asked the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been drawn to the proposal of the Wiltshire Education Committee to establish a community centre in the county for the greater development of the cultural life in the countryside; and whether the Board favour such proposals?

I have been interested to see from local Press reports that the Wiltshire Education Committee have recently discussed the desirability of establishing a community centre in the county. The Board have not received any definite pro- posal from the authority for that purpose. They would, of course, be glad to consider any such proposal should the authority decide to put one forward.

What steps is my right hon. Friend taking, if any, to encourage local education authorities to submit such schemes?

The possibility of starting community centres is well known to the authorities, and I should be only too glad to consider any such scheme put forward by the Wiltshire education authority.