§ Mr. Kinnockasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, following the Hansard Society report on political education and political literacy she will make a statement about her policy with regard to the appointment of political education advisers by local education authorities, and the establishment of in-service training courses on political education by her Department and the convening of a national conference on political education for education advisers.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonWe were interested to see the Hansard Society's report. My Department's circular 14/77 to local education authorities about their arrangements for the school curriculum has already asked them to report on steps taken to help schools promote a basic understanding of contemporary economic, social and political life. We shall be taking the Hansard Society's views into account when having further consultations within and outside the education service in the light of the authorities' replies. Meanwhile, my Department is willing in principle to make some funds available this year from Her Majesty's Inspectorate's conference programme for short in-service training in this field, and will be discussing the details with the bodies con-980W cerned. The appointment and activities of local advisers in all subject areas are matters for individual local education authorities.