Education: Citizenship Studies

Lord Harris of Haringey Excerpts

Monday 30th June 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord Nash]

I would agree entirely with the noble Baroness except that I think it is a sad reflection on a country with as rich a literary history as we have that more than 90% of essays written for GSCE English literature are on three books.

[Lord Harris of Haringey (Lab)]

My Lords, is not one of the most important forms of citizenship being able to save your fellow citizens’ lives? Why, then, do only 21% of schools provide training in first aid—it is even fewer in CPR techniques—given that there are 60,000 events of cardiac arrest around the country as a whole? Why not include that in the national curriculum both to encourage the better health of individuals and to give the young people concerned greater reliance and greater confidence?

[Lord Nash]

Of course first aid is very important, and schools are free to teach that. Again, we have another bid for what is mandated in the national curriculum. We have to have some priorities, but of course health and safety is very important.