EDUCATION Secretary Charles Clark has promised Burnley MP Peter Pike his department will do all it can to persuade more young people in the town to go to university.

The issue was raised during Education Questions in the Commons this week.

Mr Pike told Mr Clark: "You will know that in Burnley there is a low take-up of higher education. The town's future prosperity depends on more people going on to higher education and, when they have done so, returning to work in suitable employment in the area.

"Will the government continue to do all that they can to encourage more people to take up higher education and monitor that to see exactly how they are succeeding?

"That is important to the future of education, not only in Burnley, but in many other places."

Mr Clark told Mr Pike: "You are correct. When I visited Burnley recently, I discussed with you and colleagues the way in which we could address those questions.

"I pay tribute to the work that you and your friends and colleagues are doing to raise education standards throughout the town, as that is the way forward, provided that we can get the link between universities, nationally and regionally, and Burnley to encourage people to believe that a university education is a realistic proposition."