HC Deb 13 November 1973 vol 864 c79W
42. Miss Quennell

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many polytechnics have halls of residence for their students.

Mr. St. John-Stevas

Twenty-six polytechnics have purpose-built halls of residence.

Mr. Judd

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of her plans, polytechnic by polytechnic, to secure properly adequate residential, working and recreational facilities for their students, with particular reference to the need to avoid both aggravating existing housing shortages in their vicinity and causing further inflation in housing costs for the local population.

Mr. St. John-Stevas

No. The planning of these facilities is a matter for the polytechnics and their local education authorities. Guidance has been given in the Department's "Design Note 8, Polytechnics: Planning for Development". The Government's policy on student residential accommodation and the measures to be taken to minimise the effects of the expansion of student numbers on the housing situation were stated in the White Paper "Education: A Framework for Expansion". I estimate that about 7,200 residential places are available or nearing completion at polytechnics and on present plans this number should increase to over 13,000 by the end of 1976.