Blackpool South MP Gordon Marsden has urged Government and local authorities to strengthen their provision and support for post-16 young people with learning difficulties in helping them get training or further education.

Questioning in Parliament the Chief Executive of Connexions, Kieran Gordon – which supervises advice and guidance for young people, Mr Marsden said “lots of young people with special needs or learning difficulties did not have formal statements and needed stronger support to be trained or further educated post-16.”

Mr Gordon said that Connexions welcomed the opportunity new legislation would give for 17 and 18 year olds to be further assessed but agreed that it needed to support those without formal statements as well.

Mr Marsden is one of a select band of MPs closely scrutinising in committee the new Education and Skills Bill.

He said later “this is a crucial issue for young people in Blackpool with disabilities or special needs. Now that local councils will have the money and responsibility to offer guidance and advice from Connexions – its very important that parents and young people in this category get proper post-16 support. my experiences in Blackpool tell me that many parents feel at present they don’t always get that. I want both Government and local councils to strengthen that support. I will be brining amendments to the new Bill to try and help do that.”