School Leaving Age (Hansard, 10 December 1975)

§ 5. Mr. David Steel
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to enable pupils to leave school on their 16th birthday.

§ 7. Mr. Dempsey
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress is being made on the review of the school-leaving age; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. McElhone
Leaving on the 16th birthday is one of many proposals put forward during the review of the present system of fixed school leaving dates. I am considering the implications of the various courses of action that have been suggested and I hope to be in a position to make a statement in the early part of the new year. The review is not concerned with the school leaving age itself.

§ Mr. Steel
At the risk of entering into an aura of indignation, may I ask why the devil this review is taking so long?

§ Mr. McElhone
This is very complex and the representations that have been put forward are many and varied. The hon. Gentleman must remember that legislation will be required, and that that has also to be considered.

§ Mr. Dempsey
Is my hon. Friend aware that two young people in my constituency were offered attractive employment on 1st December and that they were unable to accept that employment because they still had three weeks' schooling to do, as they do not leave school until 23rd December? Come what may, they will leave on 23rd December. In those circumstances, cannot my hon. Friend introduce some degree of flexibility into the school-leaving date, so that individuals in areas such as mine, which have a high rate of unemployment, can take advantage of these first-class opportunities?

§ Mr. McElhone
I have a great deal of sympathy with the view expressed by my hon. Friend the Member for Coat-bridge and Airdrie (Mr. Dempsey) although I do not uphold his support for truancy by these two young people. The idea of allowing school children to leave school on their 16th birthday was supported by several of the bodies that made representations. On the other hand, a number of other bodies opposed it. There are good reasons why we should consider all these proposals before coming to a decision. The views of my hon. Friend will be considered. He must also remember that there will be hard cases whatever dividing line is drawn. This is always a difficulty when we are drawing up legislation. I shall take account of my hon. Friend's suggestion.

§ Mr. Rifkind
Does the Minister realise that 16-year-old pupils at Mary Erskine School in Edinburgh are uncertain about their future? Will he confirm that the Government have decided to refuse the Lothian Education Committee permission to buy that school? Will he explain to the House how we can reconcile that with the Government's decision on grantaided schools?

§ Mr. McElhone
The hon. Member for Edinburgh, Pentlands (Mr. Rifkind) should not take advantage of his Front Bench position to pre-empt the answer that I shall give to his hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh. West (Lord lames Douglas-Hamilton).