HC Deb 08 July 1980 vol 988 cc224-6
8. Mr. Hooley

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now consider seeking to raise the school leaving age to 17 years.

Mr. Macfarlane

No, Sir.

Mr. Hooley

Is the Minister aware that 500 boys and girls applied for four jobs at a shop in Sheffield the other day? As the Government are so grotesquely incompetent in providing work opportunities for our boys and girls, will they consider expanding full-time education opportunities so that these boys and girls can train for a useful career for the future, when we have a civilised Government?

Mr. Macfarlane

I do not believe that raising the school-leaving age to 17 will necessarily solve the problems to which the hon. Gentleman rightly draws our attention. The message generally is that more flexibility is required to assist earlier training in schools and other educational institutions to match national needs. Raising the school-leaving age to 17 would increase expenditure by about £300 million, and I am not convinced that it would match national needs.

Mr. William Shelton

Will my hon. Friend consider whether students could leave school before the age of 16, in circumstance where they would continue in a learning environment?

Mr. Macfarlane

Yes. The matter is considered regularly. In recent months my right hon. and learned Friend has been asked to consider proposals for more flexible school leaving arrangements, and the matter is under consideration.

Mr. Spriggs

Will the Minister reconsider his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Mr. Hooley), because the situation has reached proportions of national shame, with 2,000 school leavers appearing before selection officers for three technical positions?

Mr. Macfarlane

I do not believe that I ignored the matter that the hon. Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Mr. Hooley) raised. We are aware that there is a grave problem, but we are aware also that over the next couple of years economic recovery is our most important problem. I do not wish to stray on to employment matters, but it would be interesting to know how many semi-skilled and skilled jobs are on offer. That is why I mentioned earlier training in the school environment.

Mr. Alexander

Instead of obliging youngsters to stay on at school until the age of 17, would it not be preferable to encourage them to undertake further education and training after leaving school, bearing in mind that the majority of youngsters who cannot find jobs have left school without training or the ability to do skilled work?

Mr. Macfarlane

There has been an absence of such provision in schools over the past 15 years. Many local authorities advertise fully the advantages of further education, which the Department of Education and Science welcomes. However, this is a matter for local authorities.