Ulster Unionist Peer Lord Empey has called for a major effort to improve literacy and numeracy skills in order to reduce one of the causes of poverty.
Lord Empey was speaking in a debate in the House of Lords, led by Lord Bird who was the founder of the Big Issue and who wants to help people out of poverty, but does not believe in merely raising benefits.
Lord Empey said:
“What are we doing as a country if we are still allowing people to leave school unable to read and write? What are the options for such people? If that child coming out of school does not have those basic skills, they are effectively unemployable for life.
“I think it is a national scandal that we allow people to leave school without basic literacy and numeracy skills. Today’s motion asked us about tackling the causes of poverty in the United Kingdom and I submit that the lack of such basic skills is one cause. It is largely preventable, it is an emergency and there is a cure if we can get our education system right.
“I believe that by ensuring children leaving school have basic numeracy and literacy skills, we will at least equip these young people to have the opportunity to prosper and reach their full potential. Without these basic skills they are doomed to a life of underachievement.”