§ Mr. Roy Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what consultations took place between her Department and the representatives of the Welsh Joint Education Committee over the transfer of responsibility for primary and secondary education to the Welsh Office; which Minister represented her Department at the discussions; and if she will make a statement on the outcome;
(2) what consultations took place between her Department and the representatives of teachers' organisations in Wales over the transfer of responsibility for primary and secondary education to the Welsh Office; which Minister represented her Department at the discussions; and if she will make a statement on the outcome of these talks.
§ Mrs. ThatcherThe decision to transfer responsibility for primary and secondary education to my right hon. Friend the 191W Secretary of State for Wales, which was foreshadowed in the Queen's Speech and was announced along with other changes in the White Paper on the Reorganisation of Central Government, was, like all these other changes, not the subject of prior consultation. On 20th October the Department offered the local authority associations, including the Welsh Joint Education Committee, and the teachers' associations, an opportunity to discuss the administrative arrangements for the transfer. On 27th October my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I had a meeting with a number of Welsh Members of the House.