Orders of the Day — Education Bill [Lords]

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 4:59 pm on 10 June 1986.

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Photo of Patrick McLoughlin Patrick McLoughlin , West Derbyshire 4:59, 10 June 1986

I am grateful to you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, for calling me in this debate. I am even more grateful to the people of Derbyshire, West, for giving you the chance to do so. The House sat for a long time last Thursday, but that sitting did not seem to be as long as my election day, which was four weeks earlier. After an all-night count, an all-night sitting was not too had. I would not recommend any all-night session for anyone, especially if his wife is five months pregnant.

I draw some comfort from the fact that what was probably the longest count took place in Derbyshire, but in the north-east and not in the west, during the general election of 1922, when the count commenced at 10 am on Thursday and was not completed until 1 pm the following day due to three recounts and four adjustments.

The Duke of Devonshire was one of my predecessors in the House. The story is told that one day he turned to a colleague and said, "Oh, how I hate having to make a speech," to which his companion replied, "I don't mind a bit, I just can't bear listening."

It is custom for a maiden speech to follow a set pattern in paying tribute to one's predecessor. This I can do with tremendous sincerity on this occasion for my predecessor, Matthew Parris, was seen as a man of independent mind and was well respected, from what I have been able to gather since I have been in the House, on both sides of the Chamber. He had served the constituency in a very conscientious manner. Indeed, his is a very difficult example for me to follow, but I will try my best for the people of Derbyshire, West. It makes a refreshing change to see somebody going by choice from this House into the world of interviewing. Many go when they have been rejected at the ballot box, but not many by choice.

At one press conference in my campaign, I was interviewed on a barge on the Cromford canal. There a television interviewer from "Newsnight" — that is the programme that keeps getting the polls wrong — said that Matthew was somehow bettering himself. Well, Mr. Hannah would say that, would he not? However, I am sure that all hon. and particularly right hon. Members will wish Matthew well in his new and challenging job. I say, particularly right hon. Members, because they will face the excellent cross-examination that I am sure he will give them in weeks to come on a Sunday television programme.

I am of the opinion that I have the honour to represent one of the most diverse yet beautiful constituencies in the country, from its rolling hills, its unique villages and its industrial areas, to its agricultural heartland. It has lush agricultural areas, bleak moors and hill farming where people work very hard for long hours to make a living. It is, of course, well known for its various kinds of food. Its Bakewell pudding featured on television more than once during the campaign. When Lord Whitelaw was seen eating one, a lady said that she thought that the Prime Minister would not take kindly to noble Lords eating it in public, but he commented that excellent food could be eaten anywhere. In addition, we have Hartington Stilton and Thortons confectionery. Ashbourne water is famous throughout the country, but not, it seems in Brassington, a few miles from Ashbourne, where one village inn sells only a French substitute, nor at certain functions in the House of Commons where only the same French substitute can be seen.

Politically, Derbyshire, West is known for its by-elections. One newspaper said that it was the seventh in the last 100 years. I truly hope that there is no need for another one for quite some time to come.

Having just arrived from a by-election campaign, I should like to place on record my thanks to the Officers of the House and staff for their great help and assistance in my first few weeks.

It is an honour and privilege to take part in the debate on a subject that was frequently mentioned in my campaign. I should like to thank my right hon. Friend the Minister of State and the Under-Secretary of State for Education and Science, my hon. Friend the Member for Buckingham (Mr. Walden), who came and helped in the campaign. Of course, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State came also, but in a different capacity.

A number of people were extremely concerned about education. There was no doubt that a great number of very good teachers were concerned about the way in which their profession has become demoralised. I hope and trust that we shall do all that we possibly can to ensure that the teaching profession is rightly rewarded for the difficult and essential job that teachers have to do.

It is essential that we ensure that teaching staff feel that they have a profession because, although there are some bad teachers — and we need to ensure that there are ways of retraining or removing them from the teaching profession— the vast majority of teachers are excellent and dedicated and need their reward.

However, just throwing money at the problem is no answer and no solution. There are without question many problems facing local education authorities, and I accept that the fall in school rolls means that there are some difficult decisions to be made. I hope that these decisions can be taken without political bias creeping into them.

Education became such an issue in my campaign that I have taken the opportunity in the last few weeks to visit a number of schools in my area, including Queen Elizabeth grammar school in Ashbourne, which, without question in my opinion, needs more money to be spent on refurbishment. Yesterday, although it seems a long time ago, I visited Ecclesbourne comprehensive school, from which the county council is currently considering removing sixth form facilities. The school has what can only be described as an excellent record in its sixth form achievements. Fifty-five per cent. of the pupils stay on into the sixth form. I believe that this figure is considerably higher than the national average. The school has another 20 per cent. going into further education.

These figures and these statistics are, indeed, a great credit to Ecclesbourne comprehensive school. It would be a great pity and a mistake if the sixth form was to be closed. Indeed, it would cost a considerable amount more to bring in a tertiary system for the school. I hope that the county council will not attempt to close the sixth form at Ecclesbourne— although, if it were to do so, it would lead to a major campaign, which I certainly would support, to ensure that the sixth form remains.

In my election campaign, Highfield school in Matlock had the rare honour of visits by the right hon. Member for Islyn (Mr. Kinnock), the Leader of the Opposition, the right hon. Member for Plymouth, Devonport (Dr. Owen) and a famous author, the deputy chairman of the Conservative party. The school was, indeed, very well served in the campaign. I hope that the pupils learnt a lot from the experience of having been visited by such senior politicians.

In welcoming the Bill, I believe that it gives a fundamental shift to the governing body in the management of the school for which it is responsible. I very much welcome the balancing out of the school governing body. I also think that clause 25, which will ensure that extra information, statistics and facts are available to the school governing body, is to be welcomed. I believe that it is essential that schools are seen to be not political instruments but places where one can receive school studies without the addition of political indoctrination. The Government must ensure that proper provisions are made for training and some thought given to the way in which we elect the governing bodies of schools.

I am a product of state education. Some may say that this proves that some improvements are needed. I believe that the Bill makes valiant strides in that direction. I wish it well, as I wish well the future of state education.