§ Mr. David Steelasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now seek to amend existing regulations to allow children to leave school on their sixteenth birthday.
§ Mr. William RossNo. There are strong educational considerations in favour of fixed school leaving dates which must be taken into account, and hitherto I have felt that there has been insufficient experience of the present arrangements since the raising of the school leaving age on which to reach any conclusions. I am, however, considering whether a review of the present arrangements should be undertaken.