AM welcomes social mobility commission

12.00.00am GMT Sat 5th Jan 2008

Welsh Liberal Democrat Social Justice Spokesperson, Peter Black, has welcomed the setting up of the Commission on Social Mobility by Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg.

The Commission, which is to be chaired by the Chief Executive of Barnardos, Martin Narey, is to investigate the reasons for Britain's apparently low levels of social mobility and recommend policy changes to enable children from disadvantaged backgrounds to fulfil their full potential.

Mr. Black said:

"Current evidence suggests that social mobility is lower in the UK than in most western democracies. It cannot be right that by the age of seven, a bright but poor child will be overtaken at school by a child who was struggling in pre-school years but is from a more affluent background.

"Neither can it be right that in 2008 a child born into deprivation is more likely to inherit his or her parents' disadvantage than at any time in our recent past.

"Like Nick Clegg, I too want to know why it is that Britain's low levels of social mobility compare unfavourably with almost every other developed nation.

"Children should be free to realise their aspirations and not be held back by the circumstances of their birth."