presided over an expansion of the college's facilities and student numbers, and securing increased funding and eventually persuading the government to make it mandatory (rather than discretionary) for Local Education Authorities to provide grants to the college's students. It was while laying the foundation stone of the college's Steve Biko building in October 1976 that the prime minister, James Callaghan, launched what became known as a "great debate" on educational standards. Callaghan questioned "the new informal methods of teaching which seem to produce excellent results when they are in well-qualified hands but are much more dubious when they are not". Hughes involvement in adult education extended beyond Ruskin and continued into his retirement. He was president of the Workers' Educational Association, served on the Russell committee on adult education (1969–73), chaired the Adult Literacy Resource Agency, and also served on the advisory council for adult and continuing education, the National Institute of Adult and Continuing Education, and the Civil Service Arbitration Tribunal. He survived his wife by four months, and died at his home in Merton, Bicester, on 15 November 1995 aged 81. Publications Notes References Hughes, Herbert Delauney (Billy) at the Dictionary of National Biography External links National Register of Archives: Hughes, Herbert Delauney (1914–1995) 1914 births 1995 deaths 20th-century British educators People from Swindon Alumni of Balliol College, Oxford Educational administrators Chairs of the Fabian Society Labour Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies UK MPs 1945–1950 Academics of Ruskin College Members of Lambeth Metropolitan Borough Council People educated at Cheadle Hulme School Presidents of the Fabian Society Adult education leaders British Army personnel of World War II Royal Artillery officers