulties in practice.