---

World Class Skills 2020

I assure my hon. Friend that we are watching the scheme very closely. We are in the first year of the national roll-out and we are tracking carefully what happens, not only across the country but by area and region. I agree with my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, South that in any drive to change the system, and in any set of initiatives, it is crucial to monitor what happens, be flexible and respond as the situation changes. My hon. Friend the Member for Huddersfield spoke about the importance of the skills priority, of which he has long been a champion. He made an important point about part-timers, particularly in higher education. I hope he will acknowledge that the change that we made last year—bringing in a 27 per cent. increase in the part-time student grant—has certainly helped and has been welcomed right across the country. We need to keep monitoring that area closely. Finally, my hon. Friend talked about what should be the effective school-leaving age, although that is not the kind of language that we should use when discussing this issue. I know he agrees about that. No one is suggesting that we should force young people for whom it is not the best route to stay in school until they are 18. However, he made a powerful case. The Government are considering this important issue with real interest. There could be real merit in ensuring that everyone up to the age of 18 retains an involvement in and commitment to education and training if it were done flexibly, either part-time or full-time, through off-the-job training or in-work training with employers, perhaps in a school or college. That could be very powerful socially, economically and educationally. That is why it is important actively to explore these issues and consider them properly. We have had a good and constructive debate, and I am sure that we will all work together to push this agenda forward.