Schools: Independent Schools Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: Department for Education

Schools: Independent Schools

Lord Grocott Excerpts
Thursday 16th January 2014

(10 years, 9 months ago)

Lords Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lord Nash Portrait Lord Nash
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

The assisted places scheme provided valuable support for pupils, who benefited from a place at an independent school, which their parents might not otherwise have been able to afford. The scheme was abolished by the Labour Party in 1998 so that that money could be spent in the state sector. We agree with that sentiment. Our policy is that resources should be targeted at improving state funding for all pupils rather than supporting a minority.

Lord Grocott Portrait Lord Grocott (Lab)
- Hansard - -

It is worth reminding ourselves that the abolition of the assisted places scheme so that its money could be used in providing free nursery school education was one of five pledges in the 1997 manifesto of the Labour Party—a small number of pledges—and that partly as a result of those pledges, the Labour Party won the general election with a majority of nearly 200.

Lord Nash Portrait Lord Nash
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

I am sure that the noble Lord’s facts are entirely accurate.