teaching. I also propose pilot projects to develop records of achievement for school leavers, to encourage schools to try alternatives to French as the first foreign language offered to pupils, and to prepare all pupils for life in a mult-ethnic society.

In the field of special needs I propose to offer more LEAs support for the establishment of teams to help parents with the education of handicapped pupils under five, and to continue the work of preventing drug misuse among young people.

In further education I propose new starts in four activities. These are designed to open educational opportunities to adults, to stimulate new forms of provision for young people in the cities, and to equip technical colleges to teach computer-aided engineering.

I propose to devote almost half of the expenditure on new starts, £19 million, to the expansion of information technology in the schools. Information technology has already shown its potential to improve the education of school pupils of all ages and in most subjects. I seek now to spread its benefits more widely through the provision to schools of more microcomputers, and more advisory teachers.

Finally, I propose support for the instalment of management information systems in further education establishments.

Grant would be paid at the rate of 70 per cent. on expenditure approved for 1989 in all these activities except the third (records of achievement), where I propose a rate of 50 per cent. I have invited views from the local authority associations on the question of the wider use of the 50 per cent. rate in future years; and on my proposals to encourage authorities to supplement the public expenditure on information technology in schools and computer-aided engineering with private contributions.

When I have completed consultations with the local authority associations, I shall lay before the House the necessary amendments to the education support grant regulations, and issue a circular inviting local education authorities to bid for the programme.