§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set out his timetable for consultation on his proposed Education Bill and education Green Papers.
§ Mrs. RumboldConsultation has already taken place on the proposed Universities Funding Council and the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council, which were announced in the White Paper "Higher Education: Meeting the Challenge" (Cm 114). Consultation papers have been issued this week on the arrangements for collective worship and on the Governmant's proposals for more open enrolement. Copies are available in the Library. Further consultation papers will be issued over the coming weeks on financial delegation to schools, grant-maintained schools, the national curriculum, the Government's proposals to allow inner London boroughs to take onthe responsibilities of local education authorities, and in due course probably certain other issues. Like those already issued, these further papers will seek comments by the early autumn. The Government also intend to publish a Green Paper on the structure of new permanent machinery for determining schoolteachers' pay and conditions, and to enter into detailed discussions with interested parties later in the year.