Fiftieth Anniversary Of The Education Bill 1944

EDM number 390 in 1993-94, proposed by Nigel Spearing on 19/01/1994.

That this House notes that 20th January 1994 is the fiftieth anniversary of the unopposed Second Reading of the Education Bill, later the Education Act 1944, which for the first time established in England and Wales a coherent system of primary and secondary education to be administered by locally elected representatives of the areas within which the education system was an integral part; deplores the policy and intention of Her Majesty's Government to dismantle and destroy the essence of this combined national and local system, widely supported by all interests and parties and introduced by the then Ministers, R. A. Butler and Chuter Ede; and opposes its replacement by Government control through centrally appointed boards and agencies and the consequential introduction of continual controversy, contention, and uncertainty prejudicial to the interests of all the children, parents and communities of England and Wales.

This motion has been signed by a total of 70 MPs.