§ Mr. Beithasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science which Ministers or officials from his Department took part in the recent engineering professors' conference to implement the Finniston report; and what steps he is proposing to take following the discussions which took place.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneThe national conference on engineering education and training, which was sponsored by my Department and took place on 15 and 16 October at the Institution of Civil Engineers, was attended by representatives of industry, the engineering profession, and the education service. I was present for most of the conference, as was my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Industry and my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Scotland, and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science delivered the closing address on the second day.
Seventeen officials from my Department, including the permanent undersecretary, were present for all or some of the time, and five members of Her Majesty's Inspectorate and two representatives from the University Grants Committee also attended. We are continuing our consideration of Finniston's educational proposals in the light of the views expressed at the conference, and of other comments we have received, and in consultation with our partners in the education service.