§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what grounds home economics and business studies/commercial subjects, have been reduced to minority status subjects in the Government's education proposals for Northern Ireland.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe proposals for a common curriculum for Northern Ireland, published in the consultation document, are not meant to be closely prescriptive, but rather are intended to represent what would be acceptable as the basic components of a broad and balanced curriculum necessary to enable young people to develop to their full potential. The absence of home economics or business studies from the proposed foundation subjects does not mean that they are held in any less esteem, and time will be available outside the foundation curriculum for schools to devote to other important subjects such as these.