§ Mr. David Howellasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations she has received from professional bodies concerning the new pattern of courses currently being proposed by the Business Education Council; and how many professional bodies have in 58W most recent year for which figures are available;
(2) what was the total amount of public spending on education, excluding the University Grants Committee expenditure, in Scotland (a) at current prices, (b) at comparable prices in 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975 and (c) the most recent year for which figures are available.
§ Mr. McElhoneThe information is set out in the table below: dicated their acceptance of the new pattern.
§ Mr. OakesMy right hon. Friend has received no representations concerned explicitly with the acceptance for qualifying purposes by professional bodies of the new pattern of courses now being developed by the Business Education Council. The Council is an independent body, making its own decisions about course content, structure and standards, and having responsibility for negotiating due professional recognition for its awards direct with the appropriate professional bodies. I know that the Council attaches great importance to securing professional recognition for its new awards and that it is in direct contact with various professional bodies about the first of its new courses, on which the first students will be enrolling in 1978 or 1979.