HC Deb 15 July 1980 vol 988 cc530-1W
Mr. Foster

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report the terms of reference of the review group under the chairmanship of the Under-Secretary of State, on 16 to 19-year-old education and describe its method of work.

Mr. Macfarlane

The terms of reference of the joint group education for 16 to 19-year-olds which I chair are as followsTo review the educational provision made by local authorities for the 16–19 age group in England and Wales, with due regard to factors affecting the demand for this provision and to the impact of related types of provision; and to report to the Government and the local authority associations. Within this general remit:

  1. (a) To take account of the effect on the demand for various types of education of:
    1. (i) the expectations of young people and their families;
    2. (ii) the perceived requirements of employers and Industrial Training Boards;
    3. (iii) expected technological change and levels of economic activity;
    4. (iv) co-existent training and apprenticeship provision;
    5. (v) known demographic trends to the mid-1990s;
    6. (vi) geographically and socially disparate rates of participation in 16+ education;
    7. (vii) the financial policies of Central and Local Government;
  2. (b) to consider, from the point of view of the providers of education, the relationship between education and training agencies;
  3. (c) to examine the relationship between schools and further education, and in this connection:
    1. (i) the compatibility of the legislative framework associated with the sectoral divisions in education; college and school structures, articles of Government;
    2. (ii) manpower;
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    3. (iii) LEA's allocation of resources to secondary and further education;
    4. (iv) provision of systematic vocational guidance, careers education and information;
  4. (d) to survey work already done by LEAs and groups of LEAs in rationalising 16–19 education, and to assess the evidence of cost-effectiveness of existing provision.

The group was set up at the suggestion of the Council of Local Education Authorities and comprises members and officers of local education authorities and representatives of the Department of Education and Science, the Welsh Office and Her Majesty's Inspectorate. It held its first meeting in November 1979 and has since held two further meetings. My Department proposes to invite comments on any recommendations that it makes when it reports at the end of the year.

A supporting group of officials, which has so far met on seven occasions, includes representatives of local education authorities, the Department of Education and Science, the Department of Employment, Her Majesty's Treasury, the Welsh Office and the Manpower Services Commission. Both groups have been aided in their work by a consideration of the responses which have been received to the consultative papers "Providing Education Opportunities for 16–18 Year Olds" and "A Better Start in Working Life".