§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has reached a conclusion, as a result of his consultations, on a uniform date for school leavers to leave school in future years.
§ Mr. PrenticeI hope to announce my conclusions in the near future.
§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will offer advice to local education authorities on ways of ensuring, in the current year, the attendance of pupils who have completed their CSE and GCE examinations up to the end of the term, particularly in those authorities whose term goes on into August.
§ Mr. PrenticeNo. This matter is best left to local education authorities to deal with. They not only have whatever enforcement powers may be required in relation to pupils of compulsory school age, but also the necessary detailed knowledge of all the circumstances in their own area, including the needs of pupils above as well as below that age.