§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has as to the number of illiterate people in the United Kingdom; and what steps he is taking to seek to eliminate illiteracy.
§ Mr. WaldenThe national child development study survey of 1981 found that 10 per cent. of the 23 year olds asked said they had had reading problems since leaving school which had made things difficult for them in everyday life.
The Government's policy for raising standards of literacy in schools are set out in the White Paper "Better Schools", published last year. The Department of Education and Science and the Welsh Office jointly fund the adult literacy and basic skills unit to help develop educational provision to overcome illiteracy amongst adults. Grant has been raised from £360,000 in 1979–80 to £2,170,000 in 1986–87; a sixfold increase.
Policies to combat literacy problems in Scotland and Northern Ireland are the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Northern Ireland.