§ 1. Mr. Thorneasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what immediate plans she has for improving educational provision for the 16-to-19 age group.
§ The Minister of State, Department of Education and Science (Mr. Gordon Oakes)The rate support grant settlement for 1978–79 will enable local education authorities, if they so choose, to devote extra resources to this age group. Other current initiatives include the additions to educational building programmes for next year which were announced recently, the youth opportunities programme, the expansion of further education announced in association with this, and the pilot schemes for unified vocational preparation, directed to young people in employment.
§ Mr. ThorneI welcome the Minister's remarks about what the Department is presently doing, but does he agree that 240 the times has come to phase out discretionary grants completely and to ensure that young people in this age group have the right to a full-time education, should they wish?
§ Mr. OakesThe cost of phasing out discrentionary grants entirely would be enormous but, as my hon. Friend will be aware, there is at present a survey of local authorities to see how discretionary grants are operating. It is hoped that this will be available for Ministers this week or next week.
§ Dr. HampsonWill the Minister go beyond that and ask the Prime Minister to set up, as a matter of urgency, a review into the work of all the Departments and agencies involved in the grants in this area, and into the fees policy? It is a total mess, and there are gross disincentives for young people doing full-time courses in the craft and technician areas that we all want to see expanded.
§ Mr. OakesI think there is a great deal of agreement in the House about these matters. We need, first, to have the facts from the review of what local authorities are doing, and then we can consider any action that may be necessary on those facts.
§ Mr. Gerry FowlerIs my hon. Friend aware that there is increasing evidence that young people and their parents, particularly from lower income groups, are now aware of the discrepancies in the system of support and are playing one element against another, often to the detriment of their education? Is my hon. Friend aware that barbarian local education authorities, such as my own Tory-controlled authority in Shropshire, propose to have virtually no discretionary grants next year?
§ Mr. OakesAgain, I think we have to look at the review and see the difference in pattern between different authorities before we decide on any action.