§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last received written advice from the University Grants Committee; and what action he has since taken as a result.
§ Dr. BoysonWritten advice from the UGC on a full range of subjects affecting the universities is constantly being tendered to the Department. This advice is considered in light of the Government's broad policy objectives for higher education.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last received written advice from the committee of inquiry into the education of children from ethnic minority groups; and what action he has since taken as a result.
§ Dr. BoysonMy right hon. and learned Friend does not expect any written advice from the Rampton committee at this stage. The committee has been asked to make490W interim recommendations on the educational needs and attainments of pupils of West Indian origin and these are expected by the end of 1980.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last received written advice from the assessment of performance unit consultative committee; and what action he has since taken as a result.
§ Dr. BoysonMy right hon. and learned Friend last received advice from the APU consultative committee shortly after its meeting on 14 March 1980. It recommended that the unit should not publish a consultative document about the assessment of pupils' personal and social development, that it should not undertake assessment in this field and that the work of its exploratory group on personal and social development should be brought to an end. My right hon. and learned Friend has accepted the committee's advice, but has asked the exploratory group, before it is disbanded, to prepare a report of the work which it has undertaken.
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§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last received written advice from the advisory committee on the supply and education of teachers; and what action he has since taken as a result.
§ Dr. BoysonMy right hon. and learned Friend announced on 23 April his intention to constitute this committee: a date for the first meeting has not yet been fixed. The former advisory committee on the supply and training of teachers last met in March 1978. Its last written advice was published as a pamphlet, "Making INST Work" in November 1978: this was given a wide distribution which included all local authorities and maintained schools.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last received written advice from the Advisory Board for the Research Councils; and what action he has since taken as a result.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneMy right hon. and learned Friend last received written advice from the board on 23 January. This advice concerned the possible distribution of the science budget after 1980–81. My right hon. and learned Friend and I subsequently discussed the recommendations with the chairman and wrote to him accepting them on 24 April.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) when he last received written advice from the Social Science Research Council; and what action he has since taken as a result;
(2) when he last received written advice from the Science Research Council; and what action he has since taken as a result;
(3) when he last received written advice from the Natural Environment Research Council; and what action he has since taken as a result;
(4) when he last received written advice from the Medical Research Council; and what action he has taken as a result;
(5) when he last received written advice from the Agricultural Research Council; and what action he has since taken as a result.
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§ Mr. MacfarlaneThe research councils are bodies operating under Royal Charters in accordance with the provisions of the Science and Technology Act 1965. Their primary function is to support scientific research and postgraduate education in their respective spheres of responsibility. While my Department is in almost daily communication with them, my right hon. and learned Friend does not receive formal written advice from them. However, their annual reports are submitted to him and are laid before the House; my hon. Friend may wish to avail himself of these annual reports which are available in the Library in order to understand the range of activity conducted by the five research councils.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) when he last received written advice from the Technical Educational Council; and what action he has since taken as a result;
(2) when he last received written advice from the Business Education Council; and what action he has since taken as a result.
§ Dr. BoysonThe remit of the technician and business education councils is to devise and operate coherent national patterns of courses and qualifications in their respective fields. Both are appointed by the Secretary of State of the day and submit an annual report to him. Neither is to be seen as an advisory body, but both are consulted regularly on educational matters and there is close collaboration between the councils and the Department, through assessorships, formal and informal meetings and in other ways.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last received written advice from the Schools Council; and what action he has since taken as a result.
§ Dr. BoysonThe Schools Council gave its most recent advice last month in the form of comments on the Education Department's consultative paper "A Framework for the Curriculum ". These are to be discussed at a meeting of my noble Friend and representatives of the Schools Council in June.
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§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last received written advice from the National Youth Bureau; and what action he has since taken as a result.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneThe National Youth Bureau's basic role is to provide information, training and research services to those engaged in work with young people. From time to time, however, it offers its views on youth affairs to the Government. Last month the bureau submitted its response to the consultative document "A Better Start in Working Life". With other responses to this document, it is under consideration in my Department.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last received written advice from the Genetic Manipulation Advisory Group; and what action he has since taken as a result.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneMy right hon. and learned Friend received in November 1979 the second report of the Genetic Manipulation Advisory Group covering the period 1 March 1978 to 31 July 1979, and authorised its publication. Cmnd. 7785 was accordingly published in December 1979 with a foreword by my right hon. and learned Friend.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last received written advice from the Further Education Curriculum Review and Development Unit (Board of Management); and what action he has since taken as a result.
§ Dr. BoysonThe professional work of the unit is under the control and direction of an independent board of management and the board's policy is to present the unit's thinking and findings to a wide audience. Accordingly, its contributions are normally presented in the form of published reports rather than advice specifically addressed to the Department. However, much of its work to date has been highly relevant to 16–19 policy formulation within the Department, and there are valuable and regular exchanges between the Department and the unit.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science 494W when he last received written advice from the Council for National Academic Awards; and what action he has since taken as a result.
§ Dr. BoysonThe most recent written advice from the Council for National Academic Awards, received on 31 March, was a commentary on the recommendations of the Finniston report (the report of the committee of inquiry into the engineering profession, " Engineering our Future ", Cmnd. 7794). Its views are now being studied alongside those of the other bodies consulted.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last received written advice from the Advisory Council for Adult and Continuing Education; and what action he has since taken as a result.
§ Dr. BoysonThe recommendations of a formal report on educational information, advisory and counselling services for adults, which was presented by the advisory council to my right hon. and learned Friend in October 1979 are under consideration. An interim report on the council's main remit is expected at the end of its first term of office in October 1980. In addition, the council regularly brings to my right hon. and learned Friend's attention matters of concern which arise in relation to the provision and development of adult and continuing education.