To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 12 February.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.

Does the Prime Minister recall that shortly before he became Prime Minister he said that the subject that he cares most about is education? He repeated those sentiments at the Young Conservatives' conference at the weekend. I have in my hand the sum total of all those speeches made by the right hon. Gentleman on education since 1979—it averages one line a year. Can the Prime Minister put in the Library any other speeches on this subject, which is so close to his heart?

The hon. Gentleman is being uncharacteristically fatuous

Hon. Members:

Withdraw.

Order.

If colleagues insist, I shall withdraw "uncharacteristically". For the bulk of the period in the House since 1979 I have either been in the Whips' Office, and thus unable to speak, or a Minister with other departmental responsibilities. If the hon. Gentleman had had what undoubtedly would have been an education to him from listening to the speeches that I have made outside the House he would not have asked that question.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 12 February.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave some moments ago.

Despite my right hon. Friend and I both having left state schols at 16 and therefore, perhaps being poor educational advertisements [Interruption.] I said perhaps. Would my right hon. Friend underline his determination that standards and diversity in our state schools are enhanced and improved, and above all, that the staying-on rate of students beyond 16 and 18 is increased?

I am happy to endorse my hon. Friend's point. Education is undoubtedly the key in the future to opening new paths for people, not just people with high abilities, but, of course, people with much lesser abilities as well. We want an education system that rewards dedicated teachers and provides education in the state sector of which we can be proud. That is what we shall be increasingly reaching towards throughout the Conservative Governments of the 1990s.