HC Deb 25 April 1963 vol 676 cc389-90
5. Mrs. Butler

asked the Minister of Education what discussions he has had with head teachers in regard to the de- sirability of standardising the quality and price of school uniforms.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education (Mr. Christopher Chataway)

None, Sir.

Mrs. Butler

Does the Minister realise how universally uniform is worn by schoolchildren nowadays, and what real hardship is caused to their parents by the unjustifiably high price and poor quality of so many items of school uniform, especially blazers? If I can arrange for evidence to be sent to him, will he at least study it and, on the basis of that evidence, send a circular to head teachers and local education authorities asking them to reconsider their policy in this respect?

Mr. Chataway

I shall certainly be interested to study any evidence which the hon. Lady may send to me, but I could not go further than that, because school uniform must essentially be a local matter, to be dealt with by local education authorities.

Mrs. White

We appreciate the difficulty that the Minister has just mentioned, but does he not think that some opportunity could be taken to draw the attention of local education authorities and head teachers to this matter? Is he aware that many of us have had complaints from parents that a certain amount of purely snobbish concern is shown in certain schools for a very expensive blazer, when a far cheaper one would be quite satisfactory, and that these schools will not allow mothers to make summer frocks to an agreed pattern and with an agreed material, but insist on their using monopoly shops, where they have no choice? All kinds of matters require to be looked into.

Mr. Chataway

I know that there are cases of difficulty—I have come across one or two myself—but if parents have complaints about the price or quality of a uniform which is required for children attending a particular school they should approach their local education authority.