Mrs. Butler:

asked the Minister of Education why the Summerson Council has not granted all areas of art study to Hornsey School of Art.

The Hornsey College of Art and Crafts was approved by the National Council for Diploma in Art and Design to offer courses leading to the Diploma in Art and Design in the fine art and graphic design areas of study. The National Council was not satisfied that the courses proposed by the college in the two remaining areas, namely three dimensional design and fashion/textiles, measured up to the exacting standards required for the new diploma.

Mrs. Butler:

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the condition of the buildings entered into the Council's decision at all, and whether it took into account the fact that this is the Middlesex College of Art, covering a wide and densely populated area of Middlesex and the northern Home Counties? Since there is a very strong argument for making Hornsey and similar colleges in different parts of the country centres of art for their regions, with all areas of study, will the right hon. Gentleman bear the geographical aspect in mind when fresh applications are made to him by Hornsey and other colleges?

Certainly I will. With regard to the first part of the hon. Lady's supplementary question, I can assure her that, in reaching its decision, the National Council was fully aware of the projected rebuilding of the college. As the hon. Lady knows, there is a £200,000 instalment in the 1964–65 programme. The Council made every allowance for present accommodation difficulties.