§ 8. Mr. Brooksasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to assist the voluntary extension of schooling beyond the statutory minimum leaving age, particularly in those areas where the proportion leaving at 15 years of age is notably above the national average.
§ The Minister of State, Department of Education and Science (Miss Alice Bacon)I refer my hon. Friend to the Answer which I gave on 8th February in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Maidstone (Mr. John Wells).—[Vol. 758; c. 638–9.]
§ Mr. BrooksIs my right hon. Friend yet in a position to indicate whether she can help matters by introducing a single school-leaving date? Will she also consider as a matter of urgency the possibility of introducing pre-apprenticeship vocational courses in the senior forms of secondary modern schools?
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The hon. Member should not anticipate Questions on the Order Paper.
§ Miss BaconA later Question is down to my right hon. Friend about a single school-leaving date. We will certainly look into the matter raised in the second part of my hon. Friend's supplementary question.