HC Deb 11 March 1965 vol 708 cc129-30W
35. Mrs. Renée

Short asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has to encourage more students to apply for science and technology places at universities and colleges of advanced technology.

36. Mr. Ian Gilmour

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to encourage more advanced level General Certificate of Education candidates to take science subjects.

Mr. Crosland

To the extent that any shortfall in sufficiently qualified students of science or technology is due to lack of adequate teaching facilities in some schools, the position should be improved by the continued emphasis placed on science provision in building programmes and by the steps that are being taken to improve the supply of teachers, including science teachers.

As my predecessor informed the House on 23rd December last, an interdepartmental working party is developing, in parallel with other interested national bodies, publicity designed to attract a larger proportion of our abler young people into technology. This is not a field in which it is possible to achieve results at short notice.