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Education and Skills Bill

We have had a long and thoughtful debate with valuable contributions from all parties, but I would like to identify the contribution of my hon. Friend the Member for North-East Hertfordshire (Mr. Heald), who made some telling points about the need for valuable apprenticeships that really assist people who are going down the vocational route. I also appreciated the contribution of my hon. Friend the Member for Broxbourne (Mr. Walker), who spoke with real humanity about the plight facing many young people who are let down by inadequate education. Of course, we were all excited by the invitation to visit Bournemouth from my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth, East (Mr. Ellwood). However, I enjoyed a lot of the speech by the Secretary of State. He set out an aspiration, which we in my party share, that many more young people should stay on at school or get valuable education and training in other ways. I also enjoyed his references to the historical origins of the debate. He referred to the 1918 Act—passed by a Liberal-Conservative coalition—which he said introduced the proposal to require compulsory schooling up to 14 and 16. He then said, slightly airily, that because of public expenditure pressures, the Act could not be implemented.