In the fifth day of debate on the Queen's Speech in the House of Commons MPs debated aspects of the speech relating to education, skills and training. The Prime Minister claimed the Queen’s Speech has bold reforms to remove all barriers to opportunity for our young people by measures such as the new Education for All Bill and the new Universities Bill. Today, young people are suffering from what the Equality and Human Rights Commission says are “the worst economic prospects for several generations”.

• 3.7 million children live in poverty. In Bethnal Green and Bow, 42% of children live in poverty—the highest rate in the country.
• The youth unemployment rate is nearly three times higher than the national average unemployment rate
• More than 850,000 young people remain not in education, employment or training.

Rushanara Ali MP said:

“The Prime Minister’s warm words on widening participation are not matched by his dismal record in Government. In the last six years, the Conservatives have cut work experience entitlement and careers guidance, cut the Further Education budget by 24% since 2010, and tripled university fees, scrapped EMA, student nurse bursaries and maintenance grants for poorer university students. Schools across the country face a real terms cut of 8% of funding per pupil by 2020 and David Cameron wants to raise university fees even higher. It’s a tale of chaos and our young people deserve so much better than what is in this Queen’s Speech.