Orders of the Day — Education

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 3 November 1978.

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Photo of Mr Chris Price Mr Chris Price , Lewisham West 12:00, 3 November 1978

I begin with a criticism, not of the Opposition since I shall turn to them later, but of my Government and this side of the House. Hon. Members on both sides who feel strongly about this matter should do the same.

I congratulate the Secretary of State and the Minister on the efforts that have been made in the last 12 months to introduce a realistic scheme for student support for 16 to 18-year-olds at school. The only sensible way of introducing such a scheme is to make it statutory and compulsory. Leaving it on a voluntary basis is of no use. To start it on a minimal basis means that it will be left on that basis for years ahead, as we know from experience.

There were proposals to introduce a full, means-tested scheme for the support of 16 to 18-year-olds at school. In her speech today the Secretary of State gave many reasons why, if we are to sustain equity in higher and further education, we must put some money into helping these youngsters stay on at school, otherwise many of them might be unemployed.

In the secret society in which we live we are not allowed to know the details, but I understand that the matter is not yet dead. It is still being argued in those curiously numbered Cabinet committees about which we glean a little. It might be of interest to those who are still trying to block a proper scheme of this kind for me to give notice that many of my hon. Friends will fight and vote for the scheme in all ways. I offer the Minister of State support in his fight for the funds that are necessary to make the scheme work.

I am a veteran of education debates. Every time I attend such a debate I feel that the Opposition are not serious about education. They make eloquent speeches. I congratulate the hon. Member for Chelmsford (Mr. St. John-Stevas) on the elegance and wit of his speech today. It was almost as good as the speeches that we heard in 1976 on the Education Bill. He said that we should amend section 76 of that Act to guarantee absolutely a place in any school that parents wished their children to attend.