Neither Kenneth Baker nor the Economist hack (FE Focus, FErret, February 20) were the first to refer to further education as the Cinderella sector, as can be seen from this extract from a speech given by Oliver Stanley, the president of the Board of Education, in 1935. (The position covered the work of today’s two secretaries of state.)

“It has, I believe, been an old complaint among many concerned with the technical side of education that that part of education has been the Cinderella. Well, the Government is determined that even if there was any truth in that in the past, there shall be none in the future.” (The TES, December 7, 1935)

He was announcing the Government’s Seven Year Plan for the development of technical education.

So, 70 years ago it was already an old figure of speech. And is there not still much truth in it?

Bill Bailey, London.