§ Mr. Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will place in the Library a copy of the report on financial management survey relative to colleges of education, indicating what time has been given for consultation and when a final decision will be taken; if he will state the numbers of submissions so far made; and if he will make an interim statement on his conclusions.
§ Mr. John MacKayI have arranged for copies of this report to be placed in the Library. The survey is one of a series aimed at producing improvements in the management of executive non-departmental public bodies, as part of the Government's financial management initiative.
The report addresses management issues in the Scottish Education Department and in the colleges, and it has not therefore been issued as a consultative document, although college principals have been consulted on parts relevent to them. The Department shortly will issue an action plan to the colleges indicating the extent to which individual recommendations have been accepted and the suggested timetable for their implementation.