§ Sir William van Straubenzeeasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science further to his answer on 29 October to a question from the hon. Member for Brigg and Scunthorpe (Mr. Brown), what interest has been shown by the advocates of education voucher schemes in developing proposals to cope with the difficulties he sees as standing in the way of such schemes.
§ Sir Keith JosephTwo groups, the National Council for Educational Standards and the Friends of the Education Voucher Experiment in Representative Regions have written to me expressing their interest in considering 215W whether it is possible to develop a workable scheme. I have sent them a note of the main difficulties so far identified so that they can address themselves to these, under cover of letters, the main parts of which are reproduced below. I am placing copies of the letters and the accompanying note in the Library.
This Government are committed to the extension of parental choice and involvement in education. The Education Act 1980 takes us a long way in the right direction, giving primacy to parental preferences; requiring the publication of detailed information, including examination results, about individual schools; and establishing the assisted places scheme to improve the access to good independent schools for children from poorer families. This sets the scene for the foreseeable future.
I am intellectually attracted to the idea of education vouchers as a means of eventually extending parental choice and influence yet further and improving educational standards. I therefore welcome my hon. Friend's interest in exploring the dificulties in the way of any voucher scheme to see whether a scheme can be developed which genuinely copes with them.
The main difficulties so far identified are set out in the enclosed note. These, together with others that may emerge as a detailed study progresses, need to be rigorously considered and met or resolved in an acceptable way if a workable scheme is to be devised. Only if it is clearly possible to formulate a scheme which could deliver, in a way which could be commended, more benefits than are obtainable under the 1980 Act would it be worth considering whether to facilitate an experiment.
I look for ward to receiving your considered findings in due course.
In view of the widespread interest in this topic, I am releasing copies of this letter and note to Parliament and the press; and I shall make the note freely available on request to others interested in the problems to be over come in pursuing the voucher concept.