§ Mr. Freesonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take action to provide vocational education centres for students between the ages of 16 and 19 years and vocationally-orientated study courses for pupils aged 14 to 16 years.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneUnder the terms of the Education Act 1944, the responsibility for providing educational facilities lies with local education authorities: together with governing bodies and teaching staff, they are also responsible for the curriculum. My Department's consultative paper " A Framework for the School Curriculum " places particular emphasis on the need for the school curriculum to be relevant to working life. The further education service traditionally works closely with industry in providing vocational education and training, but the Government are currently reviewing with the local authority associations the educational provision that is made by local education authorities for 16–19 year-olds.