Fifth Schedule. — (Repeals.)

Part of Orders of the Day — Local Government and Miscellaneous Financial Provisions (Scotland) (Recommitted) Bill – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 15 May 1958.

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Photo of Sir John George Sir John George , Glasgow Pollok 12:00, 15 May 1958

The hon. Member for Hamilton (Mr. T. Fraser) loves to intervene. In this case his intervention does not help in the slightest.

The first safeguard is: … the Secretary of State shall take into consideration—(a) the latest information available to him of … relevant expenditure … That means that the level of expenditure at the given time shall be the starting point of his consideration.

The next safeguard is: … the current level of prices, costs and remuneration, together with any future variation in that level which can, be foreseen … If we take the trend of affairs, either upwards or downwards, in respect of prices, costs and remuneration, we can readily and easily forecast with a degree of exactitude what the cost of education will be for one year or two or three years ahead.

The Secretary of State must also take into consideration: … any probable fluctuation in the demand for the services giving rise to relevant expenditure … That is, more schools and more facilities of other kinds. He has also to take into consideration: … the need for developing those services … He has also to review any unforeseen changes of great magnitude.

All these things are laid upon the shoulders of the Secretary of State to ensure that every financial assistance is given to the education system so that it may progress. Also, once a general grant has been reviewed, the matter must come here for scrutiny. More than that still, the Secretary of State has an overriding responsibility to see that education is maintained according to certain standards in Scotland, and he has his inspectorate to help in this respect. Under the general grant, adequate provision will be made to keep faith with the people of the country and keep faith with their need to face the challenge coming front the outside world.

We have heard both criticism and praise of the system, but we have, in our country, reached a remarkable degree of efficiency in our education system. Consider for a moment what we are doing on the technical side alone. Professor Gunn, of Glasgow University, took time last Saturday to tell us exactly what the situation is in technical and scientific education today. We have seen tremendous advances by Russia, and we know that America is overhauling her whole system of scientific education. It is good to know what Scotland is doing and to have a true appreciation of our system. Scotland is producing scientists and technicians far beyond her own needs, training her sons and daughters to serve Scotland, in so far as she needs their service, and to go to other countries taking with them their technical and scientific skill. Last year, we had 60 Ph.Ds. in Scotland, of whom, unfortunately, only two stayed in Scotland. We had 130 B.Sc honours degrees. Only 50 of these stayed in Scotland.