If he will encourage the teaching of Britain's military history in schools.

History is compulsory in schools up to the end of key stage 3. The national curriculum for history requires pupils to be taught a substantial amount of British history; it covers the mediaeval, early modern, industrial and 20th^{( )}century periods, and that includes studying the causes and consequences of various conflicts, including the two world wars, the Holocaust and other genocides.

As we welcome 19 Light Brigade, representing the prowess of our military at this time, back from Afghanistan to the Palace of Westminster today, may I invite the Minister to be even more robust in ensuring that our young people are reminded of Britain's glorious military past and of our great battles such as Agincourt, Trafalgar and the battle of Britain? Will he ensure that these traditional subjects are on the agenda, rather than the sort of woolly stuff that Mrs. McCabe, that splendid headmistress, has been suggesting the Government are threatening our children with?

I know that the hon. Gentleman spends considerable time raising these issues on a number of occasions, not only because of the passion that he feels about the subject, but because of his Constituency interest. Given what is happening at the moment, it is obviously important that we reflect on what is taught in our schools to ensure that our young people grow up with the values that we want for them. He will know, because he will have looked into this, that, as the Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend Ms Johnson, has just said, British history is a part, and will form a part, of the primary school curriculum. If he were to read the content for the key stage 3 curriculum, he would see that many of the things that he has just mentioned are part of it-I am sure that he would welcome that.