§ Mr. Steenasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if she will make a statement as to what progress in relation to education was made at the second Liverpool inner city partnership meeting, held on Friday 10th March; and what topics were discussed;
(2) what conclusions in relation to education were reached at the second Liverpool inner city partnership meeting, held on 10th March, with regard to the establishing of the priorities which should determine the selection of projects for Liverpool's inner city programme; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. OakesI represented the Department of Education and Science at this meeting. Amongst items concerning my Department the meeting agreed to consider the development of a number of secondary schools as fully fledged community centres and certain primary schools as neighbourhood community support centres manned by representatives of the key statutory agencies. It was also decided that provision for preschool children and their parents should be extended and the use of educational buildings to offer more vocational training opportunities for the young unemployed should be considered. I therefore see education in the inner area expanding, in particular through the wider use of all educational buildings by the whole community, by improving facilities for preschool children and for training both young and adult unemployed. The partnership committee also agreed ways in which the wider community might be involved in the work of the partnership.