A Government minister has criticised a benefits adviser who allegedly told a 17-year-old orphan who could not afford to stay at school to get pregnant as "utterly unprofessional and unacceptable".

Schools Minister Kevin Brennan told the Commons yesterday that the Government was committed to ensuring finance was not a barrier to ensuring young people got an education.

And now the education leaving age was to be raised to 18 it would be looking at more ways to support the teenagers, he added.

Shipley MP Philip Davies told the Commons of the plight of Kirsty Oldfield, a model pupil who faced having to quit school because she could not afford to pay her rent and bills.

It was reported she had been told by a benefits adviser to get pregnant to keep state handouts.

Speaking in the chamber, Mr Brennan said: "If it was the case that his constituent (Kirsty) was advised in the way it has been reported, that is completely and utterly unprofessional and unacceptable.

"We are looking at ways of trying to review the support for young people in the position Kirsty is in and I do extend my sympathies for the circumstances she has found herself in."

His admission came after Mr Davies urged the Government to offer direct support for people in Kirsty's position and not make them navigate a complex benefits system when they find themselves in this position.

Mr Davies said: "Given that the Government is preparing to spend millions of pounds spending money providing education to people who do not want it, surely people who find themselves in Kirsty's position should be given direct support from the department, rather than having to navigate the complicated benefits system, advised to get pregnant or rely on the generosity of the general public to fund their education."

Kirsty, a sixth-form student at Salt Grammar School in Baildon, works 16 hours a week but cannot make her £161-a-week payments for rent and living costs.

She lives with her half-sister Maggie Blackburn and Maggie's boyfriend Andrew Roberts, both 20, in a three-bedroom house in Daleside Road, Windhill.

Since the Telegraph & Argus reported her plight her school has been sent cash and cheques totalling £26,000 - and another £14,000 has been pledged. The school is now in the process of setting up a trust fund for her.

Kirsty's father Chris Oldfield suffered a fatal heart attack in a supermarket car park, aged 46, in January.

His death came only eight months after her mother Jackie died of an alcohol-related illness while Kirsty was studying for her GCSE exams at the then family home in Leeds Road, Windhill, Shipley.