§ Mr. Ray Powellasked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what is his Department's estimate of the consequences of the Government's cuts in 1981–82 and the planned Government spending cuts in 1982–83 on the non-advanced further education colleges in Wales; and, particularly, how many colleges it is estimated will have to close and how many teaching posts will be lost;
(2) what is his Department's estimate of the possible consequences of the Government cuts on polytechnics and colleges in Wales which offer degree courses, particularly with regard to the possibility of closure of some colleges and the number of teaching posts which will be cut.
§ Mr. Michael RobertsThe Government's expenditure plans published in Cmnd. 8175 implied a reduction of about 500 lecturers in further and higher education in Wales during the period 1979–80 to 1982–83. Since then, the Prime Minister has announced that additional money will be provided in 1982–83 to enable more young people to stay on in school or college. In Wales this will be an extra £3 million. Each local education authority is responsible for deciding its expenditure priorities including the number of lecturers in its maintained colleges and the level or work on which they are employed. I am not aware of any proposal to close a polytechnic, any other college offering a degree course, or any college offering non-advanced further education.