- "In today's Britain it is acceptable to say you can't do maths, whereas people would be ashamed to admit if they couldn't read"
Elizabeth Truss, deputy director of the think-tank Reform
- "I have no regrets about contacting the police. Some parents hide from the truth and blame their child's behaviour on friends and peers at school. But it's about time they took responsibility for their children's actions"
Mum Liz Brackenbury, who informed police about her 13-year-old son Jack after finding a four inch knife hidden under his mattress. Jack wasn't prosecuted but police visited to warn him about the dangers of knives
- "A big part of the problem when I was younger was that I was bored out of my head. The local youth clubs didn't offer anything with more appeal than hanging about on street corners"
Mechak Blake, 19, on the lack of youth facilities.
