Schools are "giving up" on face to face careers advice for older pupils, a Labour backbencher has claimed.
Speaking at education questions in the House of Commons Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman hit out at the impact of the Government's National Career Service reform.
He said: "Do you know that face to face contact and advice in careers is absolutely essential? Is it not the case that up and down this country, schools are giving up on a highly trained careers person in the school and give no access to an external careers service?
"Is that not sad for the kids in this country who do not have good, well connected parents to give them the advice they crave?"
But the minister for further education, John Hayes, said: "What preceded the position the Government has adopted was the Connexions service. I'm not saying the Connexions was no good but what is certainly true is it was not up to scratch.
"As we know, Alan Milburn in his report specifically called for a National Careers Service. Yes, of course, face to face advice matters but it is not all that matters."
Shadow education minister Karen Buck said: "In developing your model for careers guidance which leaves 16 to 19-year old school leavers with only a web or a helpline service and which does not offer any of the money for careers guidance to schools for face to face services, how many private schools were you aware of where teenagers only receive a web-based or telephone based service?"
Mr Hayes responded: "It is absolutely right that schools make a judgment about the mix of provision that fits their pupils. You are right too that private schools typically buy independent, impartial advice. That is the kind of advice that I think all children deserve and that is why we are changing the system."