HC Deb 20 April 1967 vol 745 cc785-6
13. Mr. Biffen

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how far the partial implementation of the Plow-den Report on primary education decided on 16t11 March will necessitate a reconsideration of the proposal to raise the school leaving age to 16 years by 1969–70.

Mr. Crosland

As I made plain to the House on 16th March, I have yet to reach conclusions about the major recommendations of the Plowden Report. But there is no implication in the Report that we should reconsider the raising of the school leaving age in 1970–71.

Mr. Biffen

Is that not extraordinary? Surely at least part of the Plowden recommendations have been accepted? Comprehensive reorganisation is accepted and the proceeding with the school leaving age on the original timetable are accepted. Are we now to understand that none of them will be re-phased on account of the Chancellor's promise that he will try to curtail the rise in the rate of public expenditure? Is all this programme to go ahead, totally unrelated to what the Chancellor has said?

Mr. Crosland

The fact that a programme of this order goes ahead is partly due to decisions taken many years ago, for example, the decision taken almost simultaneously to set up the Plowden Council, and raise the school leaving age. I am not arguing that it was wrong, but these decisions leave a legacy for subsequent Ministers. On educational spending, I have told the House that the rate of increase is still in line with the rate of growth forecast in the National Plan.

Miss Lestor

Would the Minister agree that if we delayed raising the school leav- ing age until after the date mentioned in the Question, it would make it even more expensive, because of the "bulge" at present in the primary school which would have gone into the secondary schools.

Mr. Crosland

The right hon. Gentleman the Member for Birmingham, Handsworth (Sir E. Boyle) will confirm that the date for raising the school leaving age was taken with this kind of factor in mind. The date was rather carefully chosen, to come at the most favourable moment from the point of view of the secondary school population.

Sir E. Boyle

indicated assent.

Mr. Crosland

Quite apart from this point, as I have made clear, and I think that the right hon. Gentleman agrees, there are overwhelming social and educational reasons why we should continue with the policy of raising the age.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

Has the right hon. Gentleman recalled that at the time of the decisions to which he referred, the gross national product was rising at an annual rate of 4 per cent.?

Mr. Crosland

That was literally the only year that it ever did.