HC Deb 18 January 1977 vol 924 cc71-3
15. Miss Fookes

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pupils leave school without examination qualifications of any kind.

Mr. Oakes

In the academic year 1974–75, 72,810 boys and 62,340 girls left school in England and Wales without obtaining a GCE or CSE grading. These figures represent 20.;6 per cent. and 18.4 per cent. respectively of all boys and girls who left school in that year. I am arranging for a list of regional comparisons for 1974–75 to be circulated in the Official Report.

Miss Fookes

Is not that a disturbingly large figure? Will the Minister consider the possibility of instituting tests of literacy and numeracy towards which these pupils could aim?

Mr. Oakes

I agree that it is a disturbingly large figure, but I remind the House that the total of boys and girls without qualifications in 1974–75 was 19.5 per cent., compared with 21 per cent. in 1973 and 43 per cent. in 1971. As for standards, the Assessment of Performance Unit is developing methods of sampling levels of attainment nationally. Her Majesty's inspectors are currently un- dertaking national primary and secondary school surveys on a sample basis, which will give us a clearer picture of what is happening.

Mr. R. C. Mitchell

Will my hon. Friend tell the hon. Member for Plymouth, Drake (Miss Fookes) that a number of Conservative-controlled education authorities, including that in Hampshire, are proposing to reduce the amount of money available for examination fees for children?

Mr. Oakes

My hon. Friend himself has told the hon. Lady.

Dr. Hampson

How does the Minister reconcile his desire to see young people acquire more skills by staying on at school with the fact—this applies to some of them when it did not before—that they are getting a handful or one or two CSEs that are not skills and not directly relevant to the work situation? Why have the Government on two occasions resisted efforts made by the Conservative Opposition to change legislation to make the final year at school more effective so that people can use further education and actually acquire skills? What will the Government do in the light of their own new policy in that area?

Mr. Oakes

I do not accept the hon. Gentleman's premise that the CSE examination is not useful for all practical skills as well as to register attainment in a particular subject. I remind the House that the figures indicate a steady and consistent improvement in the number of pupils who leave school with a qualification.

Following is the list:—

1974–75 REGIONAL COMPARISONS OF THOSE WITHOUT GRADED GCE OR CSE RESULTS
Area Without graded GCE or GCE or CSE results
South-Western 16.1
Other South-East 14.1
North Western, non-metropolitan 18.8
West Midlands, non-metropolitan 20.2
East Anglia 23.8
Wales 30.4
Yorkshire and Humberside, non-metropolitan 19.7
East Midlands 21.3
Greater London, outer 17.7
North-Western, metropolitan 21.4
West Midlands, metropolitan 22.6
Yorkshire and Humberside Metropolitan 21.7
Northern, non-metropolitan 20.5
Northern, metropolitan 19.0
Greater London, inner 25.4
England and Wales 19.5
Forward to