§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what action his Department is taking to combat gambling by young people; and if he will make a statement. [80907]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeSchools have an important role to play in helping to equip young people with the skills and knowledge they will require now and in later life. They are required to provide a curriculum which promotes the spiritual, moral, social, cultural, physical and mental development of pupils and to prepare pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life. Schools take these legal responsibilities concerning the curriculum very seriously. Many schools choose to meet them through programmes of personal, social and health education which can encompass a broad range of topics, including the dangers of gambling.