HC Deb 25 February 2003 vol 400 c466W
Mr. Boswell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills why IT is no longer part of the core curriculum; and if he will make a statement. [98696]

Mr. Charles Clarke

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is currently a National Curriculum foundation subject at all four key stages of compulsory education. The 14–19 strategy document "14–19: opportunity and excellence", published on 21 January 2003, confirmed that ICT will remain compulsory during Key Stage 4, recognising the importance that ICT plays in preparing young people to participate in a rapidly changing world in which work and other activities are increasingly dependent on access to, and skilful use of, technology.

We expect that, in time, pupils will increasingly develop their ICT skills through other subjects and ICT may no longer need to be discretely specified as a statutory required National Curriculum subject.