Education and Skills Bill

I will be brief because I have also been caught in the trap, as it were. I am happy to support the amendment from the noble Baroness and have been absolutely fascinated by all the issues raised during this discussion. We all know that it is in the Government’s interest, in today’s world, to see that we upskill at any stage in our lives. Therefore, we really should be looking at every possible incentive for people to do that. Further to the comments of the noble Baroness, Lady Perry, I left school after the school certificate and I suppose that I am an example of a mature student. I wished to earn some money—in fact, I needed to do so at that stage—and it was not until a lot later that I began to think of giving myself some advice, as the Equal Opportunities Commission was endlessly encouraging women who had not achieved to go back to school. It was keen on the Open University and the opportunities it created to take up those challenges. Yet I was equally fascinated by the point from the noble Baroness, Lady Morris of Yardley. There is a lot to be said for what her headmaster said to her. If you have decided what you want and need to do, if you have suddenly seen the light of how it benefits you—you are probably thinking more about yourself than the well being of the country—the motivation is very important. I would probably go a little further than my noble friend Lord Dearing; I support quite a number of the other amendments spoken to. For me the whole attraction, which started some time before this Bill, is lifelong learning, which we should be encouraging all the way. I will pre-empt the last day of this debate: if it suited me and I had entitlement and no money, I would like to take a level 3 course in my full retirement. Frankly, that should be my right. I very much support the amendment.